Family Home Evening Ideas

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

“Touched by the Spirit of Elijah,” page 24: Consider discussing with your family the quotation from President Monson at the end of the article. You could then help family members become more familiar with one of their ancestors. Photos, journal entries, artifacts, home videos, or a fan chart (see page 26 of the article) are great starting places. You may also want to explore together the various features at FamilySearch.org, including the training videos.

“Priesthood Power—Available to All,” page 36: Before family home evening, read the four questions Sister Burton asks in this article. Bring a small lamp to family home evening (make sure it is unplugged). Have different family members try turning it on. Liken the power needed to operate the lamp to priesthood power. Plug in and turn on the lamp and discuss how we can all benefit from the light of the lamp, or the power of the priesthood. Have family members consider ways they have been blessed by the priesthood. You could begin memorizing the scriptures in Doctrine and Covenants 84 that Sister Burton asks us to memorize.

“Agency and Answers: Recognizing Revelation,” page 48: Begin by telling your family about a time when a personal prayer was answered and how you received that answer. You could then discuss with them the “Three Ways to Find Answers” presented by Elder Scott. Conclude by singing together “Let the Holy Spirit Guide” (Hymns, no. 143).

Missionary Role-Play

For family home evening we sometimes have our children pretend to be missionaries. Introducing ourselves as “Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” my husband and I ask the children several questions, making sure to direct appropriate questions to each child so they all have a chance to share something. Afterwards, “Mr. and Mrs. Jones” compliment the children on their knowledge of the gospel, thank them for sharing their beliefs, and promise to pray about what was shared. We are always amazed at how much our children know, and the children experience some of the joys of sharing gospel truths with others.

Kim Peterson, Utah, USA