Family Night!
Here are the girls putting together a FHE board.
We put modge podge down to glue the picture to the block and then put another coat of glue ontop to seal it. We had a fun time putting it together.
The girls have a fun time switching the pictures around for our family night and being in charge of a part of Family Night is important to them. We enjoy making a treat once River gets home from school on Monday afternoons. Family Night is a special time that we look forward to.
We begin with the song: (Children's Songbook #195)
This is the night we've waited for
Always a treat we have in store
We love each other more and more
with every Family Night
Stories and games for everyone
Learning the gospel can be fun
Father and Mother
Daughter Son
Together on Family Night!
Here we are working together to lay ground cloth and cover it with rock around our trees.
It takes A LOT of little shovel-fulls!
The leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have made the following statements concerning Family Home Evening:
"Well-planned family home evenings can be a source of long-lasting joy and influence. These evenings are times for group activity, for organizing, for the expressions of love, for the bearing of testimony, for learning gospel principles, for family fun and recreation, and of all things, for family unity and solidarity." (Joseph Fielding Smith, Harold B. Lee, and N. Eldon Tanner)[14]
I don't know where this one came from: "Although family home evening should begin and end with prayer, it is not intended to be a formal class," and quotes the 1915 First Presidency as saying, "formality and stiffness should be studiously avoided, and all the family should participate in the exercises."
"Monday evenings should be reserved for family home evening. The primary emphasis of family home evening should be for families to be together to study the gospel. We remind all that the Lord has admonished parents to teach their children the gospel, to pray, and to observe the Sabbath Day. The scriptures are the most important resource for teaching the gospel." (Howard W. Hunter, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Thomas S. Monson)[16]
1915: "We advise and urge the inauguration of a Home Evening throughout the Church, at which time fathers and mothers may gather their boys and girls about them in the home, and teach them the words of God ... If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase, faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them." The First Presidency (Joseph F. Smith)
1966: "Great blessings come to those who carry out this responsibility. Last year's lessons have brought many families closer to one another, and have brought a great measure of peace and harmony in many homes. We feel to say to you again, with our love and earnest assurances, that the Lord will grant rich blessings to all who will prayerfully and sincerely carry out this program." David O. McKay
1970: "The importance of family unity - love and consideration for one another in the family - cannot be overemphasized. Spiritual solidarity in family relationships is the sure foundation upon which the Church and society itself will flourish. This fact is well known and appreciated by the adversary, and as never before, he is using every clever device, influence, and power within his control to undermine and destroy this eternal institution. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ applied in family relationships will thwart this devilish destructiveness." Joseph Fielding Smith
1974: "We cannot impress too much the importance of having family home evenings once a week . . . that you may be rewarded by a fulfillment of the promise that if fathers and mothers will discharge this responsibility, not one in a hundred of your family, as has been said by the leaders who have preceded us, would ever go astray." Spencer W. Kimball
"We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform." ('Policies, Announcements, and Appointments,' Ensign, June 1999, 80
"When I hear of a family breaking up, I question if family home evening and family prayers have been regularly held in that home. Surely, the most important ingredient in producing happiness at home for members of this Church is a deep religious commitment to God and His gospel. In family home evening, such commitment can be nurtured in children by the wise, mature supervision of parents. Couples can strengthen and sustain each other in living and understanding gospel principles. Devotion to God developed in these settings seems to forge the spiritual moorings and stability that can help families and individuals cope with the complexities of life. Some may say this is an oversimplification of a very complex problem, yet I believe the answers lie within the framework of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ." --James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 3-4
