“Reader’s Guide,” New Era, Jan. 2001, 49

Reader’s Guide

Creative ideas for using this issue of the New Era.

Family Home Evening Ideas

Choose three or four points from President Hinckley’s message on page 4 and discuss them as a family. Copy your favorite quotation from the talk, and place it in a prominent spot in your home, like the refrigerator door, where everyone will see it often.
Read the story “Junior Companion” on page 36 and tell it to your family in your own words. Ask your brothers and sisters to help brainstorm ways you can help your parents or other members of the ward fulfill their callings.
Ask your parents to review the Idea List about prayer on page 29 and evaluate your own family prayers. Set a family goal to go one month without missing a day of family prayer, even if it means getting up extra early. When the month is up, talk about how the feeling in your home has changed.

Write out the six B’s listed by President Hinckley in his article on page 4. Put the list on your mirror where you’ll see it in the morning or carry a small copy in your wallet or purse. Review the list every day for a week and see if it improves your way of thinking and your actions.
If your personal to-do list seems too long every day, read the article “The Art of Juggling” on page 26. Make room for scripture study and prayer first on each day’s list of activities. Sometimes you have to choose between two good activities, but this article can help you leave room for fun and relaxation, a must for a well-balanced life.

In “Aarika’s Courage” on page 30, Aarika invited her nonmember friends to an activity centered on the Church. Help your leaders plan a great joint Young Women/Young Men activity and have everyone invite their school friends to come and meet their Church friends.
Read the story “All for One” on page 20, paying special attention to the ways the young men have built strong friendships with fellow ward members. If you aren’t feeling that same bond in your own ward, plan a night of getting-to-know-you games or a “this is your life” night for a classmate or two.

Turn out all the lights in the classroom, draw the drapes, and have a pair of dark sunglasses handy. Place the Bible in front of one of your class members, have him put on the sunglasses, and ask him to read it. When he explains that he can’t, pull out a flashlight and shine it on the book. Have him read Matthew 5:16, which talks about letting your light shine. Ask the class for ideas on how you can share the light of the gospel as a group.