Small and Simple Things

2010

December 2010

“Small and Simple Things,” Ensign, Dec. 2010, 70–72

Small & Simple Things

“By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).

The Christmas Story

Many people are familiar with the Nativity story as told in Luke 1–2. But there are many other places in the scriptures that talk about the miraculous birth of the Savior Jesus Christ. Consider including these verses in your personal scripture study this month:

Old Testament	New Testament	Book of Mormon	Doctrine and Covenants	Pearl of Great Price
Isaiah 7:14; 9:6–7	Matthew 1–2	1 Nephi 10:4–6; 11:13–21	D&C 76:41	Moses 5:57
Micah 5:2	John 1:1–14	Alma 7:9–13	D&C 93:1–4
		Helaman 14:1–9
		3 Nephi 1

Time for Family Home Evening

For members of the Church, Monday night is synonymous with family home evening. But how did it all start? This time line tells the story.

1909	1915	1935	1965	1970	1985	1999
The Granite Utah Stake develops a formal family home evening program.	President Joseph F. Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency call on parents in the Church to gather their children once each week for a “Home Evening.”	President David O. McKay reminds parents that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.”¹	The first official family home evening manual is released; revised versions are released annually until 1984.	The First Presidency designates Monday evening as the time for family home evening.	The Family Home Evening Resource Book is introduced with broader source material and application.	The First Presidency publishes a letter reminding members not to plan ward or stake activities on Monday nights or—where practical—not to have community activities on Monday nights.

Photographs by Welden C. Andersen; painting of wise men by Paul Mann © IRI 1999; The Birth of Jesus, by Carl Heinrich Bloch, used by permission of the National Historic Museum at Frederiksborg in Hillerød, Denmark, may not be copied; silhouette by Beth M. Whittaker

From left: photograph of Granite Utah Stake building courtesy of Church History Library; Joseph F. Smith, by A. Salzbrenner; photograph by Boyart Studios; 1985 manual cover by Phyllis Luch; photograph by Jed A. Clark; silhouette by Beth M. Whittaker