Family Night Fun: Let the Holy Spirit Guide

"I witness that as you gain experience and success in being guided by the Spirit, your confidence in the impressions you feel can become more certain than your dependence on what you see or hear" (Elder Richard G. Scott, “To Acquire Spiritual Guidance,” Ensign Nov. 2009).

Our activity tonight included reading past journal entries. This is Collin's journal entry Nov. 1, 2008, which was about Halloween last year. The drawing includes our Star Wars family costumes and all the candy Collin collected trick-or-treating. His favorite? Bubble gum, of course.

Opening song: The Lord Gave Me a Temple
Prayer: Collin
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (Bible, New Testament)

Lesson:
I have five senses that help me.
Take turns using your five senses to identify different items. For example, use your eyes to find a hidden object (picture of Jesus). Use only your sense of smell to identify a food (peanut butter). Use only your sense of touch to identify an in a bag (toy dinosaur). Use only your ears to identify the source of a mystery sound (squeaky door opening). Use only your sense of taste to identify a food (grape). How do each of our five senses help us? Explain that our senses help us learn about the world around us.

The Holy Ghost helps me.
Another way we can learn something is through the power of the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost testifies to us, we can know the truth even more surely than when we rely on our senses. (See quote from Elder Scott above.) The Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and our heart through feelings and impressions. With practice, we can learn to recognize and trust this still, small voice.

I always want the Holy Ghost to be with me.
Show a photo of Elder Scott and explain that he is a living apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the last general conference, he taught us what we must do to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Invite a family member to eat a grape and a jalapeno pepper at the same time. Can you taste the grape? Why not? Can your other senses be masked too? (Use an oven mitt to mask your sense of touch, plug your nose, wear ear plugs, etc.) Read the following quote from Elder Scott:

"The inspiring influence of the Holy Spirit can be overcome or masked by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, passion, fear, or pride. When such influences are present, it is like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeño pepper. Both flavors are present, but one completely overpowers the other. In like manner, strong emotions overcome the delicate promptings of the Holy Spirit...

What does Elder Scott say will prevent us from tasting the fruits of the Spirit? (strong emotions, sin, pornography, etc.) What can we do to welcome guidance from the Holy Spirit? (be obedient, exercise faith, have patience, practice listening, be prayerful, be humble, be grateful, etc.)

Testify that the gift of the Holy Ghost is given to us by a loving Heavenly Father. When we keep our mind and body clean, the Holy Spirit is welcome there. Our body can be bright like a temple when we have the light of the Spirit to teach and guide us.

Activity:
Enjoy family journals, scrapbooks and home movies
Set a timer and write in your journals together until time is up. (Younger children can draw a picture.) Then share past experiences that you have recorded in your journals, look at family scrapbooks, or watch home movies. Refer to the story Elder Scott shares about the importance of recording spiritual experiences (see Richard G. Scott, “To Acquire Spiritual Guidance,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 6–9).

Refreshments: Ghost sugar cookies (Happy Halloween!)

Closing song: Let the Holy Spirit Guide
Prayer: Luke