Family Home Evening for 1 and 2 Peter

 Read 1 Peter 3:15-17

15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

Discuss

When we are having conversations about religion, it is possible for them to turn to anger very quickly. It is important to remember to always be respectful of other people, and remember that you represent Jesus Christ in all that you do. The best thing to do is think about some questions that some people might ask you, and think about, ponder, and pray about how you would answer them.

Here are some commonly asked questions:

Q: Are you a Mormon?

Possible A: Though others may refer to me as a Mormon,  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

Q: Why does your church have such a long name?

Possible A: When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He established His church, The Church of Jesus Christ, upon the earth. After His apostles died, His church was removed from the earth. In the Latter-Day, His church was again restored to the earth and again called by His name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and that is the church that I am a part of.

Q: Do you worship Joseph Smith?

Possible A: No, we don’t worship Joseph Smith. We respect him as a prophet of God. Just as Jesus called apostles and prophets in the church, when He was on the earth, He has again called prophets and apostles to His church. Joseph Smith was the first prophet called in the latter days, and President Russell M. Nelson is the prophet today.  We only worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as deities.

Q: Do you have another Bible?

Possible A: We have the Book of Mormon that is another testament of Jesus Christ. We also read and study the Bible as one of our standard books of scripture.

Q: Are you a Christian?

Possible A: Yes. I am a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus Atoned for my sins and because of Him, I can be resurrected and receive eternal life.

Discuss

What are some other questions that you might encounter? Discuss these as a family.

Watch

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Family Home Evening for James

 Read James 1:5

5 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.

Lesson

James was the son of Mary, so he was Jesus’s half brother. It seems right that he would write one of the most powerful scriptures to open the last dispensation of the fullness of time. 

Sometimes just one verse of scripture can change the world. This scripture seems simple—if you need wisdom, ask God. But when 14-year-old Joseph Smith read that verse, “it seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of [his] heart” (Joseph Smith—History 1:12). When Joseph wondered which church to join, he sought wisdom from God through prayer. And God did indeed give liberally, giving Joseph one of the most remarkable heavenly visitations in human history—the First Vision. This vision changed the course of Joseph’s life and led to the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. All of us are blessed today because Joseph Smith read and acted on James 1:5.

Discuss

What are some questions that you “lack wisdom” in? Teach your children how to ask Heavenly Father for answers.

Watch

Click the video below to see how we did this lesson

Family Home Evening for Hebrews 7-13

 Read or Summarize Hebrews 12:5-7, 9-11

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Activity

In the following scenario Johnny made a poor choice.  

Johnny played all day and made a big mess. His room was so messy that when his mom went in to put his laundry away, she tripped over his toy car. Though she wasn’t really hurt, she told Johnny that he was old enough to clean up after himself, and he needed to learn how to take better care of his toys. What did Johnny’s mother teach him while chastising him?

Here is a scenario of a time that the Lord chastised someone for a poor choice.

Susie went shopping with her Mom. While she was at the store, she saw a toy that she really wanted. She asked her mother for it, but her mom told her, “no.” Instead of putting it back, she stuck it in her pocket. Her mom didn’t know about it, and so they went home. When Susie went home, she was laying in her bed, and looking at her new toy. Susie looked on her bedroom wall and saw a picture of Jesus. She thought about her baptismal covenants and knew that what she did was wrong. She didn’t want to get in trouble with her mom, so she decided not to do anything. After a few days, her new toy was not very fun anymore. Everytime she looked at it, she felt the Holy Ghost tell her that it was wrong for her to take that toy home without paying for it. Susie went to her Mom and told her what she had done. She emptied her piggy bank and went to the store to purchase the toy that she had taken. She apologized to the store owner for what she had done. When she got home, she said a prayer and asked Heavenly Father to forgive her for not being honest. She felt a warm feeling in her heart and felt peaceful again. She knew that Heavenly Father had forgiven her.

Conclusion

According to the scripture above, God says that He chastises those He loves. God’s chastisements help us to become better people and “partake of His holiness.”

Just like our parents teach us to be better people and become better people, the Lord’s goal is to help us be happy and receive exaltation in the kingdom of God. As we are repenting and receiving the Lord’s chastisements, it can be very difficult, but this scripture promises us, “afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness…” Just remember that The Lord loves you, and you are never “too late” to repent and receive the peaceable fruit of righteousness, that comes when we are forgiven for our sins.

Watch

Click the video below to see how we did this lesson