Class member: My daughter is friends with 2 girls in her class that her parents earn Linder Farms. She spent the day out there with them. She said I should write them a thank you card. My son was excited to write a thank you note to his teacher who gave him a book from the Book Fair.
Class member: We were talking. My family has the ‘service’ part down because we run a non-profit. We have put in hours for a long time. I have a hard time getting my kids to show gratitude. We decided that we need to focus on manners. I got cross with them at dinner. I have one that is 17 and 15 and they could be going on missions and I don’t want them to act like this. The 15 year old said I wouldn’t act like this in someone else’s home. Sometimes I think we are just harder on ourselves than we need to be. I tried doing a gratitude journal, but I didn’t stay on it very well. I just restarted it again last night. We need to just look at the little things.
Class member: I have 3 boys too. 1 is by far less mannerly than the others. He wipes his hands on his shirt. Yesterday his shirt was disgusting. I took his shirt off him and showed it to him. I think maybe it has gotten through to him. I have been trying to do a gratitude journal every since I have read that talk by President Eyring. During the day I will say, “I’m going to put that in my gratitude journal.”
That’s a great idea.
Class member: I loved the concept of the ‘action’ of being thankful. I think there was a light bulb that went on for at least one of my children. I think they were receptive to the lesson. We made our tree and every day we add something. What are you going to do because you are grateful for that.
Because I’m grateful how do I show my gratitude.
Class member: I was talking with my daughter who is at BYU-I and is having a rough transition. She mentioned that tithing money goes to pay for BYU-I. Even the tithing money from those saints in the 3rd world country may never see something like that. You can’t thank those people to their face, but how can you show them that you are thankful. She felt overwhelmed. I can work really hard and make sure I’m getting good grades. I can make sure that I’m getting to church and doing my visiting teaching. I kept asking her what else? Maybe someday when I’m making money I can donate to the Perpetual Education Fund. Take that gratitude and do something with it.
Class member: We had a trip to New Jersey planned over the weekend. All the plans got drastically changed. We got stranded in the Denver airport and had to drive home. We noticed so many of those instances that we could be grateful along the way. I was glad that I we had been talking about different things we noticed we were thankful for.
When it’s this natural process when you develop that heart of gratitude and they see it that is when they get it.
Class member: My daughter is 13 and she is so dramatic and whiny. She can be really rude with her tone of voice. Sunday before church started she started complaining. I leaned over to her and said let me give you a microphone so everyone else can see how dramatic you are being. She started laughing. It diffused whatever the situation was and she would start laughing. She quit being whiny.
Humor is the best diffuser they can have. Use it!
Class member: There is a Berenstain Bears book where the brother and sister would swap places with the Mom & Dad and act just like them. We pull that book out every once in awhile to remind them of that.
Class member: My kids are raised and I’m here to find out how to help my grandchildren. I want to have a family meeting and we can all talk and grow closer. We do Secret Santa.
One of the other assignments is The Living Christ.
Class member: My take away is the Level Zero.
Memorize the Living Christ with Pictures….. http://www.bookofmormondiscovery.com/livingchrist.html