FHE: Miracles

by | Mar. 15, 2015

FHE Lessons

Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read “Willing and Worthy to Serve,” by
President Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2012, 66.


(Thomas S. Monson, “Willing and Worthy to Serve,” Ensign, May 2012, 66.)

“Master, the Tempest is Raging,” Hymns, no. 105.

(John 2:23)

If you have a fifty-five gallon water storage container or a large trash can, have your family gather around it for scripture study.

Display a picture of a wedding reception, especially the refreshment table if one is available. Ask family members to imagine hosting a wedding reception and running out of refreshments before the reception was over. Ask, How would you feel? What would you do?
Invite one member of your family to read aloud John 2:1–11, paying particular attention to the Joseph Smith Translation in verse 4. To better understand the depth of this miracle, invite your family to turn to the Bible Dictionary, “Weights and Measures,” 788–89, to find out how much a firkin is. Ask:

• Why was Jesus at the marriage? (Verse 2.)
• How many waterpots are mentioned? (Verse 6.)
• How many firkins of water did each pot hold? (Verse 6.)

Have someone do the math where all can see:

Firkin = 8.25 gallons
Each pot = 2–3 firkins
8.25 x 2 = 16.5 gallons x 6 pots = 99 gallons
8.25 x 3 = 24.75 gallons x 6 pots = 148.5 gallons

Compare your totals with the amount the water container or trash can would hold
and talk about the majesty of this miracle.

Share the following insight with your family:

“We can well imagine the sense of reverential awe that came into the heart of the revelers as the servants let it be known what Mary’s Son had done. . . . John says that by this act, Jesus ‘manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him.’ Miracles follow faith, and miracles strengthen faith.” (McConkie, Mortal Messiah, 1:453–54.)

Share an experience with your family when a miracle has strengthened your faith.


"Two Bags of Cement" by John Purser

In June 1964, we were pouring the concrete floors in the chapel and recreational hall of the Poverty Bay District and Gisborne [New Zealand] Second Branch Chapel. There had been storms in the area for three weeks and the boats had not been able to deliver cement to Gisborne. We had borrowed all the cement there was within eighty miles, and when we quit work for lunch on the last day of pouring, we had just two bags of cement left and needed two and a half yards of concrete—enough to fill an area fifteen feet by thirteen feet. This would have required twelve bags of concrete to complete the job. As we returned from lunch everyone was saying, “We may as well not even start again; it wouldn’t even be worthwhile.”

I told them to start the mixer; that we were not only going to pour, but we would complete our floors that day. Then, not knowing at the time how it could be done, I walked a short distance from the group and prayed. I simply said, “Father, you fed the thousands with the five loaves and two fishes. Surely you can help us this day.”

We went to work and mixed two small one-fourth yard batches of concrete with the two bags of cement we had and started pouring. There seemed to be no end to the concrete as it poured from our wheelbarrows. The full pour was not only completed, but we had to remove two wheelbarrows full when it was leveled out.

There is no physical way this could have been done by men. It was indeed a modern miracle performed for his people of the latter days.

(Jay A. Parry, Everyday Miracles, [Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2001].)

Stretch a rope out on the floor. Take turns blindfolding family members and have them walk on the rope. If they step off the rope, they are out.