Ever since the kids were tiny, we've reserved one night a week--usually Sunday or Monday--for learning the gospel and spending time together during family home evening (FHE). We usually sing a few songs, talk a little about our week, then have a short lesson and a treat. The lesson is not usually very long or very profound, but it is meaningful time we spend together week-after-week that brings our family closer together.
When the kids were younger, I went to great lengths to engage the kids in the lessons. I used flannel board stories, puppets, and creative games to help make the learning more meaningful to them. As they've gotten older though, the lessons now are more often iterations of lessons I've either heard or given to the Young Women or discussions about some topic that's been on our minds. I guess we may have have gotten a little boring around here, because Ellie practically begged to take over the lesson yesterday. We readily agreed.
And believe me when I tell you, that things were a lot livelier last night than during our average family home evening. We still had the sullen teen who kept muttering under her breath about all the homework she had to do, but the rest of the lesson was all dramatics and giggles, and I do not mean that in a bad way.
Ellie was the narrator, costume designer, and stage director for an amazing lesson about Esther.
She had learned about Esther during Primary on Sunday and was so excited to share what she learned with the rest of us. It was one of the most memorable FHE lessons we've had in a long time and made me grateful for inspired teachers who so lovingly prepare lessons for my kids each week and also for inspired leaders who encourage us to take time out of our busy schedules to devote to our families.
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