"I Believe In Being Honest"

This week one of our “Come, Follow Me" topics is on being honest. I thought I had already shared some of the resources we had used over the years to teach this principle to our children, but I’m not finding that post, so here’s a new one.

First, every time I think of this subject, this Primary song starts running through my mind. Maybe if you teach it to your children, it will always run through their minds as well! Second, Here are a couple of websites with teaching ideas: Pansies and Popcorn which links to this pdf file, and Bloglovin’.

I Believe in Being Honest

I believe in being honest;
I believe in being true,
That honesty should start with me
In all I say, in all I do.
I’ll form good habits in my youth,
To keep my word, to tell the truth,
To speak up in defending right
And keep my name and honor bright.
I believe in being honest;
I believe in being true,
That honesty should start with me
In all I say, in all I do.

Honesty Activity

Here’s a little activity we used several times in our family night lessons, compliments of our South Weber Family Home Evening Group. In the activity, the boy turns into a monster as he tells lie after lie.

In addition, we often shared “The Boy who Cried Wolf,” one of Aesop’s fables.

from the Library of Congress

Finally, many years ago, Brad prepared a lesson on honesty for yet another family home evening lesson. Here’s the form he used:

Honesty Scriptures

At the time, he didn’t choose any scriptures to share, but here are a few to consider – Luke 8:15, Alma 27:27, D&C 97:8, and Article of Faith #13.

from Blooming Homestead

However, here’s the story Brad selected to share:

Honesty is the best policy. I learned this truth in a dramatic manner during boot camp when I served in the Navy 55 years ago. After those first three weeks of isolated training, the good news came that we would have our first liberty and could visit the city of San Diego. All of the men were most eager for this change of pace.

As we prepared to board the buses to town, the petty officer commanded, “Now all of you men who know how to swim, you stand over here. You will go into San Diego for liberty. Those of you who don’t know how to swim, you line up over there. You will go to the swimming pool and have a lesson on how to swim. Only when you learn to swim will you be permitted liberty.”

I had been a swimmer most of my life, so I prepared to get on the bus to town; but then that petty officer said to our group, “One more thing before we board the buses. Follow me. Forward, march!” He marched us right to the swimming pool, had us take our clothing off and stand at the edge of the deep end of the pool.

Then he directed, “Jump in and swim the length of the pool.” In that group, all of whom could supposedly swim, were about 10 who had thought they could fool somebody. They did not really know how to swim. In the water they went, voluntarily or otherwise. Catastrophe was at the door. The petty officers let them go under once or twice before they extended the bamboo pole to pull them to safety. With a few choice words, they then said, “That will teach you to tell the truth!”

How grateful I was that I had told the truth, that I knew how to swim and made it easily to the other end of the pool. Such lessons teach us to be true—true to the faith, true to the Lord, true to our companions, true to all that is sacred and dear to us. That lesson has never left me. 

Thomas S. Monson, October 2000 general conference

Brad's Conclusion:

Learn how to be honest. You shouldn’t lie at all! 

I agree.