Family Home Evening for Joseph Smith History 1:1-26

 Background

Today, we will be learning a little more about Joseph Smith. He was born December 23, 1805 in Sharon Vermont. He had 6 brothers and 2 sisters. He was the third, oldest son. When he was about 14 years old, his family moved to Manchester, New York in the United States. In Manchester, there was a great excitement about religion. Many different people talked about how they felt great spiritual peace with certain religions, but all of the churches of the time would fight about what teachings were correct. Some of his family members joined the Presbyterians, but Joseph felt conflicted on which church was true. He said:

Read or summarize Joseph Smith History 1:10

10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

Discuss

What would you do if you felt confused and didn’t know what to do?

More Background

Joseph’s family was very religious, and they read the Bible together often. Joseph was reading the Bible one day and came across James 1:5. It said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” After Joseph read this scripture, he said:

Read Joseph Smith History 1:12-13

12 Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

13 At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

Even More of the Story

Joseph did what he had seen his mother do often. He went into the woods, behind his family’s farm to ask God. When he began to pray, the powers of the devil overtook him and made it so that he couldn’t speak. He used all his strength to ask God for help. Just then, a super bright light filled the grove of trees, the darkness left, Joseph was free, and 2 Heavenly Beings appeared. Joseph said:

Read Joseph Smith History 1:17

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

More of the Story

Jesus then spoke to him and told them that none of the churches were true, and He told him not to join any of them at that time.

Discuss

When Joseph had a question that didn’t seem like it could be answered by anyone, what did he do? If we have questions that need to be answered, what can we do? Is there a time in your life, when you’ve heard the voice of the Lord and followed it? Share these experiences with your family.

Watch

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Family Home Evening for D&C 1

 Look 

Look at the following pictures and try to decide what it is warning you against (answers at the bottom)

Discuss 

The Lord also sends out warnings to protect us from spiritual danger. According to these scriptures, how does the Lord warn us?

Read D&C 1:4, 38

4 And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

Discuss

The Lord gives us warnings and messages through His servants or in other words, His prophets. What are some recent things that the prophets and other leaders in the church have warned us about?

Watch

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Answers (starting at the top, going left to right)

Poison

Watch for ice

Road is slippery

Slippery when wet

Flammable

Stop

Family Home Evening for The Restoration of the Fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

 Read 

The “The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World” As you read, look for phrases that begin with the words “we affirm,” “we declare,” “we testify,” and “we proclaim.”

The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World”

  We solemnly proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world. God the Father has given us the divine birth, the incomparable life, and the infinite atoning sacrifice of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. By the power of the Father, Jesus rose again and gained the victory over death. He is our Savior, our Exemplar, and our Redeemer.

Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York, USA. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him.

In humility, we declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible. In this vision, he learned that following the death of the original Apostles, Christ’s New Testament Church was lost from the earth. Joseph would be instrumental in its return.

We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ. The resurrected John the Baptist restored the authority to baptize by immersion for the remission of sins. Three of the original twelve Apostles—Peter, James, and John—restored the apostleship and keys of priesthood authority. Others came as well, including Elijah, who restored the authority to join families together forever in eternal relationships that transcend death.

We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Pages of this sacred text include an account of the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among people in the Western Hemisphere soon after His Resurrection. It teaches of life’s purpose and explains the doctrine of Christ, which is central to that purpose. As a companion scripture to the Bible, the Book of Mormon testifies that all human beings are sons and daughters of a loving Father in Heaven, that He has a divine plan for our lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, speaks today as well as in days of old.

We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored. This Church is anchored in the perfect life of its chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and in His infinite Atonement and literal Resurrection. Jesus Christ has once again called Apostles and has given them priesthood authority. He invites all of us to come unto Him and His Church, to receive the Holy Ghost, the ordinances of salvation, and to gain enduring joy.

Two hundred years have now elapsed since this Restoration was initiated by God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Millions throughout the world have embraced a knowledge of these prophesied events.

We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation. The earth will never again be the same, as God will “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10).

