Family Home Evening on Commitment, Working Hard and Doing Our Best

 I hope and pray that you can use these ideas as a guideline and adjust them to the needs of your own specific family.  Our prophet President Monson says, "We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest."  On Lds.org there are resources available in helping to make your Family Home Evenings successful, here is a link to that site on Family Home Evenings.

Tonight's Family Home Evening is on Commitment, Working Hard and Doing Our Best.  I chose this topic for our Family Home Evening tonight, because I have noticed lately with my children they think their lives should revolve all around playing and having fun. When they have to practice for sports, they complain that they are missing out on play.  When they have to finish their homework and chores they complain because it is taking up their play time. When we run errands as a family, they about have a melt down because it is boring and they are missing out on play. Yes, I understand they are kids, and that's what lives all about, right? Wrong.  I want my children to be able to understand that life isn't all about play time, which they have plenty of anyways.  I do want them to enjoy life, but you can enjoy life and have fun while working hard also. I want them to know how important it is that once you decide to do something (like play a sport or an instrument or attend school) they have made a commitment, there are team mates, coaches, and teachers that are relying on them to do their best.  That means that they need to spend the time practicing and doing homework. And yes that means they are not going to be able to play their electronics or legos from the time they get home to the time they go to bed.  For my kids when they get home and after having a little snack they are asked to complete their homework, practices, and chores before they get play time.  Usually, they still have plenty of time to play.  

Welcome everyone to Family Night

Sing: "Dare to Do Right" pg 158 Children's Songbook

Have a member of the family member say the prayer

Discuss any family business

Scripture: Read and Mark: 2 Timothy 2:3

Article of Faith: # 1 "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."  (Continue helping family members memorize the Article of Faith and understand its meaning.)

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Present your family with the family schedule.  I am going to do a weekly schedule and keep this up every Family Home Evening. This way everyone knows what is going on. The kids can see how much playtime they actually get and also know what is expected of them. 

Play the Video: A Work In Progress

Discuss as a family what the words Endure and Commit mean.  In the "Guide to The Scriptures" it defines endure as: "To remain firm in a commitment to be true to the commandments of God despite temptation, opposition, and adversity."  The word Commit is defined in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary as: "...a promise to be loyal to someone or something."  Explain that when we commit to do something we are saying we are going to be loyal. When we endure, we remain firm to that commitment, even if it is difficult.  Discuss ways each family can do this in their particular commitments.  An example would be if you make a commitment to be on a basketball team.  To follow through with your commitment you need to be loyal to your teammates and your coach.  That means you will work hard and practice so you can be ready and prepared for your games.  On game day you will try your best to help your team preform its best. 

Read the Story: Hard at Work, Hard at Play

Discuss what each family member learned from the story.  Discussion might include: that Joseph enjoyed playing, but he also knew how to work hard and provide services.  Ask each family member what is one thing they really enjoy doing.  Then ask each family member what are somethings that they need to do each day to fulfill their commitments.  Explain that it is great to have fun and to play, but it is also very important to keep our commitments, to help out as part of a family and to provide service.

Doing Our Best... discuss as a family what those three words mean to each family member.  For me it means that I am going to do the best I can on a particular thing.  I am going to work hard to make the preparations I need to do my best, then I am going to follow through.  When we do our best we can feel good about our selves, we will not have any regrets, because we gave it our all. (This is what I want my children to understand, that if they truly do their very best, give it their all and not just half halfheartedly do something, then they will be successful at what they do)

Decide on something fun to do as a family and something you can work hard to accomplish and do those two things.  It doesn't have to be done tonight, but sometime throughout the week. 

Bear testimonies on how important it is to honor our commitments, the growth we receive from working hard and how important it is to do our best.

Close with a Family Prayer.