Your Perfect, Pumpkin Spice, Plan of Salvation FHE

This family home evening you’re going to WIN the game. You’re going to teach your family about the Plan of Salvation for a whole evening. You’re going to set yourself up with a yummy treat for your ministering assignment. And you’re going to make your entire house smell like FALL.

Your lesson, should you choose to accept, should go like this:

1. Prepare ingredients for Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins and customize lesson plan.

2. Work with your family to make the muffins while discussing the plan of salvation.

3. Learn more in-depth about the Plan/do an activity while the muffins bake.

4. Conclude lesson and eat delicious, warm muffins.

Preparation** (15 min):

**You will need to adjust your lesson based on the age and size of your audience

In separate sandwich baggies, bowls, and/or Rubbermaids assemble these ingredients with these labels on them:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat) labeled “Pre-Earth Life”
• 2 cups white sugar labeled “Atonement of Jesus Christ”
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (here’s a DIY pumpkin pie spice) “Family”
• 1 teaspoon baking soda “Holy Ghost”
• ½ teaspoon salt “Your unique self”
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten “Earth and bodies of flesh-and-bone”
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree “Prophets and their teachings”
• ½ cup vegetable oil “Testimony”
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple “Agency and our actions”
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup white or brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons butter

Now, think of 5-10 age-appropriate questions to ask while these muffins bake.

Good questions include:

• What is our purpose on Earth?
• Where did we come from?
• What happens to us when we die?
• How is the Atonement of Jesus Christ essential to the plan?
• Why does Heavenly Father give some of his children imperfect bodies?
• Why did Heavenly Father reject Satan’s plan?
• How can knowing about the Plan of Salvation help you when you feel hopeless, confused, or alone?
• What are good ways to share your knowledge about the Plan of Salvation with others?

Making the Muffins

Begin your lesson with a quick prayer and a verse of the song, “I Lived in Heaven” (Children’s Songbook pg. 4).

Then, gather everyone around where you’re going to assemble the muffins and explain that The Plan of Salvation is Heavenly Father’s recipe for our success in this life. It is the way for us to learn, grow, and return to Him.

Now preheat the oven to 350^o F.

Next, hand out the labeled ingredients to the members of your family. Mix the dry ingredients together first. See if your family members can answer the corresponding questions. Their analogies may vary from the answers below. That’s good! The Savior taught by making analogies to familiar things, so making analogies to the ingredients can help your children understand the Plan of Salvation.

Flour:

Why is the flour labeled “Pre-Earth life”? Explain how before we were born there was a war (or intense debate) in heaven about what our lives would be like. Jesus Christ and his brother Lucifer had different ideas. Heavenly Father approved of only Christ’s plan but gave us a choice anyway. Just like the wheat was filtered and sifted, some of our brothers and sisters chose Lucifer’s plan. They do not have the opportunity to have bodies.

Sugar:

What about the sugar could represent the “Atonement of Jesus Christ”? Explain that Jesus Christ offers us the gift of Agency—the ability to choose—because he pays the price for our sins. He gives us the opportunity to make mistakes and recover from them. The Atonement of Jesus Christ makes life sweet.

Pumpkin pie spice:

Why is this labeled “family”? Our family is the flavor of our lives. We’re placed in families to help one another. Families help us figure out what it means to be a child of God. After all, we would not understand what it means to have a Father in Heaven if we did not understand what it means to have a father on earth.

Baking soda:

How is baking soda like the “Holy Ghost”? Explain that the Holy Ghost (or the Spirit) lifts our minds and encourages our spirits (just like it will cause the muffins to rise). The Holy Ghost is united in purpose with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. The Spirit testifies of truth and helps us understand Heavenly Father’s specific plan for us.

Salt:

Why would this one be labeled “your unique self”? It is because we are all individuals with our own value. Just like salt enhances the flavor, our unique personalities enhance our lives and the lives of others. Jesus Christ called us “the salt of the earth.” What does it mean to you to be the salt of the earth?

After all of these ingredients have been added to the bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. In a different bowl combine wet ingredients.

Eggs:

Why would these be labeled “Earth and bodies of flesh and bone”? One explanation is that Jesus Christ created the earth and everything in it (including our bodies) under the direction of Heavenly Father. Our bodies are just like the ones Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father have. This is because we are destined to become like them.

Pumpkin Puree:

How is pumpkin puree like “Prophets and their teachings”? One way could be that the words of the prophets in General Conference or the scriptures can be bland or hard to identify, but just like the pumpkin puree, their teachings color and define our lives. The prophets all have our salvation as their goal. They speak the words of Jesus Christ. In the Fall themed recipe of life, pumpkin puree is essential.

Oil:

What about the oil is like our testimony? Our testimonies fuel our faith. Just like these muffins would be dry and crumbly without the oil, so our lives without a testimony can feel dry and our faith will easily crumble.

Now stir the wet ingredients. Then mix together the wet and dry ingredients until just barely moistened.

Now fold in the apples:

Why are the apples labeled “agency and our actions”? One of the greatest gifts given to us is the ability to make choices. Just like choices, apples can be bitter, sour, sweet, or a combination. Rotten choices can affect our entire lives, just like rotten apples would ruin the recipe. Our success in the Plan of Salvation is our decision.

Scoop Muffins:

Drop dollops of the muffin batter into a greased or lined muffin tin. At the same time, have another member of your family prepare the topping. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.

Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

In-Depth Learning

While the muffins bake, learn about the stages of the Plan of Salvation. There are many ways to do this. Younger children (8 and under) can sing Primary songs and make animals out of playdough to learn about creation.

With a little bit older children (8-12), you can watch a video or two, read some scriptures, and ask thought-provoking questions.

Children older than twelve need a deeper discussion. Ask difficult questions and invite them to find their own answers with the church’s resources.

If you have no children or live alone, have fun making these muffins and share questions and personal experiences about the Plan of Salvation. You can supplement with the resources below.

Try to encourage discussion.

One great resource is Preach My Gospel lesson 2.

Here is a fun quiz about the Plan of Salvation.

These are recent conference talks relating to the Plan of Salvation.

Have at least one family member share a personal experience about the Plan of Salvation. Make sure to bear your testimony of the Plan of Salvation and give some sort of challenge. For example, you can invite your family to share one thing they learned about the plan with someone else later in the week.

You can also use this time to play a game or do an activity as a family.

Eating the Muffins!

After the muffins finish baking and are cooling, say a prayer. Then, enjoy your freshly baked muffins! If they pass a taste test, share them with another family in your neighborhood who could use a kind gesture!

Do you think this will work with your FHE crowd? Did you already try it? Comment your thoughts and suggestions below!