With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know—as we do—that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This proclamation was read by President Russell M. Nelson as part of his message at the 190th Annual General Conference, April 5, 2020, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

We proclaim that God loves His children in every nation of the world.

Discuss

These are the phrases that we found

• We declare that in answer to his prayer, God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph and inaugurated the “restitution of all things” (Acts 3:21) as foretold in the Bible.

• We affirm that under the direction of the Father and the Son, heavenly messengers came to instruct Joseph and re-establish the Church of Jesus Christ.

• We further witness that Joseph Smith was given the gift and power of God to translate an ancient record: the Book of Mormon—Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

• We declare that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, organized on April 6, 1830, is Christ’s New Testament Church restored.

• We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation.

• We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. 

• We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What truths are our prophets and apostles declaring?

Watch 

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Christmas Family Home Evening 2024

 Read or Summarize 2 Nephi 25:26

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Discuss

This year, as we’ve read, learned, and studied the Book of Mormon, we’ve learned so much about the Savior and Heavenly Father’s love for us. Christmas is the time where we celebrate and reflect upon the simple, humble birth of the Savior. He was sent as a baby, innocent and perfect, as all babies are. As He grew, He learned of His sacred and divine mission. He performed miracles, He expressed His Father’s great love for us, as He taught people, took on all our pains and afflictions, died, and gave us eternal life through His resurrection. Why? Because He loves us. Oh what joy comes from the knowledge of that love! Share that love with others, teach them of the joy that Christ can bring!

This year, the theme of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ Christmas message has been to be somebody else’s angel. 

Challenge

Be someone else’s angel by teaching them what Christ’s love looks like. Think about the individual. Instead of giving a group gift, do a personal one. Some ideas would be:

•  Write a personal note to each person in your family telling them what you love about them, and or recognizing an attribute of the Savior you notice in them.

• Take a Christmas treat to someone who may feel forgotten or unloved.

• Go caroling at your grandparents’ house or at a care center or retirement home.

• Call a friend or neighbor and wish them a Merry Christmas and show them that you care.

• Volunteer in a homeless shelter or at the bishop’s storehouse or cannery.

• Come up with your own idea

Watch

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Past Videos and Light the World Links

Light the World Website

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/light-the-world 

2023 Christmas Video

https://youtu.be/qm3WoeBgL8I?si=K3UPqMO5v9Ybx0Df

2022 Christmas Video

https://youtu.be/AuEWzMmIvnk?si=VyYXrQfagkw4GC0v

2021 Christmas Video

https://youtu.be/CRP30wln-bo?si=5AoTVo-DQqSjIxEw

Family Home Evening for Moroni 10

 Read or Summarize Moroni 10:3-5

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

Discuss

Read this scripture again, and look for what it tells us to

Read

Remember

Ponder

Ask

in order to gain or strengthen our testimonies of the Book of Mormon.

(Our Answers)

Read- “these things” what are “these things”? That’s right, it is the words of the Book of Mormon

Remember - how many blessings God has given to people, since the world was created. What ways has God been merciful, or kind to you and your family? Pause the video, while you discuss this as a family

Ponder- think about the blessings that you have received and the way that God blessed the people in the Book of Mormon and the Bible

Ask- Ask God if the Book of Mormon and everything that you’ve learned about this year is true. Then be still and listen, Heavenly Father will speak to you through the Holy Ghost, and then you will know for yourself if it is true.

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Family Home Evening for Moroni 7-9

 Discuss

In these final chapters of Moroni in the Book of Mormon, we consider the fact that Moroni is all alone. All of the Nephites, including his own father and family, have been destroyed by the Lamanites. Moroni is hiding from the Lamanites, so that he can finish his book in the Book of Mormon and bury it in the place that the Lord instructed him to do so, where it remained for thousands of years, until he told Joseph Smith where to find it.

