Finding Common Ground for Family Home Evening

Active members of the Church know that family home evening is important, but what if you have a less-active or nonmember spouse? My less-active husband is a strong advocate of family together time. However, he doesn’t feel that we need to include prayers, hymns, or religious instruction.

So we have found common ground. Sometimes we spend time together; other times my husband accepts that I will have gospel discussions with just our daughter. At least once a week, often while we’re doing the dishes, we discuss New Era and Ensign articles, along with topics shared in Sunday meetings.

When all three of us are together, we cover a variety of subjects. Often we visit the public library to obtain materials. Together we have discussed topics such as proper etiquette and safety measures. For the latter discussion, we used books containing “what would you do if …” scenarios. We have also delved into history and read a lot of literature together. After reading a biography of Abraham Lincoln, we watched a Civil War documentary. We have also read books on character traits and discussed traits such as honesty, compassion, and friendship. Sometimes newspaper articles or survey results have prompted our discussions.

We enjoy our family activities. They have drawn us closer together and have provided a strong, common foundation that upholds the standards and beliefs we already share.—Ann Woodbury Moore, Glenville Ward, Albany New York Stake

Illustrated by Beth M. Whittaker