Family Home Evening Ideas

This issue contains articles and activities that could be used for family home evening. The following are two examples.

“The Blessings of Seminary,” page 20: Review the article ahead of time and decide how best to apply the message to your family. If you have teenagers in seminary, start by asking them why seminary is important to them. Then read the section called “Receiving Promised Blessings.” Encourage younger children to prepare to attend seminary when they are old enough. If you do not have seminary-aged youth, you may want to read the article and then discuss the importance of seminary for today’s youth.

“Everybody Knows Bleck,” page 42: Consider singing “Do What Is Right” (Hymns, no. 237) as an opening song. Read or summarize the story about Bleck. Ask family members to share an experience when they had to make a tough decision between different paths and what consequences came from the decision they made. Conclude by reading the quote from President Thomas S. Monson.

Simple, Calm, and Unforgettable

It was an unforgettable family home evening with our two little girls, Angélique, age 6, and Béthanie, age 4. My husband and I had both collapsed into our chairs, tired and not knowing where to begin. So our daughters took initiative and turned the family home evening assignment wheel, giving us each a task. My husband’s job was to conduct, Béthanie had music, I had activities, and Angélique was to give the lesson.

Béthanie chose “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, 95), and we sang it together. Papa gave the opening prayer. Then Angélique took the most recent issue of the Liahona and chose an article in the children’s section. She is learning how to read in school, so she read the article to us. The feeling in our home was one of calm. The Spirit testified that what she was reading was true.

We played some games together, and I gave the closing prayer. While I was praying, I couldn’t keep from thanking our Heavenly Father for His Spirit and love and also for having blessed our home with these little spirits. My husband and I know that our responsibility is to care for them and to teach them the gospel. Holding family home evening is part of that sacred responsibility.

Sylvie Poussin, Réunion