Opening Song: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel (Hymnal 252)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/music/library/hymns/put-your-shoulder-to-the-wheel?lang=eng
Opening Prayer:
Scripture: Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for the good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.
Discuss the meaning of the quote above with the family. What does this mean to each of you in the family? Take turns giving replies.
Working together as families started with Adam and Eve. They were commanded by God to til the earth, to have children and take care of them. We are still commanded to this day to do this with our families. Working with our families helps us to love one another and brings us closer to Jesus Christ.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World says it is our solemn responsibility and a sacred duty for parents to care for each other and their children. Working together on principles based on the gospel of Jesus Christ will help families be successful (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
1995, para. 6-7).
Read paragraphs 6 & 7 here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng
Because work is a principle and commandment of the Lord we must strive to work together with our families often. Working with our families creates strong bonds, connections, and love for one another. It is not always easy to get everyone involved in the idea that working and spending time together is fun. Having a positive attitude is key.
Activity: Make a list of fun things you like to do with your family or that you would like to do with your family. How does it make you feel when you work together? How does this affect the family when one or more members do not want to work together? What might you do as a family to help encourage them to join in?
It is important that we are patient with our family members who may be having a hard time creating new patterns in our family that might not be familiar. When we show love we can show we care. Working with an unwilling family member may be as easy as serving them first. Once they feel your love they may be more inclined to join in with serving with you.
Working can be fun, so can spending that quality time together. Take a few minutes together to review the following link for more ideas:
Working and spending quality time together is one way to do this. If everyone works together the load is made lighter. Working together does not have to be looked at as work. It can be recognized as moments and opportunities for families to spend time together, getting to know each other better just as families did so easily long ago.
Read Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
This invitation from the Savior in how He will carry our load is an example of how we too can carry one another's. He is the perfect example for love and connection in working with others.
Video: Watch the following video on the importance of being yoked together. Think of ways that you could try harder in your family to equally yoke yourself so that you can all work together in unity.
Testimony:
When I was growing up it was difficult for my family to find harmony in working together. My parents tried so hard to make this a priority in our lives. It wasn't always easy and we weren't perfect at it. Sometimes there was a lot of love. Sometimes there was less love. I come from a large family and at times it was hard to even fit into one car to go somewhere because there were so many of us. I remember one Christmas my family worked hard in preparation to serve another family in need. My sisters and I helped wrap presents for them. My parents bought and prepared food. We all helped to assemble our humble gifts. We took the boxes of food and gifts in a Santa sack and drove to their home and left them quietly on their porch. I can still picture my brothers dashing to their door and my dad driving away quickly after they jumped back in the van. My oldest brother called the family and said in the best Santa voice he could muster that he had just dropped off a surprise outside. We were so excited to work together as a family to bring joy to another that Christmas.
There are many ways to work together as a family. We will not always be perfect at it but the Lord knows when we make the effort to connect and bond. He will support us in building strong family connections because families are important to Heavenly Father's plan of happiness.
It is hard today with our busy families to find time to work and spend quality time together, but when we make it a priority it will be the most important work we can do within the walls of our home, just as President Harold B. Lee quoted above (Chapter 14: Love at Home, 2011).
To find more on strengthening greater love at home please read his more of his teachings found here:
Closing Song: Have I done any good in the world today (Hymnal 223)
Closing Prayer
References
Bahr, K., Manwaring, K., Loveless, C., Bahr, E., “The Meanings and Blessings of Family Work” (2012), In Hawkins, A. J., In Dollahite, D. C., & In Draper, T. Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamations Principles and Research Perspectives.
Chapter 14:
Love at Home. (2011).
Churchofjesuschrist.org. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teachings-harold-b-lee/chapter-14?lang=eng
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1995). The Family: A Proclamation to the World. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng
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