As he sits alone in hiding, Moroni thought about the important teachings of his father, Mormon. He thought about us, the future readers of his words. He knew that a lot of us would be living in a world that teaches that there is no hope for the future and that everything is sad. Moroni wanted to teach us what his father taught him; no matter how bad things are there is always hope. He taught:

Read Moroni 7:41

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

Discuss

Jesus Christ is the hope in this world. In this season of Christmas, think about the sacred night when hope was born! Everytime you see the baby Jesus at the center of a nativity, reflect upon the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and find hope in Its power. Think of the promise of joy that repentance and having His Spirit to be with you brings.

You are happier when you share your hope and joy with others, by having charity towards them. Moroni wrote:

Read Moroni 7:47-48

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

Challenge

Moroni taught that we should pray to be filled with the love of charity. The Guide to the Scriptures says that charity is compassion, love, and service. Think and pray about something you can do to show charity towards someone else, and share the hope of the Savior with them as you do so. 

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Family Home Evening for Moroni 1-6

 Read or Summarize Moroni 6:1-3

1 And now I speak concerning baptism. Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.

2 Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins.

3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.

Discuss

According to the scripture that we just read, who can be baptized?

What does it mean to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?

Some words that come to mind for us is being meek, humble, teachable, and willing to repent, 

Share

Talk about your experiences when you were baptized.

Watch

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Family Home Evening for Ether 12-15

 Read or Summarize Ether 12:6

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

Discuss

According to this scripture, what is Faith?

As you read or summarize the following scriptures, look for what faith can bring.

Read or Summarize Ether 12:7-8; 12; & 18

7 For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore, it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed himself not unto the world.

8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

Discuss 

Sometimes, faith doesn’t stay faith for very long. Just as the Brother of Jared believed that the Lord would give light to the stones he prepared. Then, he saw the finger of the Lord, his faith made it so that he could see the Lord.

What miracles have you seen in your life, because you had faith?

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Family Home Evening for Ether 6-11

 Continue Teaching

Last week we learned about how the Brother of Jared pleaded with the Lord, and He didn’t confound his language, his brother’s language, and the languages of some of their other friends and family members. This week, we are learning about when the Lord commanded them to cross the ocean and go to the Promised Land. The same Promised Land that Lehi and his family were commanded to go to.

The Lord told the Brother of Jared to make some barges, or nut shaped boats that were “tight, like unto a dish,” meaning no water would be able to get into them. The Brother of Jared had a couple concerns when building these barges, and just like we can do when we have concerns, the Brother of Jared prayed to the Lord. As we read what he said to the Lord, find the 3 things that the Brother of Jared was concerned about. This is what he said:

Read Ether 2:19

19 And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish.

The Lord answered his 3 concerns in this way

How will we breathe? Read Ether 2:20

20 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.

How will we steer? Read Ether 2:24

24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.

How do we get light? Read Ether 2:25

25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

Teach

This set of scriptures is amazing, because it demonstrates in one story three different ways that the Lord answers our prayers. 

1. Sometimes the Lord answers our questions and blesses us with guidance on what to do, such as telling the Brother of Jared to put air holes in the top and bottom of the boat and adding a plug to keep the water out.

2.  Sometimes He blesses us by solving our problems for us, just like He guided the barges across the ocean. 

3. Finally, sometimes the Lord wants us to bring a solution to Him, and He works through our problems with us. As He did with getting light in the barges.

The Brother of Jared went and got 16 stones, 2 for each of the 8 barges, and he heated them until they were so hot that they became transparent or see through, like glass. He took these stones back to where he prayed to the Lord and said:

Read Ether 3:4

4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.

Teach

When the Lord reached forth His finger and touched the stones, they glowed like a bright lamp, without using fire. So they were able to cross the ocean with light, air, and being steered by the power of the Lord.

They spent 344 days in their barges or boats. At times, they were scared, because the waves were so big and their boats were thrown all over, but they sang praises to God and never complained. When they arrived on the shores of the promised land, here is what happened:

Read Ether 6:12

12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land. And when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them.

Discuss 

What are some tender mercies that you have received from the Lord? As you recognize these, remember to thank Him for the small and big things that He blesses you with everyday.

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