"I wonder if having unplanned and infrequent family home evenings will be enough to fortify ourselves and our children with sufficient moral strength to meet the complexities of our day. Infrequent family scripture study may be inadequate to arm ourselves and our children with the virtue necessary to withstand the moral decay of the environment in which we live. Where in the world will we learn chastity, integrity, honesty, and basic human decency if not at home? These values will, of course, be reinforced at church, but teaching them in family home evening can be particularly consistent and effective. To combat the world's evil influences, we need the strength that comes from family home evening. . . . "If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched, our wards and branches will grow and prosper, our lives will be purified, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us." -James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 6
"I like to compare the home evening, family prayer, and other associated activities of the Church for the saving of the family, when they are conscientiously carried out, with an umbrella. If the umbrella is not opened up, it is little more than a cane and can give little protection from the storms of nature. Likewise, God-given plans are of little value unless they are used." -Spencer W. Kimball, General Conference, October 1969
"I hope, my brothers and sisters, that you are having your family home evenings with your children. You cannot afford to postpone this. The days, the months, and the years pass so quickly, and before long it will be too late. " -President Gordon B. Hinckley - Veracruz, Mexico, January 28, 1996
"Here are the promised blessings for those who will hold a weekly home evening: 'If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.'" -First Presidency, April 27, 1915, in Improvement Era 18:733-34 Ezra Taft Benson, "God, Family, Country" p. 228
"The prophets have taught repeatedly that families should teach one another the gospel, preferably in a weekly family home evening. This family practice, if we are not very careful, can slowly drift away from us. We must not lose this special opportunity to "teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom" (D&C 88:77), which will lead families to eternal life." -M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, May 1987
"Family home evenings should be scheduled once a week as a time for discussions of gospel principles, recreation, work projects, skits, songs around the piano, games, special refreshments, and family prayers. Like iron links in a chain, this practice will bind a family together, in love, pride, tradition, strength and loyalty." -President Ezra Taft Benson, "Salvation-A Family Affair," Ensign, July 1992, 4.
"It often takes a seemingly superhuman effort to get everyone together for family home evening. You may not always feel like praying when you finally do get together, but it will pay great dividends if you persevere." -James E. Faust, "Enriching Our Lives through Family Home Evening," Liahona, June 2003, 4
"Take advantage of the great responsibility and opportunity that you have to teach your children, to rear them in the light of the gospel, to build faith in their hearts. Sit down with them and have family home evening...Let them feel of your love for the Lord. Let them hear you testify of the truth of this work. Let them partake of the good that comes from a father and a mother who seek to do the right thing." -Salt Lake Granger South Stake Conference, November 10, 2002.
We are trying to preserve the traditional family - father, mother, and children - working together in love toward a common goal. In large measure we are succeeding against great odds. We advocate a family home evening, for instance, one night a week reserved for family activity together. Lessons from the scriptures are taught. Family business is discussed. Vacations are planned. We sing together. We pray together. It works!
President Gordon B. Hinckley (media luncheon, Washington, D.C., 2 Dec. 1996)
Family home evening is for everyone. It is for families with parents and children, for families with just one parent, and for parents who have no children at home. It is for home evening groups of single adults and for those who live alone or with roommates. Regular participation in family home evening will develop increased personal worth, family unity, love for our fellowmen, and trust in our Father in heaven. It is our promise that great blessings will come to all who conscientiously plan and hold weekly family home evenings. I testify that this is as true today as it was almost 30 years ago. If we go forward with our family home evenings, our homes will be enriched, our wards and branches will grow and prosper, our lives will be purified, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us." -From Elder Faust's First Presidency message, Ensign, June 2003
To summarize, here are the blessings and requirements.
Blessings: Greater blessings will result - Love at home will increase - Obedience to parents will increase - Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth - The youth will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them - A greater measure of peace and harmony in the home - Will bring families closer together - Families will be blessed with better feelings between husband and wife and all family members - Couples will receive strength - Not one in a hundred of your family will go astray - Deeply increases personal worth, family unity, and love for our fellow man, and trust in our Heavenly Father.
The requirements: Have family home evening - Prayerfully and sincerely carry out this program, and hold quality family home evenings once a week.
So Great a Reward!
