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MEMBER • Building Family Unity - The Nested Family

2/16/2015

Today I put my first editable PDF online for you Nesties. Happy dance. I know it's not a big deal to some of you but it feels like a big deal to me. Other Nesties have been asking me about editable (means you can write your own text in certain places) PDFs. I just didn't know exactly how to do them but now I've figured it out. I've been working on several (Hundred?) projects and many will include the editable feature from here on out. This one just has a few check boxes and one place for writing but that's all this needed. Now on to what 'this' is.

The Nested Family - Collected Bits to Build Unity. This series will include 40ish tips on how to build family unity. Today is only the first tip, COMMITMENT, but it's pretty necessary. Maybe you might want to discuss the level of commitment needed for an eternal family for FHE tonight. Read it below or you can get our gift download for later reading here.

The Nested Family - Collected Bits to Build Family Unity #1

Here's the third page that gives you space to write your Personal Commitment Pledge. Then you can put it on your Ring Thing for handy referencing. (Download our Nestie gift to you here.)

This is part of my RESET One Word Resolution which leads to taking my family COMMITMENT to the next level.

Does family unity come easy to you?
Happy FHE tonight.

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MORALIST • Family Proclamation Subway art

2/10/2015

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The Family • A Proclamation to the World turns 20 this year. All grown up.

Its birthday makes me think of when it was announced and the subsequent comments from some people. At the time they said it was so "vanilla". Meaning that it was an ordinary. A common knowledge flavored document.

Well, prophets being what they are weren't exactly intending it for the generation it was given to. Of course it was meant to guide the 1995 generation but it was given then, when it was so "vanilla", so it would have time to sink in before today's full frontal assault on its principles began. It gave us time as a people to prepare our minds and hearts to really understand God's mind.

Print Family Proclamation Subway Art Download • Fits in your Scriptures

Gift Download 5" x 7"

It also makes me evaluate how I've passed on those principles to my kids. They're the ones that are really going to have to get out there and articulate the Proclamation's point of view. We've tackled some of the tough subjects - gender, same sex attraction and marriage, gender roles - but we'll continue to talk.

Gift Download 5" x 7"

This little download is a Family Proc summary at your finger tips. Puts it in kind of a fun format. Usually I make downloads for My Ring Thing but this one was a special request for a particular purpose and needed to fit inside the scriptures (5" x 7"). Maybe you can use it in yours. Go to our download page here for your gift copy.

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MORALIST • Recapping General Conference

10/6/2014

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We posted a General Conference FHE last conference here. Here it is as a reminder. Included is a memory game that can use this conference's talks. It can be used anytime, maybe even become a family tradition. Maybe even include root beer floats. Yay! Click on the images for the download.

FHE General Conference RECAP lesson • LDSNEST.com

FHE General Conference Bottle Cap Memory Game • LDSNEST.com

Even if you don't have bottle caps we've got you covered. Included are paper caps. Just
Print • Cut • Write • Play

Go to the link here.

How do you recap conference with your family?

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MORALIST • Giving Praise Notes & Compliments

8/26/2014

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Reading an article this month in BYU Magazine made me think of this little kit I did for some of my fam. It's the Compliment Kit and it's been downloaded over 4000 times between the 2 files. It seems we all want to write random compliments. They call them "praise notes" in this article. Call them whatever you like just write them. That's the important thing. Read this if you need more convincing.

Compliment Kits

BYU Magazine Noting the Praiseworthy • Praise Notes & Compliments

BYU Magazine Article • Noting the Praiseworthy

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MESSENGERS • Service Message Videos for Youth Conference

7/20/2014

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Here are a couple of photos from our Stake's Youth Conference the last couple of days. This first one is of Wade (son and brother) and his t-shirt design. He did it himself and you can read more about it here. Love this kid.

Wade Christensen Youth Conference T-shirt Design

Wade and his Youth Conference T-shirt Design

Second is a photo from one of our service projects. I don't know about your stake but our youth are super fast at service projects and we often have a hard time finding something that will fit our 3 hour time frame that involves our 200 youth. (If you have any good ideas, share them with us below.) This year our stake decided to broaden our service project vision. We did the filming for 4 Service Message Videos at youth conference. One of the videos involves this 24' x 8' chalkboard near our stake center and Kansas City Temple.

