USING REAL MOVIES TO TEACH LOVE:

6 WEEK MOVIE CHALLENGE

Have you noticed our families and especially the youth are continuously bombarded with messages, images, and teachings of a counterfeit love? Our traditions and our culture are darkening the eyes of our understanding of what TRUE LOVE means. The world’s definition of love is selfish, encourages one to seek after one’s passions, act on emotions, and is lustful. Our acts of service are meager and no one is teaching their children to Glorify God, to sacrifice themselves for others, to serve by laying down our lives like Jesus Christ, and to continually do the will of the Father, instead, we are taught to seek pleasure and to satisfy our own natural man!

If we want to teach our children to love and to love correctly then we need to see it in action and how the greatest servant loves! The attributes of Christ taught are not always found in Hollywood nor even in a Hallmark movie. We have to look at those who possess this trait of our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ. Many are trying to lift their family out of the culture muck and the best way is to re-educate ourselves starting with scriptures and then visuals, and movies can play such an important role in teaching our family.

For the next 6 weeks building up to Valentine’s Day, I thought I would post here different traits of the attribute of LOVE, and encourage you mothers (and fathers) to find with your family different examples in the scriptures as you begin your study of the Book of Mormon. After you have studied the word, next, spend some time watching this attribute be applied by others through a few movies or audios to choose from for your weekend movie night. You game? If so here we go . . .

WEEK 1

LOVE FOR GOD:

How do the people glorify God by using their abilities? How does God honor those who honor him? How do we love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and with all our strength?

Chariots of Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HUk0TLFzT8

China Cry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kja6nd2-F3c&t=870s

Facing the Giantshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTwgYM4ywU&t=1459s

The Heavenly Man (book) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05rUd9p6vfE&t=7050s

God’s Smuggler (book) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0u7jEB_PiI&t=4958s

WEEK 2

LOVE OF SPOUSE:

Marriage is intended to be a powerful representation of the sacrificial love, loyalty, virtue, and courage demonstrated between Jesus Christ and the Church.

How does a husband give his life for his wife, as Christ gave His life for the Church? How does a wife honor and revere her husband, as the Church honors and reveres Jesus Christ? How does one love a spouse who is struggling with their faith or values? How does one love in sickness, as well as in health? How is sacrificial love different than lust?

Fire Proof https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvRaFrAemFY

War Room https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWjQf0JvU1w

The Case for Christ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzespY6MyFA

A Vow to Cherish https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q54crF-5gn0

The Magic of Ordinary Days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJPrJdblanI

Like Arrows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5DLx-WN1M4

Love Comes Softly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTkbrHNBpAU&t=561s

***For single men and women, how does one remain faithful to their future spouse?

Pamela’s Prayerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43ddVa-7Brc

WEEK 3

LOVE OF FAMILY:

Just as Christ loved us and submitted his will unto his Father as a fragrant offering and sacrifice, how do we apply that same submission in the family? The same sacrificial love? What does that look like for me with my family? Am I willing to lay down my life for my family? How do I learn to love them perfectly (different than the false teaching of love unconditional love)?

Courageous https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQlQJb9hGM8

Saving Sarah Cain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kygXJKWk7L4

Sophie Scholl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKRQHQtyn5A

Hiding Place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn6yGnupgPo

WEEK 4

LOVE FOR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST: 

What do true relationship principles, and dating look like? How is the heart to be given?

Princess-Cut https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIFSH5loJ18

Sense and Sensibility https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV1k7lAiVLw

The Inheritance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa5R4PK4leE

Come what May https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEojmFaJDqA&list=PLvzg0aj5-j3Qq2TRNrCUz0-T-oi1i2Hgw 

WEEK 5

LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING:

How does one teach about men and women sacrificing for others in service and practicing great and simple deeds of benevolence?

The Scarlet and the Black https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pitdqUuK2I

Mother Teresa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onG7o3-7vbo

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8UR0G7dEEs

Bless you Prisonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrOj5Pk-AQ8

Hiding Place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zNDe30_eKw

Return to the Hiding Place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM09xxOthOg

The Least of These https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSgEc-de-E

WEEK 6

LOVE FOR ENEMIES:

What are people like without law, left to their own devices? How do we forgive those that wrong us? How can we love our enemies?

Tortured for Christ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12sueOhMSBY

The Printing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bezLq9ykMlQ

Unconditional https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAR8qoogIPI

Amish Grace https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPxRLjHYxFk

The Cokeville Miracle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc6_QGO5me0

Treasures in the Snow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsAxSHSc5vg