Mormon Thanksgiving Activity
What are you going to do for Thanksgiving? Just eat with your family, and nothing more? How about having a special Thanksgiving Activity?
As JB said, Felipe and I created a Thanksgiving tree with many leaves in which each member of the family wrote down the things they are grateful for. It is displayed in our living room. We also plan just before eating dinner to share a few words on the things we are grateful for in this particular year as well as share a Thanksgiving poem.
I am a descendant of the Pilgrims. My 7th great grandparents were William and Susanna White. They also had a two year old son with them named "Resolved" (They were resolved to leave England.) They rode the Mayflower and made that historic journey to Plymouth Rock in pursuit of finding religious freedom. While on the Mayflower, Susanna gave birth to a baby boy whom was named "Peregrine" which means Pilgrim. I believe there were only two babies born on the Mayflower. William White was the 11th signer of the Mayflower Compact. My great grandparents survived the harsh winter. William White returned to England to bring others to America for religious freedom. However, on the journey back to America, he died on the ship. Susanna and the boys had stayed at Plymouth Rock. They remained there, making their homes and settling there. Susanna lived to be almost 90, I believe and the her boys married and had families in Plymouth. They lived long lives. It is truly a remarkable story, and a heritage I am proud to share with others.
I think it is stories like these we should be telling our children about during Thanksgiving, teaching how our ancestors brought us to where we are today. No matter where in the world you may live, I feel it is important to honor those that came before you and prepared the way so that we could enjoy the blessings we have today. Let's share stories of our ancestors with our children--stories of grandparents, aunts, uncles, great great grandparents, etc. It is by by sharing their stories that we will build faith, love, honor, and respect in our children.
Edited: Pianomom on 15th Nov, 2008 - 4:20am
A Thanksgiving for Religious Freedom
"A grateful heart "¦ comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives," said President Monson in a 2010 address. "This requires conscious effort-at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. "¦ When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given." Ref. Source 4
Before we eat we gather in the living room and each person says what they are thankful for the year gone. Then we go to the dining room and have Thanksgiving dinner. After dinner we normally play a group game.
For God So Loved the World
Give thanks for the Lord Jesus Christ: His life, His atoning sacrifice, and His resurrection.
Thanksgiving a Time to Find Gratitude Amid Difficulty
Salt Lake City | Tuesday, 20 November 2012 00:00:00 -0700 | Many across the nation and world, including members of the Church, currently face weighty challenges in their lives. In difficult periods of the past, leaders have recognized the collective need to give thanks amid turmoil and to turn to God.
Source: United States - LDS Newsroom RSS Feed