Poster Article:
A Shield of Faith*

Successful … families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, [and] forgiveness (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

In Primary we learn about faith, prayer, repentance, and forgiveness. Our families can help us follow these principles. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles teaches, “The best place for individuals to build faith and strong testimonies is in righteous homes filled with love” (Ensign, May 1996, 81).

Our families can help us build shields of faith to protect us from “the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph. 6:16). Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles learned this as a child: “We were dressed in our home each morning, not only with hats and raincoats and boots to protect us from physical storm, but even more carefully our parents dressed us each day in the armor of God. As we would kneel in family prayer and listen to our father, … one more layer was added to our shield of faith” (Ensign, May 1974, 98).

Like Elder Perry, we can learn principles at home that can protect us from sin. We can do our part to strengthen our families by having faith in Jesus Christ, praying together, repenting, and forgiving family members who hurt us. When we do these things, the Holy Ghost will fill our homes with warmth and peace.

Activities and Ideas

1. Cut out or copy the shield on page 39 and mount it on heavy paper. Color the pictures on the shield. Tell your family what each picture means, and hang the shield where it will remind you to work on these principles.

   

   Illustrated by Randall J. Pixton; detail from Jesus Christ by Harry Anderson

   Faith
   Prayer
   Repentance
   Forgiveness

2. For a family home evening activity, cooperate in teams to color the four areas of the shield.

3. In a family home evening lesson or Primary talk, discuss the statement by Elder L. Tom Perry. What does your family do to help you build a shield of faith? How can you work on these four principles to make your family better?

Note: If you do not wish to remove pages from the magazine, this activity may be copied, traced, or printed out from the Internet at www.lds.org. Click on Gospel Library.

• Emphasizes the Primary monthly theme. (See “My Family Can Be Forever,” poster, Friend, Jan. 2004, insert.)

Photograph by Welden C. Andersen, posed by model