Family Home Evening Ideas

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

Illustration by Rose Datoc Dall

“Like the Widow of Zarephath: The Miracle of Fast Offerings,” page 32. Consider reading this article together as a family and then studying the story of the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17. You could then answer the following questions: How does fasting bless us individually and as a family? Who might our fast offerings bless? What blessings might we see in our home by giving a more generous fast offering? You could discuss the possibility of giving a more generous fast offering or other ways you could help the poor and needy as a family.

“My Adopted Pioneer Ancestors,” page 36: You may want to prepare for family home evening by reading the article beforehand and gathering a few pioneer stories. The stories could be about the first members of the Church in your family or about pioneers in Church history. Consider summarizing the author’s experience for your family and sharing some of the stories you have gathered. Discuss together what it means to be a pioneer. What blessings have you and your family received because of those who came before you? Invite family members to think of ways they can honor their gospel heritage.

Recognizing Promptings

For family night, my husband and I wanted to teach our children about recognizing promptings from the Holy Ghost. I put various hard foods—such as rice, beans, pasta shells, and peppercorns—into opaque plastic containers, using two containers for each food item. We then challenged our children to match the foods by shaking the containers and listening carefully. After a few rounds I asked how this activity might be compared to identifying the voice of the Spirit among other distracting influences. Before long, the older children were telling about their experiences with the Holy Ghost, and we all gained an appreciation for what it means to hear and feel the still, small voice.

Anita L. Reeves, Utah, USA