Sunday Talk, The Power of Family Home Evening

Two weeks ago I was asked by my Branch President to give a talk at an upcoming Sacrament meeting. Each Sunday Mormons go to church for three hours. One of those hours is dedicated to partaking of the sacrament and other purposes. One of the purposes of Sacrament Meeting is to “provide gospel instruction” and to “strengthen faith and testimony” (Administering the Church [2010], 138). The instruction given during Mormon Sunday services, unlike other religions, is not monopolized by church leaders. All members are given an opportunity to instruct their congregation and share their testimony. My Branch President asked that I give a talk on the topic of the power of Family Home Evening.
Here’s most of the talk I gave. The introduction I gave and the testimony at the end of the talk I didn’t script (sorry), so they are excluded:

In times past, God has chosen prophets, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others, to teach the gospel and direct His Church. The scriptures are abundant with accounts attesting that when the council of a prophet is heeded miracles are derived. People have been nourished, cleansed, cured, and revived- resources have been multiplied, bondage broken, safe passages granted, and promised lands were obtained because of ready and willing hearts.

I am relieved and happy to testify that God continues to send living prophets today. They continue to teach His gospel, and direct His Church. Like God led the Children of Israel out of slavery, He leads us into peaceful lives when we choose to follow the prophets. 

A profound counsel received during these latter-days came in 1915. President Joseph F. Smith and his counselors in the First Presidency began a Churchwide effort to strengthen the family. They issued a call to all parents to gather their children once each week for a "Home Evening." Families were to take time to pray and sing together, read the scriptures, teach the gospel to one another, and participate in other activities that would build family unity. And as a family would do so, the prophet promised, “that great blessings would 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.” 

This is what I have been assigned to speak on- the Power of Family Home Evening. As members of the church we are familiar with these blessings- we trump of them often, we practice the tradition of family night- and because of that, I’m going to differ slightly from the topic, and instead focus on how the Power of Family Home Evening is conduced- in hope that through that understanding, the power may be more assessable in our homes.


As I have studied and from my own personal experience on the topic, I conclude that the power of family home evening steams from three principles.

Obedience

The first principle, we have already touched on briefly, is obedience.

Latter-day prophets continue to urge Church members to give highest priority to family home evening. They have promised that our dedication to this program will help protect our families against the evils of our time and will bring us abundant joy now and throughout the eternities.

As a young child I spent a lot of time reading bible stories, they were entertaining. I thought the Children of Israel were so silly, even foolish. I imagine Mormon children feel the same way about the rebellious Laman and Lemuel. From an observer standpoint, the formula for success seems so plain and simple. Be obedient. Yet as an adult, I have found myself having Laman or Lemuel moments. I try to justify my intentions, so my actions may be excused, but "wickedness never was happiness."

President Kimball insisted that, “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 fellow men, and trust in our Father in heaven." This is counsel for all, no matter the season of life. Age, gender nor family size will disqualify us from the blessings to come if we make the necessary sacrifices to be obedient and have home evenings. We will be blessed. 

Diligence

The second principle is Diligence. In his talk, More Diligent and Concerned at Home, Elder Bednar shares his memories of Family Home Evening as a father of active, rambunctious boys.  He admits that he and Sister Bednar often wondered if their efforts to do these spiritually essential things were worthwhile. He confirms they were.

He compares their efforts to artwork- quote, “Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results…Consistency is a key principle as we lay the foundation of a great work in our individual lives and as we become more diligent and concerned in our own homes.”
 
It seems often in the scriptures, we come across progressive instructions from prophets- such as if you do a then b will happen. An example is Moses telling those bitten by the serpents to LOOK and LIVE. We also come across a more repetitive pattern- if you do a, and a, and a, and a, and a, and a then eventually b will happen. Examples of these are the Israelites marching around the walls of Jericho or the washings of Naaman. I think Family Home Evening is like the latter. It won’t be the first lap around or the last washing that will bless you, but the anthology of your efforts.

The following scripture in D&C 64:33, brings me great comfort as I try to be diligent in my errands, “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.” I hope we remember how great the ultimate work and glory of the Lord is as we try to diligently keep Family Home Evening in our homes.

Stewardship  

The last principle is stewardship. Twice a year our family has a special home evening a month before General Conference. We play a game that helps us learn about prophets and then we have a sort of family council and we compile a list of questions or concerns we may have. For the remainder of the month leading up to General Conference we pray about those issues- privately as well as a family. And last September, a concern I had was harmony in our home. And shortly after we started to pray about it I got the impression that we needed to work on Family Home Evening, and I agreed with that impression. 

I found myself dreading Family Home Evening. It wasn’t that we weren’t doing FHE. We were! We were being obedient and we were being diligent, but that power- the feeling of love and unity- wasn’t present. And if I was aware of that absence so were my children. Many times at the conclusion of our evenings I got the distinct feeling, “I’m doing this wrong.” 

So I knew we had to adjust Family Home Evening, but how? And I got my answer from a talk given by Elder Perry that conference about becoming goodly parents. With prayerful consideration and additional evaluations to our needs, we have realigned our family home evening- how we did so is not really important in this context, but why we did so is. We realigned our home evenings because we sought after the Lord’s guidance concerning our family and received an answer. And now things are much better for us. Not perfect, but better.

Elder Groberg testifies, “Whatever the setting, the Lord will guide parents as they prayerfully seek to rear their children in love and righteousness.”And evident by the experience I just shared with you, I can affirm that. Stewardship is the responsibility to the blessings God has given us- and family most certainly falls under such a heading as “Inheritance from the Lord”. Parents, children, siblings can council together- and receive family revelation as to how to love and serve one another. Of course, our prayers must be more than words, for as President Marion G. Romney said, “The efficacy of our prayers depends on how we care for one another. Family prayer is fully effective, then, only as we rise from our knees and, with increased love and understanding, take better care of each other.”

Through the principles of obedience, diligence, and stewardship we can cultivate and access the power of Family Home Evening. I like the scripture, D&C 29:4-6, it reads:

Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump. Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom. And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive.

If there is any place to declare the gospel with the sound of rejoicing, to have glad hearts, to be uplifted, to feel the presence of the Savior, to be united in faith and prayer, it is in our home. And that is what the Lord desires for us, and that is the power of Family Home Evening.