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. Look for the FHE symbol on the [original magazine] pages mentioned in the Family Home Evening Ideas. The Primary theme for September is “How can we follow the Prophet?”

Family Home Evening Ideas

1. Read “Courage” by President Gordon B. Hinckley (pages 2–3). Invite each family member to talk about one way he or she can be courageous in following the Savior. Finish by reading “From Latter-day Prophets: Howard W. Hunter” (page 7).

2. Read the counsel of President Ezra Taft Benson, “A Prophet Talks to Children” (pages 28–29), then make several different game cards and play “Family Home Evening Bingo.”

3. Make the faces from “Happy or Sad—Facing Our Choices” (page 32). Ask Mom or Dad to tell several brief stories about people who obeyed or disobeyed Heavenly Father’s commandments. Hold up the appropriate face depending on which choice was made. Discuss why obedience leads to happiness.

4. Tell the story “Baptism Miracles” (pages 34–36), including the information about the latter-day prophets’ baptisms. Remember your own or another family member’s baptism and talk about the important promises that were made that day.

5. Read how the children in “Trying to Be Like Jesus Christ” (pages 42–43) followed the Savior’s example and teachings. Share with one another how you have tried to follow the Savior during the past week.

Fun Sunday Family Activities

1. Have a write-a-thon. Collect pens, paper, envelopes, and stamps. Invite your family to write letters to relatives, friends, or missionaries. Set a goal for how many letters the family will write. When you’ve reached your letter-writing goal, it’s time for refreshments.

2. Start a story-telling festival. Ask your mom or dad to begin by telling a true story that happened to them. When his or her story is over, the next person in the circle says, “That reminds me of the time when. …” That person then tells a true story from his or her life, and then the next person takes a turn. The festival continues until everyone has told a story. If you have a tape recorder or video camera, have a parent help you set it up so that you can record the story-telling festival for your family history. If you don’t have a tape recorder or video camera, have each person write down their story (have young children draw a picture about it), afterward.