Guide to the Friend

The Guide to the Friend can help you find stories or articles for preparing lessons or talks for church or for family home evening. The Primary theme for October is “I show my faith in Jesus Christ when I share the gospel with others.”

Family Home Evening Ideas

Look for the FHE symbol on the [original magazine] pages mentioned below.

1. Read President James E. Faust’s article “The Empty Cart” (pp. 2–3). Even though the woman in the story gave only one small can of food, her gift was generous. Tell the story of the widow’s mites (Mark 12:41–44 or New Testament Stories, 94–95). What makes a gift generous? Give one person in your family a small treat: a piece of cereal, dried fruit, or small candy. Then ask that person if he or she would give the treat to someone else in your family who does not have a treat. If he or she decides to give up the treat, reward the entire family with a bowl full of treats. What can we give others besides treats or money?

2. Use the diagrams in the Children’s Songbook to sing and sign “Love One Another” (pp. 136–37). How will people know we are Jesus’s disciples? Natalie showed her brother she loved him by writing him a note (pp. 44–45). What are some other ways to show people you love them? Choose one person in your family and one person in your ward family to show love for this week.

3. What did Yondonjamts do to help his father become a member of the Church (p. 18)? Now that they have all been baptized, what does Yondonjamts’s family like to do for family home evening (p. 20)? Choose your favorite scripture story. Collect towels, blankets, and other simple props and give them to your family members so they can all help you act out the story.

4. On small pieces of paper, write the words generous, kind, modest, honest, outspoken, obedient. Read the stories of children who are trying to be like Jesus (pp. 22–23). Have family members guess which word describes each experience. When they select the right word, put the piece of paper on top of the story. Then help each other think of a time each of you has shown that characteristic.

5. Read “A Testimony to Share” (pp. 24–25). Pause before reading the last word in each stanza so everyone can guess what rhyming word will come at the end of the line. When you finish the poem, see how many things you can remember the poet testifying of. What kinds of things are appropriate to share in a testimony? Invite each family member to share his or her testimony.

6. Complete the “Preparing for a Mission” activity (p. 30). Draw a circle around the pictures of activities that you are already doing to prepare for a mission. Then choose one activity you would like to start doing. For your next family home evening lesson, plan to do this activity. You might decorate a box to use as a savings bank for your mission, invite someone from your family or ward to teach you a few phrases in another language, or have a parent show you how to iron. Can you think of other skills that would be useful?

The Friend can be found on the Internet at www.friend.lds.org.

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Topical Index to this Issue of the Friend

(FLF) = For Little Friends

(f) = Funstuf

(IBC) = inside back cover

(IFC) = inside front cover

(m) = music

(v) = verse

Baptism 32

Book of Mormon 15, 48 (f)

Choose the Right 22, 38

Faith 18, 21 (m), 35

Family 8, 18, 27, 41, 44

Family Home Evening 38, IBC

Fasting IFC, 16

Friends 28 (FLF), 38

General Conference 31 (FLF)

Heavenly Father 12, 24 (v), 41

Holy Ghost 46

Jesus Christ IFC, 12, 15, 21 (m), 22, 24 (v), 35, 38, 41

Learning 6

Love and Kindness 22, 28 (FLF), 38, 44

Missionary Work 6, 11 (f), 12, 18, 22, 24 (v), 30 (FLF), 32, 35, 44

Modesty 22

Music 21 (m)

My Gospel Standards IFC, 2, 6, 8, 12, 18, 21 (m), 22, 28 (FLF), 35, 41

Prayer IFC, 8, 16, 18, 46

Priesthood 16, 42

Profanity 42

Prophets IFC, 2, 4, 40, 42, 45, 46

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 6, 10, 17, 34, 41

Repentance 8, 32

Scriptures 6, 11 (f), 15, 48 (f)

Service 2, 11 (f), 12, 22

Temple 18

Testimony 24 (v)