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. The Primary theme for September is “The promises taught in the scriptures give me comfort and courage.”

Family Home Evening Ideas

Look for the FHE symbol on the [original magazine] pages mentioned below.

1. In “Truth Will Prevail” (pp. 2–3), President Hinckley asks us to write down a scripture and read it every morning. On small pieces of paper or sticky notes, have everyone write down 2 Timothy 1:7–8. Then write down a few more favorite scriptures. Have family members put these reminders where they will see them each day—by their bed, on the bathroom mirror, on the fridge, etc. At your next family home evening, discuss how these daily reminders helped each person follow Christ.

2. As a family, read Enos 1:1–8 and “The Enos Experiment” (pp. 4–5). Discuss how to have “mightier” prayer. Encourage family members to devote a day to prayer by always having a prayer in their hearts (see Alma 34:27), or perhaps visit somewhere special—like the mountains, the forest, or the beach—to give each person time for personal prayer. Share your testimonies as Elder Kikuchi and his son did (pp. 6–7).

3. Have each family member write a poem based on a favorite scripture story or verse, such as “Hold On” (p. 11), and then illustrate it. Share your creations with each other. Then use these to “Create Your Own Friend” (pp. 24–25) and make a magazine authored by your family!

4. Discuss the faith of President Woodruff in “Inspired Prophet” (pp. 44–45). Choose a spiritual experience from your own life and make it into a picture strip like this, or use any of the suggestions in “Create Your Own Friend” (pp. 24–25) as activities. Include the finished products in your family Friend magazine.

5. Our prophet has encouraged us to learn to work. Read “Jordan’s Job List” (pp. 36–38) and discuss how working as a family increases love and unity. Come up with job lists for each member of the family. Whether big or small, every family member can help make the house a happy home. For your job you could help make dinner using the recipes in Kitchen Krafts (p. 43).

[New Members]

Do you know someone who is a new member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Look for the October 2006 issue of the Ensign magazine, a special issue for new members.
Look for articles on the same topic in the October Friend.