This month's edition of weekly FHE lessons is based on the new family movie Trek, which follows a young Mormon teenager named Tom and his friends on their handcart journey. Each lesson includes a scene from movie to watch and discuss. Your whole family will laugh along and be inspired by Trek: The Movie, available at Deseret Book stores and deseretbook.com.
Song: “Come, Come Ye Saints” (Hymns, 30) or “More Holiness Give Me” (Hymns, 131)
Scripture: “Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me” (D&C 19:23).
Lesson: Watch and discuss the following scene from Trek: The Movie:
When Tom and his dad talk about going on trek, Tom responds: “I don’t want to pull a simulated handcart for three days so I can have a simulated spiritual experience and gain a simulated testimony.”
Questions to Discuss:
- Why do we participate in “simulated” activities like trek? Or Young Women camp, Scout camp, or other difficult, demanding events?
- How can such events create a frame of mind that invites the spirit?
- How can we prepare ourselves to get the most out of these kinds of events?
- How is mortality similar to these types of “simulated events”?
- How can we open ourselves to the Holy Ghost so that we can learn and grow from the challenging experiences in our lives?
Explain that while trek and other Church activities are often “simulated experiences,” the lessons we learn through these activities are very real. Living in a “simulated experience” is an opportunity to see the gospel from a different perspective, allowing the Holy Ghost to testify of truth in a way we might not otherwise experience. As we humbly and willingly participate, the Lord can teach us in powerful, personal ways.
Additional Resources:
“Meek and Lowly of Heart” by Elder David A. Bednar (April 2018)
"I rejoice in the sacred opportunity to sustain our Church leaders, and I wholeheartedly welcome Elder Gong and Elder Soares to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The ministries of these faithful men will bless individuals and families all over the world, and I am eager to serve with and learn from them.
"I pray the Holy Ghost will teach and enlighten us as we learn together about a vital aspect of the Savior’s divine nature that each of us should strive to emulate.
"I will present several examples that highlight this Christlike quality before identifying the specific attribute later in my message. Please listen carefully to each example and consider with me possible answers to the questions I will pose."
Continue reading the entire conference talk here.
“Become as a Little Child” by Sister Jean A. Stephens (April 2011)
"Our Father in Heaven, in His great wisdom and love, sends His spirit sons and daughters to this earth as children. They come to families as precious gifts with a divine nature and destiny. Our Heavenly Father knows children are a key to helping us become like Him. There is so much we can learn from children.
"This important truth was evidenced some years ago as a member of the Seventy was on assignment in Hong Kong. He visited a very humble ward that was struggling in many ways, unable to provide for its own needs. As the bishop described their situation, the General Authority felt the impression to have the members pay their tithing. The bishop, knowing their dire circumstances, was concerned about how he could carry out that counsel. He thought about it and decided he would approach some of the most faith-filled members of his ward and ask them to pay their tithing. The next Sunday he went to the Primary. He taught the children about the Lord’s law of tithing and asked if they would be willing to pay tithing on the money they earned. The children said they would. And they did.
"The bishop later went to the adults in the ward and shared with them that for the past six months their faithful children had been paying tithing. He asked them if they would be willing to follow the example of these children and do the same. The people were so touched by the sacrifices the children were willing to make that they did what was necessary to pay their tithing. And the windows of heaven were opened. With the example of these faithful children, a ward grew in obedience and in testimony."
Continue reading the entire conference talk here.
Lead image from Shutterstock
Help your family celebrate pioneer heritage by watching Trek: The Movie on Blu-ray and DVD, available at Deseret Book stores and deseretbook.com on July 3, or preorder it now.
The movie Trek follows a young Mormon teenager named Tom and his friends on their handcart journey. Along the way, they try to smuggle in unsanctioned food, battle sibling rivalry, encounter a "special ops" Young Men leader, match wits with a Twinkie-loving skunk, and ponder doctrinal brain teasers like, "Do General Authorities go to PG-13 movies?" But, when they encounter unexpected trouble, their faith is tested much like that of their pioneer ancestors. Whether you've been on a trek or not, your family will laugh along and ultimately be inspired as you enjoy this delightful film.
