Daily newspapers, radio, and television reports indicate the overwhelming evidence that the problems in the world begin with the breakdown of the family. The family is the basic unit of civilization. Many government and church leaders the world over understand how important the family is in building a strong, healthy society. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a program called Family Home Evening that helps families grow closer together and learn principles that can help them become better citizens.
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In an attempt to help meet the needs of families in the community, Elder and Sister Hall, Senior Couple Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, began teaching a family class to the four branches (congregations) in Kilungu Hills and Kilili. Kilungu Hills is about 175 km Southeast of Nairobi. The goal of the class was to help families become stronger by building lasting memories.
The focus to accomplish this was to teach the families how to have fun together. Each week a class was taught on a different parenting skill. The Church’s Family Home Evening program was used as the foundation for helping to accomplish their goal. Family Home Evenings are held in the individual homes of members of the Church, usually on Monday evenings. The suggested outline for the evening includes opening and closing prayers, singing of songs and/or hymns, a short lesson, a possible discussion on family matters, a fun game and maybe a small treat. The class members followed the material in the Family Home Evening Manual to learn how to conduct their own Family Home Evening in their homes.
Elder and Sister Hall stressed the promise that was made by a leader of the Church in 1915. He told the members that if they would hold regular family home evenings, they would see more happiness, more faith in the hearts of their youth, more strength to combat and overcome the influences of Satan, more obedience from their children.
At the conclusion of the classes, comments from the participants revealed how successful they had been when asked, “How has holding family home evenings affected your family?”
One father admitted, “My children no longer fear me. I am more a part of their lives.”
Other parents remarked, “At first the children were shy, and we were too; but now they ask when we will have family home evening. And we enjoy it so much.”
Another remark: “Our children love to be the leader and sing the songs.”
And, “It is not part of our culture to have fun with our children. I am learning to be fun”.
The parents learned how to hold family councils and talk about family business and plans. A parent said, “Family council was different for me. It was new. My children much enjoyed us sharing with them.”
Another leader of the Church has stated:
"Strong families:
Eat together
Work together
Play together
Worship together
Council together
Pray together
Learn together
The Family Home Evening program will bless us as parents as well as the lives of our children.
It will also help us build strong nations, and thus the whole world will benefit."