Old Testament Margin Notes and Pictures

To help my kids learn the stories of the Old Testament, and to be able to FIND the stories in their scriptures I have made some really simple illustrations in the margins of their scriptures.  The kids were excited to see them and mostly knew what stories the pictures represented.  The few stories that the little kids didn't know I think they will pay more attention to next time they hear. 

In the margin I also wrote what the story was, and where else they could read about it (for example: the creation, the fall, and Noah's ark are all also recorded in the Pearl of Great Price).  

I used colored pencils and a mechanical pencil so it wouldn't bleed through to other pages.  

There are some amazing people and stories recorded in the Old Testament!  Some of the books of the Old Testament were the plates that Nephi and his brothers went back to get from King Laban.  

Nephi's testimony was formed reading about these great people.  

Moses was Nephi's scripture hero- Nephi encouraged his brothers saying,

 "Let us be strong like unto Moses" (1 Ne 4:2).  

To make it easier to mark up future sets of scriptures (we give each child a set of nice scriptures when they are baptized) I have made a printable chart showing where I marked, what I wrote in the margin, and which picture I drew.  If your first thought was that you could draw way better pictures, you are probably right.  

It doesn't need to be perfect to do the job!  

This is just the beginning of the Old Testament.  There are still great stories like Daniel in the lion's den, Jonah and the whale, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, etc, I just haven't gotten that far yet!    

Printable Black and White Guide Here

The Doctrine of the Family

My testimony of the importance of families has grown so much as I have studied God's word to know what God expects of me as a mom.  I have searched the scriptures for references about what we are to teach our children.  I have read both mine and my husband's Patriarchal blessings and written down everything that God has said about our family and what we need to do as parents.  Another great source of clarity has been the words of God's servants.  Most of these have audio/video links if you want to watch it or listen to it while you are working.  

Here are some of my favorite talks about God's plan for families!

Bringing up Children in Light and Truth, by George Albert Smith

"I want to suggest to you..., there is no time that you can spend, no way in which you can utilize your time that will be of greater advantage than training your boys and your girls to be worthy of the blessings of our Heavenly Father."

Mothers and Daughters, by M. Russell Ballard

"There is nothing in this world as personal, as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman."

Mothers Who Know, by Julie B. Beck

"When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children."

Children, by Neil L. Andersen

"In 'the best of times and the worst of times' the true Saints of God, acting in faith, have never forgotten, dismissed, or neglected 'God's commandment... to multiply and replenish the earth.'  We go forward in faith..."

The Joy of Living the Great Plan of Happiness, by Richard G. Scott

"As a mother guided by the Lord, you weave a fabric of character in your children from threads of truth through careful instruction and worthy example...  It is your sacred right and privilege."

The Family Under Siege: The Role of Man and Woman, by Bruce K. Satterfield

The link will take you to the talk at theredheadedhostess.com

"Upon the creation of a mortal body, parents begin one of the most important tests of not only mortality but of their eternal existence: to see if they will do all they can to raise a righteous family.  Ultimately, it is through righteous parenthood that men and women can prove themselves worthy of godhood, for I believe that the ultimate test of godhood is parenthood!"

Teaching the Doctrine of the Family, by Julie B. Beck

The link will take you to the talk at theredheadedhostess.com

"Everything depended on a man and a woman who understood their place in the plan and their responsibilities to form an eternal family, to bear children, and to teach them."

A Legacy of Testimony, by Henry B. Eyring

"No program we follow or family tradition we create can transmit a legacy of testimony we do not have..."

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them, by Boyd K Packer

"It is the challenge of mortality to be a worthy and responsible parent."

Families Under Covenant, by Henry B. Eyring

"There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings."

To the Fathers in Israel, by Ezra Taft Benson

"Remember your sacred calling as a father in Israel- your most important calling in time and eternity- a calling from which you will never be released."

Gathering

A Mother With Children
by: Giuseppe Magni 

I'm terrible at art interpretation, but this picture speaks volumes to me with all of its baskets.  It has taken me years of mothering to recognize the crucial role that mothers play as "gatherers" for their families.  During these first formative years of life the world for my children is what I bring into my home: the foods, the books, the movies, the conversations, the babies, the tone.  All of it is gathered together by me.  The power of homemaking!  I love it.  

I might also resonate with the picture a little because her house isn't perfectly clean...  Isn't it beautiful though how she holds her children in the light?  And doesn't she look calm? 

Printable Book Guides for the Book of Mormon

My kids have come to know the stories of the Book of Mormon as we have studied them at dinner.  Now they need to be able to find the stories in their own scriptures.  To help with that I created book guides for most of the books in the Book of Mormon.  They are intended to make it easier to find the stories.  They are sprinkled with quotes, study ideas, a picture to color, a timeline, and some spots are left open for illustrations to help my kids develop a variety of scripture study skills.

The number on the left side of the guide is the corresponding chapter.

Timelines really help!

The pictures on the page are also in the margin of the right page in the Book of Mormon.
Bad picture, sorry.

Print Here

Choose the "two-sided" print feature so it will print properly, it will print 3 pages (on both sides).  

The pages are then cut exactly into quarters.

They aren't perfect, but I do think that they will be a powerful tool 

as our family continues to learn from their scriptures!  

Temple Quote

If our people will faithfully attend the temple the Lord will bless them in the following ways:

greater love and unity in the home,

businesses and professions will prosper,

their children will be saved,

and angels will protect them.

-Elder Vaugh J. Featherstone

Printable here

Christmas Music

"Music has boundless powers for moving families toward greater spirituality and devotion to the gospel. 

Latter-day Saints should fill their homes 

with the sound of worthy music.

The hymns can bring families a spirit of beauty and peace and can inspire love and unity among family members.

Teach your children to love the hymns. Sing them on the Sabbath, in home evening, during scripture study, at prayer time. Sing as you work, as you play, and as you travel together. Sing hymns as lullabies to build faith and testimony in your young ones."

-taken from the First Presidency Preface to the Hymn book

To help bring the true spirit of Christmas into our home this season we have printed these beautiful hymns to set out each night with dinner.  We will sing one each night to invite the Spirit into our home as we sit together to eat, to learn about Christ, and to celebrate this season of His birth. 

We especially love dinner time as a family devotional time because we never forget to eat!  

The links to print these songs are found below.  They can be printed as a full page or two to a page.  Printed two to a page they would make a nice little Christmas song book.

Click here to print these 7 hymns full size

Print O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night on one page

Print O Little Town of Bethlehem and Hark the Herald Angels Sing on one page

Print The First Noel and Away in A Manger on one page

The Reason for the Season

Each year we try to find a way to study the names of Christ at Christmastime.  It's such an effective way to remember all that He is and all that He accomplished.  This year we printed them from this lovely website and made them into ornaments for the tree.  Each night at dinner we each pick one, share it with an insight or a story from Christ's life, and hang it on the tree.  The little kids are so excited to hang things on the tree that they don't let us forget, and the big kids surprise us with what they know!

We try to focus on Christ in our decorations.

We especially love Nativities that can't break.

Somehow we ended up with one extra baby Jesus.
 He sits on my kitchen windowsill, above the sink.
I love his cheeks and his one armed wave.

And to drag out the days and make the waiting unbearable
the kids each have a candy countdown.  :)