The Importance of Bodies FHE

Continuing our "series" studying the Family Proclamation, we did a fun activity at FHE exploring this section of the Proclamation:

1.     "In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life." 

For this activity, I quickly placed 5 different items for my family to taste in separate bowls.  I used cocoa, baking soda, granulated sugar, garlic powder, and cupcake sprinkles.

Each person was either blind-folded or just closed their eyes, and we took turns tasting the items in the bowls.

We wrote down our guesses and shared them with each other after everyone had a chance to taste what was in all of the bowls.

We then took some time to discuss the activity and how it might relate to the quote above.

I asked them to try to describe how each item tasted to someone who might have never tasted anything before.  We agreed that it would be next to impossible to make someone understand what the various tastes were like if they didn't ever have the opportunity to taste for themselves.  And this is why God mercifully lets his children come to earth and gain experiences in mortal bodies.  It's the only way to understand the world and His plan for us.  It's the only way to become like him.  God himself came to earth to gain a body, and that is why he understands completely what it means to feel pain, what it means to feel temptation.  That is why He can so completely and authentically come to our aid.

I reminded Guy of the time that he had to get a painful but minor surgery on his toe.  It was excruciating.  Surely, before the procedure, he wouldn't have had nearly the same degree of compassion for another person in pain as he has now after that experience.

In fact, we learned from his doctor that while in podiatry school, he and his fellow students were required to practice giving the numbing shot to one another (which is the most painful part) so that the doctors would know the pain felt by their patients.

We wrapped up the evening with another game that I had prepared ahead of time.  

I threw about 15 different household items in a bag--things like a pencil, scissors, a small toy, etc.

We each took turns feeling the items in the bag with our hands and writing down our guesses as to what was in the bag.  It was a fun and easy evening together talking about this part of The Family Proclamation.