(Also see: Attitude)



"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.  Nothing can
 be done without hope and confidence."  -Helen Keller

FAMILY HOME EVENING LESSONS:

 Encouraging Optimism In Your Family
Optimism and Reliability from LDS Living
 Standing for something -- Optimism

HANDOUT:

Fill a baggie with a few rocks and attach the following quote: "The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is how you use them."
I'm thinking of putting this quote on some cute cardstock and then with a ribbon tying it to one of those little flashlights you can buy at a dollar store.  Ben Sweetland said " We cannot light another's path without brightening our own." (Idea by Misty)
Sunglasses: "Be Optimistic!  Look on the bright side-even if you have to use sunglasses until you get use to the light."

LESSONS FROM CHURCH MANUALS:

 Optimism ~ YW Manual 2, Lesson 41, pg. 157

OBJECT LESSONS:

A fun thing that I did as an object lesson for the optimism lesson was to ask for about 4-5 volunteers. Have them come to the front of the room. First put one piece of hard candy in each of the volunteers mouths. Put one pebble in one of the volunteers shoes. Have them walk around the room for several minutes. Tell them they can not remove the pebble from there shoe (or you can put a pebble in both shoes).  Have them sit down and ask each one what they thought about the experience. My experience with them sharing their experience was negative - not one girl mentioned the candy only the pebble in their shoe. I likened this to life. Sometimes we dwell on the things that are bad and forget what is good in our lives. This was a good way to start the lesson. It seemed to make an impression on them. You'll need rounded pebbles (not too large - about the size of the tip top of your pinky) and some hard candy - life savers or lemon drops unwrapped.

POEMS:

 Optimism by Linda J. Bradshaw
 Two frogs

QUOTES:

 One Liners

STORIES:

The Parable of the Bucket & The Dipper
The Rose, Hawthorn Twig & The Lily

TALKS:

 Facing Trials with Optimism
 Look to the Future with Optimism
 The Spirit of Optimism by Gordon B. Hinckley