Family Home Evening for Acts 22-28

 Read, Act Out, or Summarize Acts 28:1-9

1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.

2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.

9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:

Lesson

Heavenly Father fulfills the promises that He makes with His servants. In Mark 16:18, we read a promise that the resurrected Jesus Christ made to the apostles, before they went to spread His word. He told them, “They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Activity

Revisit some recent general conference addresses, and find a promise made by one of the Lord’s servants—perhaps one that is meaningful to your family—and display it in your home.

Discuss

 How can we show our faith that this promise will be fulfilled?

Watch

This is how we did this lesson

Family Home Evening for Acts 16-21

 Read Acts 17:27-29

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

Lesson

You are a child of God. You are created in His image. This means that God has a body of flesh and bones, just like you do. We can’t create statues or worship things that other people make and call them “God.” 

As an offspring or child of God, you can recognize how special you really are. You are the child of an all knowing, all powerful, eternal, and celestial Being. Heavenly Father provided a Savior, His Son, Jesus Christ, to atone for you so that you can repent and return to Him. The Holy Ghost guides you to make good choices to help you grow spiritually and learn how to become more like God. This is why Paul told the people in Athens not to believe that the Godhead, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost can’t be “gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.” How could a statue create your spirit, atone for your sins, or guide you in your daily life?

Discuss

How is being a child of God different from being just one of His creations? How does understanding this truth influence how you see yourself and others?

Watch

Here is how we did this lesson

Family Home Evening for Acts 10-15

 Read Acts 10:34-35

34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Discuss

What does it mean that God is “No respecter of persons”? 

Lesson

Point out the differences between your children and each other. Explain that though they are different, you love them each the same. Explain that if you could have this much love for your children, who are different, we could only imagine how much Heavenly Father loves each of us. He is waiting for us to turn to Him, so that He can bless us. 

The scripture says that Heavenly Father loves all of us so much and all we need to do is love Him enough to do what He asks and choose the right in all we do, and He will willingly pour His blessings upon us. It doesn’t matter what color our skin is, if we are rich or poor, or where we live. He loves us all.

Watch

This is how we did this lesson:

Family Home Evening for Acts 6-9

 Read or Summarize Acts 7:51-69

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Lesson

Like Stephen, there are times when we will need to stand up for what is right.  When we teach about Jesus Christ or try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, others may get angry and try to hurt us with words or physically harm us. Just like Stephen, we can feel peace from the Holy Ghost when we choose the right and stand up for the right.

Activity 

Make up scenarios where your kids will be required to make a choice for the right. Here are a few I thought of:

1. You are around a group of friends. They begin saying words that you know are offensive to Heavenly Father. What do you do?

2. You are at a party, and some people come and bring drinks that are alcoholic. What do you do?

3. Your brother wants to do something that your parents told you not to do. He says, “Let’s do it and just don’t tell Mom and Dad.” What do you do?

Family Home Evening for Acts 1-5

 Read or Summarize Acts 1:21-26

21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Lesson

When Jesus was on the earth, He established 12 Apostles to testify of Him and to do His Father’s work. After Jesus’s death and Judas’s betrayal and death, they needed 2 more men to be called to be apostles and continue the work of the Lord. The living apostles prayed and Matthias and Joseph were called.

Apostle was the title Jesus gave to the Twelve whom He chose and ordained to be His closest followers and supporters. Apostles are chosen to be special witnesses of Jesus Christ. Just as Jesus Christ called and sent His Apostles forth to represent Him, today’s Apostles are given the role to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. 

Just like in Jesus’s days, we have 12 apostles today. Just as in ancient days, apostles are chosen through inspiration by the President of the Church, sustained by the general membership of the Church, and ordained by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles by the laying on of hands.

Jesus Christ calls Apostles to represent Him in our day just as He did in the Bible. They leave behind their regular work lives and devote their life to full-time Church service. They oversee the growth of the global Church, and they travel the world to share God’s love with His children and invite all to come unto Christ, learn, and follow Him.

Discuss

How can you gain a witness that today’s apostles and prophets are called by God? Why is having this witness important?

Watch

Click the picture below to see how we did this lesson.