Deseret Book

Packet #090205

Family Home Evening Materials

Theme: 11th Article of Faith

5 tips for successful Family Home Evenings

1. Pray. Pray about the needs of your family as you consider topics for home evenings, and pray as you prepare. 3. Involvement. Involve everyone in the family; help little children take part.

2. Prioritize. Make Family Home Evening a priority; learn to say no to other activities. 4. Commitment. Be committed and be consistent. Set a designated time and stick to it. Holding Family Home Evening on a weekly basis takes dedication and planning on the part of all family members. 5. Relax and enjoy it. The most important thing your children will remember is the spirit they feel in your family home evenings and activities. Be sure the atmosphere is one of love, understanding, and enjoyment.

Thought: Just as we claim the right to worship as we choose, we believe [others] have the right to worshipor to not worshipas [they] see fit. All of our interpersonal relationships should be built on a foundation of mutual respect, trust, and appreciation. But that shouldnt prevent us from sharing deeply held religious feelings with each other.
(M. Russell Ballard, Building Bridges of Understanding, Ensign, June 1998, 62)

11th Article of Faith

Purpose: Help our family members better understand the Eleventh Article of Faith. Song: Love One Another, Childrens Songbook, p. 136.

Scripture: We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
(Articles of Faith 1:11)

Lesson:

Tell the following true stories about religious persecution. 1. Imagine that you are helping your mother prepare dinner. Some rulers of a powerful church burst into your home and drag your father and mother out to be judged. Your father is beaten and imprisoned for not belonging to that church. (See Acts 8:13.) How would you feel? 2. Imagine that your family believes in the word of God. But those who do not are taking all the believing women and children and throwing them into a fire. (See Alma 14:810.) How would you feel? 3. Imagine that your father was the prophet of a church. One night a mob broke into your house and grabbed your father while he was caring for your sick baby brother. They choked your father, poured poison down his throat, broke his teeth, tore off his clothes, and smeared tar on him. They covered him with feathers and left him to die. (See Doctrine and Covenants Stories, pages 1056.) How would you feel?

We feel sad when we hear that members of our church have been persecuted. We should be just as sensitive towards those who are not of our faith.
(Christena C. Nelson, Sharing the Articles of Faith, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994], p. 54.)

Story:

(Anthony W. Ivins)

Jacob [Hamblin] relates the following incident, which occurred at Lee's Ferry, while he was returning to Southern Utah, after having visited the Hopis [Indian tribe]. Tuba, the chief of the Oribas, and his wife, after much persuasion, consented to accompany Jacob to the settlements. Upon arrival at the Colorado River, Tuba said to Jacob: "I have worshiped the Great Spirit, the Father of us all, in the way that you believe to be right, now I would like you to worship with me, as the Hopis think is right, before we cross this great river." When Jacob assented, Tuba took his medicine bag from under his shirt, and taking from it a small portion of the sacred meal which it contained, asked Jacob to do likewise. Jacob extended his left hand, but the Indian said, "No, you must take it with the right hand," which he did. Tuba sprinkled a small portion of the meal on the ground, in the air, and on the surface of the river, after which he knelt, with his face to the East, and prayed to the Great Spirit, the Father of us all, to preserve the party while they crossed to the opposite shore. He told the Great Spirit that he and his wife had many relatives and friends at home, and that if they were drowned, and did not return, there would be much weeping and sorrow. He prayed for his friends the "Mormons," that none of them might lose their lives, while crossing. He prayed that the animals might be preserved, because they were needed for the long journey, that the food might not be lost, because there was no more to be had, and the clothing, which was needed to keep them warm. When the party was safely over, Tuba gave thanks, that his prayer had been answered. Later, Chief Tuba said, "We believe in Jacob, and look upon you as a father. When you are hungry you can have our game. You may gather our sweet fruits. We will give you food when you come to our land. We will show you the springs, and you may drink; the water is good. We will be friends, and when you come we will be glad. We love our country, we know no other lands. We hear that other lands are better, we do not know. The pines sing to us, and we are glad. Our children play in the warm sand, we hear them sing, and are happy. We do not want their good lands, we want our rocks, and the great mountains, where our fathers lived. We are very poor, but very honest. You have horses and many things, you are very wise, you have a good heart. We will be friends. I have nothing more to say."
(Preston Nibley, Pioneer Stories)

Activity:

Make six cards with the following information. Take turns drawing a card. Read the information on the card and discuss the case presented and come up with possible ways to handle each situation.

1. A new family moves into your neighborhood. They are not members of your church. What will you say when you go welcome them to the neighborhood? 2. You are having a birthday party. Describe the friends you will invite. Do you only include members of our church? Why, or why not? 3. A boy in your classroom at school seems lonely. No one ever plays with him at recess. He does not look like a member of your church. How will you treat him? 4. Your neighbor smokes cigarettes. Do you think of him as a bad person? Describe your feelings towards him. 5. You invite a less-active member to attend church with you. She chooses not to attend. How how will you feel about her? 6. Your group of friends does not invite anyone else to play, except those children who are like them. You have noticed others who would like to play games at recess with the group. What will you do?
(Christena C. Nelson, Sharing the Articles of Faith, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994], p. 55.)

Extra:

Invite neighbors or friends who do not worship the same way you worship to family home evening. Have them explain a little about how they worship. Explain to them a little about how you worship. In what ways is your worship different? In what ways is it the same? Go to the library. Ask the librarian to help you find a book that tells you about different religions. See how much you can learn about what other people believe.

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Refreshment
package butterscotch morsels (12-ounce size) large can Chinese noodles

Melt the butterscotch morsels in a pan over very low heat. Put the noodles into a large mixing bowl. Pour the melted butterscotch on the noodles and mix well. Use a tablespoon and drop spoonfuls of mixture on waxed paper and let cool.
(Karla C. Erickson, Kids in the Kitchen, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004] p. 120.)

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