Using This Issue

Family Home Evening Ideas

These teaching suggestions are provided to give you some ideas. You can tailor them to your family.

“One Family’s Heritage of Service,” p. 8: Summarize the story, emphasizing how the good examples of family members inspired others. Create a future genealogy chart: on a piece of paper, list the names of the children in your family, and invite each of them to choose a few names for their future children. Conclude by discussing how the children’s example and testimony can influence their descendants and connect them with their ancestors.

“Friends Tend to Become Like You,” p. 31: Set out a number of similar objects and one that is different from them. Point out that the different object is easy to spot. Read the story. Discuss the meaning of the statement: “I hope that everyone will see the differences in all of you.” Make a goal to be a better example of Jesus Christ so others will want to learn more about the gospel.

“This Is Our Religion, to Save Souls,” p. 40: Read the section “Keeping Our Eyes Open,” and announce that you are going to have a weeklong service scavenger hunt. Set out a container and some beans or pebbles to track the services. Discuss how “keeping our eyes open” can help us serve others. Set a goal to look for ways to serve others during the coming week at home, school, work, and church. Each time someone completes an act of service, he or she can put a bean in the container. Next week, count how many beans have been collected.

“Campfire Stories and Testimonies,” p. F4: Using a blanket, re-create the experience of sitting inside a tent. Pass out snacks to eat during the lesson. Read the story, and have two family members role-play the conversation between Kent and Brett. Testify that the Holy Ghost can prompt us to know when to share our testimonies and what to say. Encourage family members to be worthy to receive promptings from the Holy Ghost and to follow them.

“Comforting Lucy,” p. F10: After reading this story, reread the mother’s statement: “The Holy Ghost helped you know what to do so you would feel better.” Invite the younger children to draw a picture of a situation in which prayer and the guidance of the Holy Ghost could be helpful. Conclude by singing a favorite Primary song together, and bear testimony of the comforting power of prayer and sacred music.

Topics in This Issue

Number represents first page of article.

F = The Friend

  • Baptism, 26, 32

  • Book of Mormon, 13, 46

  • Church history, 18, 40, F6

  • Commitment, 25, 44

  • Conversion, 8, 28, 31, 44

  • Example, 2, 8, 31, F14

  • Family, 8, 36, 45, F2, F8, F10, F14, F16

  • Friends, 31

  • General conference, 36

  • Gospel, 25

  • Gratitude, 45

  • Inspiration, 28, 47, F6, F10

  • Love, 36, 40, F2

  • Missionary work, 26, 28, 32, 35, F4

  • Music, F10

  • Prayer, 36, 44, F10

  • Preparation, 14, F13

  • Prophets, 18, 36, F6, F8, F16

  • Revelation, 18

  • Service, 2, 8, 14, 40, F2, F14

  • Seventy, 18

  • Smith, Joseph, F6

  • Temple work, 14

  • Testimony, 2, 13, 14, 36, F4

  • Women, 2

Study the Gospel Together

“Monday evenings should be reserved for family home evening. Local leaders should ensure that Church buildings and facilities are closed, that no ward or stake activities are planned for Monday evenings, and that other interruptions to family home evenings be avoided. The primary emphasis of family home evening should be for families to be together to study the gospel. We remind all that the Lord has admonished parents to teach their children the gospel, to pray, and to observe the Sabbath Day. The scriptures are the most important resource for teaching the gospel.”

First Presidency letter, Aug. 30, 1994.

Your Favorite Home Evening

Send a description of your favorite family home evening to liahona@ldschurch.org. Submissions may be edited for clarity or length.