For Parents

Teaching about the Priesthood and Preparedness

Dear Parents,

Topics for this month include the priesthood, mental health, and spiritual and temporal preparedness. Use this section to get ideas on how you can use this issue to help you recognize specific struggles your children may be facing and to help you teach the gospel of Jesus Christ in your home.

Gospel Discussions

Priesthood

As you teach your children about the priesthood and priesthood ordinances, use “Gospel Basics” on page 10 in addition to President Dallin H. Oaks’s article on page 6. Discuss with your children the importance of the priesthood and how the Lord blesses our lives through it.

Mental Health

The article “How Do I Support a Child Who Is Feeling Depressed?” on page 16 talks about some ways you can recognize symptoms of depression in your child and suggests some healthy coping mechanisms. Use this article along with the articles on pages 12 and 18 to help your children deal with mental health challenges.

Spiritual and Temporal Refuge

The article on page 20 can help your family develop an emergency-preparedness plan if you haven’t done so already. More important, it also teaches some of the parallels for our spiritual preparedness.

Come, Follow Me Study Helps

See page 26 for articles to support your family’s study of the Doctrine and Covenants this month.

Come, Follow Me Family Fun

Photograph from Getty Images

Organize Yourselves

Doctrine and Covenants 88

Our homes can follow this pattern: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:119).

Organize means to arrange things in order or to prepare an activity or event.

Organize your family in different ways:

1. Have them stand in line from oldest to youngest.

2. Have them stand in alphabetical order, according to their first name.

3. Have them line up according to the month of their birth.

Discussion: How does the Savior want us to organize ourselves (1) in our household jobs, (2) in our spiritual study, (3) in our worship at church and in the temple?

What goals can your family set to create a “house of God”?

Submitted by Lisa Thomas

Run and Not Be Weary

Doctrine and Covenants 89

In Doctrine and Covenants 89, the Lord gave a revelation called the Word of Wisdom.

1. After reading section 89, have everyone stand in the middle of a room.

2. Designate one side of the room to be the “good” side and the other side of the room to be the “not good” side.

3. Have a family member read verses 5–17.

4. The other family members will move to either the “good” or “not good” side of the room, depending on the description in that verse. Is the substance good for our bodies or not?

Discussion: What promises are included in Doctrine and Covenants 89:18–21? How can taking care of our bodies improve our spiritual relationship with the Lord?

Submitted by Mitzi Schoneman

In This Month’s For the Strength of Youth Magazine

Goal Setting

Does your teen struggle to make and keep goals? Follow the principles in this article to teach them how to break down their goals into manageable pieces.

“Mental Illnesses: How You Can Help!”

In this article, three youth share their struggles with anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Learn with your teen about how to better help and understand these individuals—and what to do if you have a mental illness.

“Young Women and the Priesthood”

Read words from Church leaders to teach your family about young women’s relationship with priesthood power and authority.

In This Month’s Friend Magazine

“Taking Care of Me!”

Use this activity to teach your children about taking care of themselves by living the Word of Wisdom and nourishing their spiritual and emotional health.

Scripture Study Help

Find family-friendly activities for each week of Come, Follow Me this month.

“Peace through Priesthood Power”

Read a message about priesthood blessings from Elder Steven R. Bangerter of the Seventy. Also look for a page in the For Older Kids section about why the priesthood is important for both girls and boys.

Join the Helping Hands Team

Read about a boy in Poland who helps people in his community. Then do this month’s helping hands activity!

“Still Hearing Dad’s Song”

Leah is upset when her friend says her dad won’t go to heaven because he died by suicide. Read this digital-only story to help you have a conversation with your child about suicide and grief.