Before FHE, ask someone to help you with a little object lesson. Here's how it plays out...


Ask your helper to cut something out for you (such as the picture below) while you talk to your family about their day, or about upcoming events, or have them begin looking up a scripture. As the helper cuts, they pretend to cut their finger. The helper should quickly grab hold of the finger and act as if they are stemming the flow of blood. When the helper has "cut" himself, quickly offer your assistance in this manner:


"Oh! Goodness! Did you cut yourself? Let me help you. Here! I have something that will fix you right up." (Pull out a roll of tape.)


Family members will laugh and say that won't work. Next...


"Well! This will work, then. I'll just tie it back together." (Pull out some yarn or string.)


Again, family members will let you know that isn't a good idea. Next...


"Okay, I have just the right thing this time." (Pull out the glue.)


At this point, it is time to ask for suggestions of what would be the proper thing to do. The answer you are looking for is a bandaid. As soon as this has been said, put a bandage on the finger and explain the following concept.


Just like you know what to do when your body is in pain (like from cutting yourself), you need to know what to do when your spirit is hurting.


"What makes our Spirit hurt?" (We feel bad when we have done something wrong.)

"What do we have to do to make it better?" (Repent.)

"What do we need to do to repent?" (Four steps to repentance.)

Show the picture below and point out the similarities in what happens when our body experiences pain and when our Spirit experiences pain. Heavenly Father provided a wonderful way for us to get the help we need when we are hurt. Think what would happen if we didn't experience pain when we were hurt. If physically hurt, we experience pain so that we can know to fix a wound. If spiritually hurt, we experience guilt and feelings of being sorry to signal us to fix the sin.


Teach the following song to help family members remember the steps to repentance.


In trying to come up with a creative, yet simple way to teach the four steps of repentance, I threw together a few lines and discovered that they match up quite nicely with the song Saturday(from the Children's Songbook). The first word in the song ("I") should begin on the note "D" (just above middle C), then "realize" fits right where the word "Saturday" begins the song. You can repeat the lyrics twice if you want to sing the whole Saturday song.


I realize when I've done wrong.
I ask to be forgiven.
I fix the problem the best that I can.
I resist the sin again & again.


The words in bold are the key words.


End the lesson by quizzing the family on the steps to repentance. You can refer to the song above and picture below as needed.