All of us, with very few exceptions, love our families dearly. We want to spend quality time with them. We want to strengthen our relationships with our spouse and our children. We yearn for quiet conversations where we can share our tender thoughts and the joy of fun family activities. Oftentimes though, the necessities and tasks of daily life get in the way and before we know it, our week has passed without the meaningful interactions we intended to have. One solution to this problem is a weekly family night. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we call this Family Home Evening.
What is Family Home Evening? It is a time set aside where we gather together as a family to have fun, learn more about the Gospel and share our ideas and feelings with one another. It can be most successful when we pick one night of the week and stick to it. In our church, we have picked Monday night. We have had to occasionally miss basketball games or dinners with friends, but we have shown through our actions, not just our words, that our family is our priority.
So what does a Family Home Evening look like? We start with a song and a prayer. This helps us to refocus on our family and invite the Spirit to be with us. Next, we have a spiritual lesson. This can be as simple or as complex as fits with your family’s attention span and needs. Topics for the lesson can be anything from honesty and kindness to the Savior and His teachings. After that we have a time in our family where we go around and each family member gets to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas, or simply express their appreciation. We discuss each item if necessary and come up with a plan of action.
Then comes the activity. This too can be as simple or complex as fits the needs of your family. When we just had little ones, we often played the Hokey Pokey or Duck, Duck, Goose. Now we do anything from family service projects like yard work for those who are unable to do it, to a bonfire with s’mores or relay races with eggs and spoons. The sky is the limit on this one! It can be such a blast and is something our children look forward to each week.
Which leads me to my next topic: Who conducts this meeting? All of us. Every family member, including our three year old, gets a chance to be in charge on a weekly rotating basis. They assign fellow family members to the songs and prayers, someone to do the lesson and enjoy treats together.
President Harold B. Lee said, “The most important work you will ever do, will be within the walls of your own home.” I know this to be true.
We are all involved in many good and important things. However, finding one evening a week to dedicate to creating bonds of love in our family is a higher good that we can all strive for.
Since all families are different, no two family home evenings are the same. If you do not have family in your home at this time, you can still set aside this night and treat yourself to a fun night, a spiritual lesson and a yummy snack to recharge your spiritual batteries.
I know having a weekly family night can bless families in ways that are too numerous to mention. The biggest blessings being more harmony and love in your home and an increased ability for your children to combat bad influences outside of your home.
Please check out LDS.org for ideas on making your night a success. Happy Family Home Evening to you all!
• Jacqueline F. Tupou is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