Liberty Missouri Stake Youth Conference Service Message Video Preview Shot #ldsmakeyourmark

I think this video (#ldsmakeyourmark) had about 75 youth with scriptures that inspired them and their testimonies. The other videos involve music (#ldsmakeyourmark), beauty (#ldstruebeauty) and manhood (#ldsrealmen). I'm not going to say much more about it. Except I'm very excited about them (though there was a lot of uncertainty in the project until we did it) and to share them with you. You'll have to watch for the videos in September.

What do you think of our Service Message Videos idea?

PS You might even see one of Alisha's boys - my grandson - in one of them.

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MORALIST • fhe PRIESTHOOD POWER LESSON

7/11/2014

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There's a lot of talk about women, priesthood, and excommunication lately. Plenty of commentary on it as well. Some of it good, some not so much. Since the recent issues deal with Latter-day Saints directly we at LDS NEST had to think about what to say. Or not say in the discussion.

Personally, I always have plenty to say. Very opinionated in fact. But, I have a little motto -

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

Having lots of opinions I've realized that it's likely not all of them are good. So, I like to think about things a little before I venture opening my mouth. What should LDS NEST share? What's the message out of recent events? What discussions really help people? How does one help people stay on spiritual track? My thinking lead me to the scriptures and Alma sums it up for me.

Alma 31:5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

I feel for the families who are struggling with these issues and I think of my own. Any one of us can, and often does, error. But what keeps bringing us back around is the word of God. Plain and simple.

So... Do we read it? Do we know it? Do we teach it?

Click Image Above for Free Download of FHE Ring Thing

In answer to how we should approach current events I came to the conclusion that the best use of my time and effort for my family and LDS NEST would be to make sure we share pure doctrine (Something that is "more powerful on minds than anything else".) With that idea we had a FHE lesson about the Priesthood - Priesthood Power. I thought I'd share what I came up with, with you.

Ring Thing Lesson Click Above for Download Page (the Lesson Outline is on Etsy)

I read through Elder Oaks recent talk, Keys and Authority of the Priesthood, other talks and scripture. The information can be tricky to understand and I wanted it to be clear to my kids so I summarized it all out in a way that made sense to me. It made sense to them. Maybe it will make sense to you too. There is a free download Ring Thing here.

Click Image Above to Purchase the Files for Wrappers & FHE Outline from our Etsy Shop

Besides the Ring Thing Lesson there is a Lesson Outline to go with it and Power Bar wrappers. It's just a little added bonus for fun that you can purchase here (it includes all the Priesthood Power handouts.) Next on my mind to teach my kids about is Apostasy. What do you think about the subject?

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MORALIST • Compliment Kit Craft Remix

7/10/2014

6 Comments

We've been having a terrible time with our download site (ge.tt). It's a free service so we can't complain much but it's frustrating. For you and us. It's been down on and off for the past month and many of you have tried to download our nestibles and haven't been able to. Some of you have emailed us to ask for files and we try to get back to all of you. (Sorry if we've missed someone.)

The nice thing about the download mess is that we get to meet some of you, Nesties, through email. One such person is Janelle J. She emailed about some files and said she was doing them for YW. She had a great idea that we have to share.

Compliment Kit Link

If you've been around LDS NEST you know about our Compliment Kits. The first file had over 3000 downloads and the new one put up a couple of weeks ago has a few hundred. A few of you like it.

Janelle liked it and did the Compliment Kits with her YW. But, the fabric covering was going to be trickier than she wanted to do so she came up with an alternative. Duct Tape Covered Tins. Genius easy. I asked for a photo and her's turned out so cute that I asked if I could share it with you. She kindly said yes.

If you're looking for a craft remix, a different way to cover your tins, besides fabric this is one way to go. I'm going to try it for my next ones.

Thanks Janelle!!

Photo Janelle J.

Do you have any photos of your Compliment Kits you want to share? Share them on our Facebook page.

