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.

Family Home Evening Ideas

If your parents ask you to help plan a family home evening, you may want to use an idea from the Friend. Here are some ideas in this issue that you may like (look for the FHE symbol on the [original magazine] pages mentioned):

1. Ask a parent to read “The Spirit of Christmas” (pages 2–3). Next, tell the story of “Caitlyn’s Eyes” (pages 20–23). Invite each family member to determine a way they can be more like the Savior.

2. Have a brother or sister learn and present the poem “Night of Praise” (IFC). Then together prepare the “Christmas Countdown” Advent calendar (pages 24–25, 10) and do one of the scripture readings and suggested activities. Do another each night until Christmas Eve.

3. Prepare the flannel-board figures and use them to tell “Moroni’s Words to Us” (pages 38–39). Share with one another times when you have been prompted to do the right thing. How did you feel when you obeyed?

4. Tell the story “Wooden Skis” (pages 14–16). Ask a parent to talk about what tithing is used for. Invite your mom or dad to discuss the blessings that come from obeying this commandment.

5. As a family, look at the “Christmas Workshop” (pages 8–9, 41) and the “Dog-Bone Ornament” and other items to make (pages 34–35). Choose one or more to make and give to a neighbor or ward member you would like to befriend.

6. Make “Caramel Crunch Turtles” (page 41) for refreshments.

Ways to Study the Scriptures and Understand Them Better

1. Start and end your scripture study with a prayer. Ask Heavenly Father to help you understand the scriptures.

2. Read your scriptures with two colored pencils nearby. Use one color to mark commandments and one color to mark blessings.

3. Read daily. Keep a sticker calendar. Set a time to read each day and decide how many minutes you will spend studying. Put a sticker on the calendar every time you meet your goal.

4. Look up and read the scriptures listed with each story in the Friend (for December, see pages 4, 11, 20, 26, 38). Then read the story to discover why that scripture was chosen.

5. Ask a parent, grandparent, or home teacher to tell you their favorite scripture or scripture story. Write your own favorite scripture or scripture story in your journal and explain why you like it.

6. Study about one person in the scriptures. Choose someone you would like to know more about. Look up that person’s name in the index at the back of your scriptures, then read the scriptures listed about that person. (For people in the Bible, find their names in the Bible Dictionary, located after the Topical Guide at the back of the Bible.)

7. Prepare the flannel-board figures on page 39. During family home evening, use them to tell the story of Moroni and explain what the scriptures teach us about keeping our baptismal covenant. Save the flannel-board figures in a box to be used later.

8. Study a specific gospel topic. Look at the back of the Bible for the Topical Guide. Read the bold, capitalized words until you find one you’d like to know more about. Then look up and read five scriptures listed under that word. Write what you learn in your journal.

9. Play this scripture story game during family home evening: On slips of paper, write a few words that would remind someone of a scripture story, such as “stripling warriors,” “Nephi builds a ship,” or “Jesus Christ in America.” Each person takes a slip and then takes a turn drawing a picture of the story while the family tries to guess which story it is. The person who guesses correctly gets to tell the scripture story to the family.