How can I prepare to establish a Christ-centered home?
Prepare Yourself Spiritually
Building the kingdom of God begins with building a righteous home and family. The family is the most important unit of the Church. As members of the Church, we should establish a home where the Spirit is present. A Christ-centered home offers us a place of defense against sin, refuge from the world, and committed, genuine love. Whether our home is large or small, it can be 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).
Resources to Help You Prepare
These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.
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1 Nephi 1:1; Enos 1:1–3; Mosiah 27:14 (The influence of righteous fathers)
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Psalm 127:3; 2 Nephi 25:26; Mosiah 4:14–15; Doctrine and Covenants 68:25–28; 88:119; 93:40 (Parents are commanded to teach and nurture their children)
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Henry B. Eyring, “To My Grandchildren,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2013, 69–72
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Richard G. Scott, “For Peace at Home,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2013, 29–31
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David A. Bednar, “The Powers of Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 48–51
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“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 145
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“Family,” For the Strength of Youth (2011), 14–15
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“A Father Indeed” (video)
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Questions to Ponder before You Teach
What do you do to make your home a defense against sin and a refuge from the world? What do you do to teach your children and family the gospel?
Consider the homes in which the young men live. What experiences are they having now that will help them raise their own righteous families?
What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.
Meeting Outline
1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences
Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes
Lead a discussion about items such as the following:
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Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?
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Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?
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Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?
If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.
2. Learn Together
Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes
After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.
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As a quorum, read Mosiah 4:14–15 and make a list on the board of principles in these verses that will help the young men establish Christ-centered homes. Show the video “A Father Indeed.” Instruct the young men to think of themselves as fathers while they watch. After the video, ask the young men to discuss what the main message was and what additional principles they learned that will help them establish Christ-centered homes. Consider adding these principles to the list on the board. Invite them to share examples of these principles from their own families or other families.
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Ask a young man to read aloud Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 and write on the board the principles of a righteous home. Invite the young men to choose one of these principles and share ways they think this principle could be applied in a righteous home. Encourage them to share examples they have seen. What can the young men do to establish these principles in their current homes and in their future homes? As part of this discussion, invite the young men to read the section titled “Please Help My Husband Understand” from Elder David A. Bednar’s talk “The Powers of Heaven.” Ask the young men what they think it means to be a priesthood leader in the home.
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Ask the young men to think of examples of influential fathers in the Book of Mormon (for some examples, see the scriptures suggested in this outline). Invite the young men to list some additional qualities of their fathers or other fathers they know that they would like to emulate. What is the role of fathers in building the kingdom of God? What did these fathers do that had a positive influence on their children? What can the young men do to follow their examples?
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Ask the young men to list on the board their best advice for a couple about to be married. Divide President Henry B. Eyring’s talk “To My Grandchildren” into sections, and give the young men portions of the talk to read. Ask them to add items to the list on the board that they find in President Eyring’s talk and to discuss what they can do now to prepare to establish a Christ-centered home.
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Divide the quorum into groups, and divide Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk “For Peace at Home” among the groups. Ask the groups to study their sections of the talk, looking for descriptions or characteristics of a Christ-centered home. Invite them to share what they find by drawing pictures of what a Christ-centered home is like. What can the young men do to help their homes be more Christ-centered now? How can they prepare to establish Christ-centered homes in the future?
3. Plan to Act
Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes
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Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?
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Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.
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Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.