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LOVE • Love is All You Need, Really???

6/26/2014

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It's been camp, camp, camp on my brain. And I have a few things to share with you about that. But, for today, I've got a print in our Esty shop that I did before the camp rush.

All You Need Is Love, Oh And... DIY Print • LDSNEST.com

Esty Print

The Boyfriend and my anniversary is next month (we're celebrating 32 years) so marriage has been on my mind. I kept seeing "all you need is love" or "love is all you need" everywhere on Pinterest when I was doing a little research. Anyone who's been married any length of time (or even for shorter periods) knows it takes more than love. Sure it's the basis, but if it were all up to love we wouldn't have any broken relationships. Married or otherwise.

DIY Print • All You Need Is Love, Oh And... • LDSNEST.com

Etsy Shop

"Love is all you need" is such an over simplification. Love is the start and the driver but it better get some other passengers on board (forgiveness, patience, fidelity, kindness, etc.) if it wants the fuel to go anywhere for any length of time. Can you tell I have strong opinions about this? Do you?

Well I didn't want anyone in this house thinking that all they had to do was have a little love for a strong relationship so I put my thoughts to paper. And tried to make it handsome. You can find it here.

What are 3 qualities besides love that you think a relationship, any relationship, needs?

PS • You might want to give it as a wedding gift. Just a thought.

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MORALIST • Ten Commandments Printable

6/1/2014

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MORALIST: A woman who practices, preaches, or regulates morality and principles,
in the present for the future

We have a new Ten Commandments Printable over at our Etsy Shop. You might want to use it for a FHE discussion tomorrow or frame it for your home. Bookmark or Pin this for the Come Follow Me Lessons. September's topic: Commandments.

10 Commandment Printable @ Etsy LDS Nest

Click on Image Above for Link to Our Etsy Shop

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ME • My Resolution Word This Year

5/12/2014

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We hope everyone's Mother's day was meaningful. Mine was. Especially this year.

I went to visit Leila's gravesite Saturday. And, I actually took a selfie. Don't know why I just went with it. (Alisha left some lovely flowers there earlier in the day.) It was a pretty teary-eyed hour, no surprise.

A selfie. Shannon Christensen w/Leila Christensen LDSNEST.com

A selfie with Leila. With the photo taker that she was, I think she would approve.

For some reason I just wished that I could bring Joseph there. I know she's not really there but I think there's something about going anyways. On Sunday, Leila's husband came up with Joseph so I asked if I could take JoJo to Leila's graveside. He said yes and came with us. I know this might not be able to happen every year and he's likely to have another mother to celebrate but I'm glad I got to this first year. Considering the day before, amazingly I didn't cry once with Joseph there. I was happy for the moment. Who wouldn't be happy around a face like that!

Joseph

Which brings me to my New Year's resolution word post that I did a few weeks ago but haven't shared yet. I felt maybe I was being over dramatic or something with my word choice. But, after my first Mother's day without Leila it seemed like exactly the right word at the right time. So here it is...

I used to do a list of goals for my New Year's resolutions and I've loved the lists I've done over the years but I find that it's really a year round habit now. So the past few years I've used a different method. Now I pick one word for the year to work on. For 2011 it was "Focused" and 2012 was "Finish". I had one for 2013 but didn't write it down, just had it floating in my head. Then when Leila died everything changed and I seriously can't remember what it was. 2013 will forever be a different kind of year for me.

When 2014 came I picked another word. I like to "wear" the word for a month or two before I commit to it. It has to feel right. That's one of the reasons I like this change in methods for resolutions. It makes me go deeper into my feelings and it becomes more meaningful.
My word for 2014 is...

2014 New Year Resolution in a word. LDS NEST

I know I'm not letting you know until the year is almost half over. Don't judge :) Like I said, it has to feel right. And sometimes right doesn't fit the calendar's timetable.

Then I made something to help me remember this year's word. It's been in one of my black idea books for a little while now and it seemed like a good time to do it.

