10 tips to improve your Family Home Evenings
April 27, 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 word of the Lord…. “Home Evening” should be devoted to prayer, singing hymns, songs, instrumental music, scripture-reading, family topics and specific instruction on the principles of the gospel, and on the ethical problems of life, as well as the duties and obligations of children to parents, the home, the Church, society and the nation. For the smaller children appropriate recitations, songs, stories and games may be introduced. Light refreshments of such a nature as may be largely prepared in the home might be served.
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 influence and temptations which beset them.The First Presidency
FHE has promised blessings of love, obedience, faith, and power over sin. I want these in my home, and I hope you would as well. How can we receive these blessings? Hold FHE. Here are 10 tips to improve your FHE experience.
Here are 10 Tips to have better Family Home Evenings.
1. Start Today.
Wherever you’re at decide today to make your FHE better starting today. If you are not holding FHE, start just having a family time, slowly work your way up to lessons, and spiritual activities. Always keep in mind the reason we hold FHE.
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. (“Salvation; A Family Affair,” Ensign, July 1992, p. 4)
~President Ezra Taft Benson
2. Keep it simple and spiritual.
Let’s be honest, we have all been in that meeting, or class that feels like it is dragging on forever… A good rule of thumb is the +1 rule, the age of the child +1. IE a 5-year-old would have a 6-minute attention span. So gauge the length of the entire FHE to accommodate. So keep that in mind when planning FHE, Short sweet and to the point is key when you have little kids.
Teaching a 30-minute lecture, I mean lesson… to your 5, 9 and 12-year-old will not help them to grasp the Gospel, but merely to dislike FHE.
Read the rest of the tips at My Life By Gogo Goff
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