Family Home Evening: the glue that holds families together

In 1915, Joseph Fielding Smith, then Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, with his counselors, instituted Family Home Evening (FHE). He urged families to get together once a week, and for parents to instruct their children in the word of God. He said that it was a time for families to "spend an hour or more together in a devotional way—in the singing of hymns, songs, prayer, reading of the Scriptures and other good books, instrumental music, family topics, and specific instructions 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." _{Chapter 39: Strengthening Families in Family Home Evenings," Teachings of Presidents of the Church: JosephF. Smith, (1998)}

These days Family Home Evening is traditionally held on Monday evening. If a family is unable to get everyone together on Monday, than another day of the week is chosen. Family Home Evening can be formal, with a prayer, hymn, scripture, lesson, and refreshments. It can also be informal, such as a family game night, movie night, sports night or field trip. The point is to get everyone in the family together for a period of time to interact with each other--hopefully in a positive way.

At our home, FHE was difficult for several years. Inevitably someone would get their feelings hurt, a fight would break out among siblings, and it felt like chaos. I had begun to wonder whether it was even worth it. I stopped holding it for a while, and my children asked why we weren't doing it anymore. They said they missed it. Even though they would quarrel or squabble, they still missed the togetherness that FHE provided.

Through prayer, I learned that it doesn't matter how formal or fancy FHE is, or how perfect or imperfect it is. The whole purpose of Family Home Evening is to show your family that they are important enough to you that you would spend that time with them and for them. It teaches them obedience by the example you set. It also teaches them that God is important to you, and that you love Him enough to obey the commandments. It doesn't matter exactly what you do or how well you do it, it only matters that you do it.

Since 1915, other religious denominations have instituted some sort of family night. Leaders of other churches also realize that if you "train up a child in the way he should go...when he is old, he will not depart from it." _{Proverbs 22:6}

Joseph F. Smith said that “the very foundation of the kingdom of God, of righteousness, of progress, of development" is established in the home. He knew that the strength of a society was dependent upon the strength of the family.

Today there are many different kinds of families. Some families have only one parent. Some consist of only grandparents and their grandchildren. Some consist of only an uncle and his nieces and nephews, or an aunt and her nieces and nephews. Sometimes the family is a group of people that share no blood, but find themselves all living under one roof. Whatever situation you may find yourself in, it is important to show those whom you consider to be your family that you care enough about them to dedicate some time to them, at least once a week.

If people feel like they are loved and that they belong, they are less likely to seek that approval in other places that could get them into trouble not only with the law, but that could cost them their lives.

The family is so important to the well being of all of God's children, that in 1995, Gordon B Hinckley, then President and Prophet of the LDS Church along with the Quorum of the 12 Apostles wrote, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." In that document one can read the following statement: "...we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."

With the prevalence of gang activity, drug use, prostitution, and the general disregard for the sanctity of human life, the family is being attacked from every angle. Let's all protect our families with the glue that Family Home Evening provides. No matter how your family chooses to do it, in the words of Spencer W. Kimball, "just do it!"