Family Home Evening

Our family as usual, has our own little way of holding family home evening (FHE). We weren't doing so well in our little immediate families at being obedient to this program that the church has organized to help us keep our focus on family, but now, thanks to Aunt Katrina, we are progressing! She came up with the really great idea to have all of our little families meet together once a week for FHE. So far we are doing pretty well. Going on about 3 or 4 years now. When I was on the mission it was one of the things I missed the most about not being at home. I love to spend time with them learning about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. It really is the only avenue to joy in this life and the life to come.




Y'all know that we are a big bunch. Loud and fun loving. We have had some amazing experiences and we are growing together as a family which is the whole point and purpose. Once a week is quite a lot of family time for a crew like ours and we have covered every gospel topic under the sun. Some would think it would be super boring but not with a family like mine. One of the best lessons was at Aunt Randy's house. We were told that there was a grand prize and we had to answer questions and earn money (monopoly money) to be able to win it. We all of course did our very best at answering gospel related questions and as the pool of people with money left dwindled we would give our little bit of cash to help a player with a better chance. Trey wound up with the most money and then Aunt Randy told us the prize was actually priceless. That we couldn't even buy it with earthly money. She showed us a temple recommend and then taught us that our words and actions were the currency that we would need to obtain something as priceless as it is. That has always stuck with me. Some things you just can't put a price on. Another great lesson was at Aunt Katrina and Monroe's house. He gave us all slips of paper with scripture stories and we had to act it out and have the rest of the family guess. Grandpa was in a group with Miranda and Randy Peddie and all the babies! They got the story of the brother of Jared. All the little kids held up a sign that said, "A Rock" and when touched by grandpa's hand they smiled. It was so cute and we were able to guess the story. The kids of course were adorable. While we do focus on church doctrine at FHE we have also had fun, not so spiritual times. We do the usual birthday cook outs and memorial day celebrations. Aunt Randy put her bar stools up behind her love seat and we had 3 rows of 3, like a tick tack toe board. She had of on 3 bar stools and then 3 of us sat on the love seat and 3 more right in front on the floor. Then she gave us all X's and O's and we played Hollywood Squares. The questions were about our family members like How many had won the Bulldog Athletic Award in High school? How many had ever sang in public or for money? Who were the 2 who caught a tree on fire down at grandaddy Rudd's while playing with fire works? How many in our family are named James? How many returned missionaries and seminary graduates? Just the funny stuff and stories that we hadn't heard being the younger generation. I learned so much! It was a hoot to hear some of the things that Daddy and Monroe and Jamie got into before we all came along and then grandma and grandpa's reaction to the adventures.



Last night was my turn and we went through the bible dictionary and looked up some terms that we hear a lot in our everyday church attendance. Like for example, did you know that Manna literally means "What is it?" When bread was falling from the sky on the children of Israel that is exactly the reaction they had, "What is it?" Wouldn't you have the same one? I know I would! We also looked up Lucifer, Satan before he was cast our of the presence of God. Lucifer actually means bringer of light. How interesting! We learned that Christ was as common a name as John or James are today and that Satan literally means "slanderer". We learned so many interesting facts together through the scriptures. I dressed the little ones up and gave them things to prompt our memories of the stories we know. Kole had a bow and arrow, symbolic of Samuel the Lamanite or Nephi and his broken bow. He was holding stones. Like a modern day David or even the Brother of Jared. Keaton had water and a stick of wood. Reminding us of the Flood with Noah, the Cross, and various different staffs the Lord used to perform miracles. Jarah was decked out in jewels and fine clothing, usually used to symbolize wicked, idolatrous people but reminded us also of Queen Ester, the prosperity of the righteous Nephites, and the wealth that Lehi left in order to follow the will of God.



We often hear the old adage "the family that prays together stays together". I know that no truer words have been uttered by the mouth of man. We learn together, we pray together, we laugh together, we love, we cry, we understand, we partake of the goodness that the gospel has to offer, and we share it all, TOGETHER!



~AzK~