Habits
by Shauna Gibby

Let us remind ourselves at the beginning of each day that we can keep a resolution just for that day. As we do this it gets easier and easier until it becomes a habit.

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Thought:

Let us remind ourselves at the beginning of each day that we can keep a resolution just for that day. As we do this it gets easier and easier until it becomes a habit. (N. Eldon Tanner, “Today I Will …,” New Era, Mar 2003, 12)

Song:

“I Want to Live the Gospel,” Children’s Songbook, p. 148

Scripture:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. (Article of Faith 13)

Object Lesson:

Materials needed: Sewing thread and two pencils.

Application: Ask a family member to assist you. Have him hold a pencil in each hand and wind the thread around the pencils once, leaving two to three inches of space between the pencils. Ask your assistant to break the thread. Now wind the thread around the pencils four or five times and have him try to break it. Ask if it was easier or harder.

Explain that any habit is developed by using it over and over, just like the thread was stronger after wrapping it over and over. (Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Building Blocks for Better Lessons, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1998], p. 125.)

Explain that our habits become the pattern for our life. Let the family members share some things that have become habits for them. Discuss with them that habits can be good or bad. Explain that they can develop righteous habits, such as praying, scripture reading, thinking of the Savior, obedience, tithing, honesty, using the names of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father reverently, caring for their belongings, helping make home a happy place. These habits can bless their lives now and in the future. Give each person a pencil, a piece of paper, and an envelope. Have her/him write on her/his paper a righteous habit she/he would like to begin forming, then put it in her/his envelope. Tell them to take their papers out each morning and read them to help remember their goals. (Karen Ashton, “Sharing Time: I Will Make Important Choices Now,” Friend, Nov 1997, 14)

Stories:

A certain man who is very successful now was very poor when he was a boy. When asked how he became successful, he said, “My father taught me never to play until my work was finished, and never to spend my money until I had earned it. If I had but an hour’s work in the day, I must do that the first thing, and in an hour. And after that I was allowed to play; and then I could play with much more pleasure than if I had the thought of an unfinished task before my mind. I early formed the habit of doing everything on time, and it soon became easy to do so. It is to this I owe my success.” (Rich Walton and Fern Oviatt, Stories for Mormons, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1983], p. 125.)

A young mother leaving for a weekend trip deposited her eighteen-month-old baby in the arms of his grandmother.

“Thanks, Mom, you’re a dear. . . . Oh, one more thing. Before you feed him, would you please put his little hands together and help him say a simple blessing on his food. We have family prayer with him at night, too. If you and Dad wouldn’t mind kneeling by the side of his crib for prayers—he’s used to it. I think it would help him feel more secure.”

As her daughter disappeared down the driveway, the grandmother thought about the request. What wise parents they are, she decided. A habit in the making at eighteen months will be a way of life at eighteen years.

Leon R. Hartshorn, Remarkable Stories from the Lives of Latter-day Saint Women, vol. 1, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1973].)

Activity:

Play “Mother, May I?” adding please and thank you to the regular play. One person is the mother (or captain) and stands facing away from a line of players. She then chooses a family member and announces her instructions. These follow a pattern, such as, “Brian, you may take ‘x’ giant/regular/baby steps forward/backward.” The child responds with “Mother may I, please?” Mom then states “Yes” or “No” and the child says”thank you” before completing the action. If the child forgets to ask “Mother may I?” or say please or thank you he/she goes back to the starting line. First one to touch Mother wins.

Explain that we should be in the habit of using kind words such as please and thank you.

Refreshment

Lemon Bars Light, lemony, and luscious!

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 cup butter or margarine

4 beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Sift together the 2 cups flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter with pastry blender or knives until mixture clings together. Press into an 8x8-inch pan. Bake at 350° F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Beat together eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Sift together the 1⁄4 cup flour and baking powder. Stir into egg mixture. Pour over baked crust. Bake at 350° F. for about 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar. Cool. Cut into bars. Makes 9 bars. (Julie Badger Jensen, The Essential Mormon Cookbook, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004], p. 59.)

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