"Thank You"

Lesson

“There are two little words in the English language that perhaps mean more than all others,” says President Gordon B. Hinckley. “They are ‘thank you’ ” (“A Prophet’s Counsel and Prayer for Youth,” Ensign, Jan. 2001, 4).

Ask: “why do you think these words are so meaningful? “do you feel good when someone tells you “thank you”? why?

Discuss ways in your own home you can show gratitude. Take time to tell each member of the family why you are grateful for them and the things they do. Take turns doing this.

It is important to say thank you; in fact, we are commanded to be thankful. In the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” (D&C 59:7)..

Ask: “how do we show Heavenly Father and Jesus we are thankful for all they do for us?”

-We show Heavenly Father and Jesus that we are grateful to Them by keeping Their commandments. When we are baptized, we show obedience to the Lord. When we read the scriptures, we show that we are thankful to have the word of God. When we partake of the sacrament reverently, we are showing our gratitude for Jesus Christ’s Atonement.

Challenge

challenge the family to say a “thankful prayer”. When they get on their knees to pray tonight encourage them to take one prayer to only give thanks and not ask for anything. Tell the children they will discover they have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

Activity

Make Gratitude Journals for each child. Take time for them to write all the things they are grateful for. Encourage them to keep the journal somewhere they can see. This way when they have a bad day they can get it out and be reminded of all the things they have to be thankful for. Also, as they think of more things to be grateful for they can add it to their journal.

or

Using a box or other materials, make a simple replica of a home. Tell the children that the box represents a home and ask them to name some of the things in their homes that they are grateful for. Before FHE, prepare wordstrips for the older children and pictures for the younger children of things that are in the homes. Inside a box have the wordstrips or pictures such as “bed,” “sofa,” “scriptures,” and “sink.” Also include family members and possibly pets. When the children have guessed all of the things that are in the box, show them the empty box but explain that some of the most important things in a home cannot be seen. Help them name intangible things such as “love,” “the gospel,” and “gratitude.” Explain that our homes are happier when we are grateful.

Song

“I Am Glad for Many Things” (p. 151).

"Thank You"