DIY Do Not Be Dismayed Subway Art • LDSNEST.com

12" x 36" DIY Download Found Here (Tutorial Soon)

It also has a special meaning relating to a phrase in my patriarchal blessing that really helped/helps me. There's also a song by Sara Bareilles - Brave - that's a little upbeat reminder. So, this year I'm gonna be BRAVE!

That was my post before Mother's day. Then this morning I read this post by one of Joseph's amazing NICU nurses, Sally. More tears. As it turns out I was able to put "my word" into full practice the last few days. If nothing else, this weekend I was brave.

Do you have a word to share?

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MORALIST • FHE & YW Knowledge #7 Let's Go Get Our Emergency Kit

4/28/2014

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Extreme weather storms are going through parts of the US right now causing disaster in its wake. It makes me think of this FHE lesson - Let's Go Get Our Emergency Kit we've done in the past. It has scriptures that tie into things needed in an emergency kit. I've included an outline for FHE too. It might be a useful FHE to do this month.

FHE & YW Knowledge #7• Let's Go Get Our Emergency Kit • LDSNEST.com

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE FOR DOWNLOAD PAGE

I've also included a YW Personal Progress Activity for Knowledge #7. It can be done on a mutual night and then the girls can go home and give the FHE lesson to their families as part of it.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO DOWNLOAD PAGE

This doesn't stop the storms but it gives a sense of peace, especially for children. They don't feel so helpless. And even if everything including emergency kits or food storage are destroyed we can go to the Lord in confidence, asking for mercy, knowing we did all that we could. I hope none of us are effected and that we can serve those who are. Be safe.

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Bittersweet Adversity • FHE Lesson & Faith #3

4/12/2014

43 Comments

Adversity is so tough. We all have our fair share, things tailored for our progress. Here is a FHE lesson, Bittersweet Adversity, about the necessity of it in our lives. It includes a lesson, object lesson as well as printable candy wrappers.

I serve in the Stake YW so I get to do lots of training and help ward YW presidencies. For those who are in YW I worked a tie in to Personal Progress Value Experience - Faith #3. This includes a YW Activity night outline. It could be something a class presidency might like to do.

LDS NEST Bittersweet Adversity Personal Progress Faith #3 & FHE Lesson

Bittersweet Adversity (Faith #3 & FHE Lesson) Download Click Image

LDS NEST Bittersweet Adversity FHE lesson & Personal Progress Faith #3

Bittersweet Adversity (Faith #3 & FHE Lesson) Download Click Image

Tell us what you think or how it turned out for your family.

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FHE Lesson • GENERAL CONFERENCE RECAP

4/6/2014

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This FHE lesson might come in handy this Monday. Or for several FHEs this month. You can download the whole file here. Enjoy the rest of Conference today.

LDS NEST FHE Lesson • General Conference Recap

Click Image Above for Download Link

Click Image Above for Download Link

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FHE Planner • April

4/5/2014

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Your FHE Planner for April. Conference talks would be great as topics. It'll be 5 minutes well spent.

FHE Planner • Click image for Download Page • Then click "download" button on the bottom left hand corner.

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MORALIST • Stop the Contention with Compliment Kits

12/7/2013

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Contention. I hate it. Ironic huh?

Contention is a part of what happens in families but something we all try to stop in our homes. I was thinking about it and what I could do to help our family lessen it when I came across Gordon B. Hinckley's quote -

"There's a sad tendency in our world today for persons to cut one another down.... Try the opposite of that. Try handing out compliments."

Compliments. How easy. I thought this would be a super first step for me to take. And then I had this idea (the Boyfriend calls me "the idea woman"). I could make little Compliment kits. I love kits. (You can see a collection of kits on my Pinterest board.)

Compliment Kit • © shannon christensen for LDSNEST.com

CLICK ABOVE FOR DOWNLOAD

I was heading down for a trip that some of our family had planned when we had Leila's funeral. We also decided to do devotionals when we got together. I wanted to do the compliment kits for them as part of mine. Here's what's inside and how we use it.

CLICK ABOVE FOR DOWNLOAD

I really like how they turned out. I Mod Podge® fabric to the outside of an Altoid® tin. Inside, I added some fun things. Here's the nestibles for you. Print. Cut. Put together.