Life's Journey To Perfection: Family Home Evening on Being Good Citizens and being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates.

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.

Since, today is President's Day in the United States, I thought that I would focus tonight's Family Home Evening on the 12th Article of Faith.

Welcome everyone to Family Night

Sing: "12th Article of Faith" pg 131 Children's Songbook

Have a member of the family member say the prayer

Introduce this weeks Topic: Being Good Citizens and being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates.

Discuss any family business

Follow-up with last weeks FHE.

Scripture: Read and Mark: 12th Article of Faith

"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law"

Article of Faith: #2 "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression." Repeat this Article of Faith as a Family. Help each family member memorize the Article of Faith.

Read this statement from Elder L. Tom Perry (member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) : “As Church members, we live under the banner of many different flags. How important it is that we understand our place and our position in the lands in which we live! We should be familiar with the history, heritage, and laws of the lands that govern us. In those countries that allow us the right to participate in the affairs of government, we should use our free agency and be actively engaged in supporting and defending the principles of truth, right, and freedom” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 87; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 72).

Use the Printable below: As a family fill out the questioner about the Ruler's of your Country.

Tell or Read or Watch a story about one of the rulers of your country that was a positive influence to the citizens of the country. For example: George Washington (Here is a short video on his bio.) or Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Video

Ask your family how they feel about these great rulers and how they were influenced by their faith in God?

Ask your family how each member can be involved in supporting and defending the principles of truth, right and freedom and be a good citizen in their community?

Statement from Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve: “In the Church, we often state the couplet, ‘Be in the world but not of the world.’ … Perhaps we should state the couplet … as two separate admonitions. First, ‘Be in the world.’ Be involved; be informed. Try to be understanding and tolerant and to appreciate diversity. Make meaningful contributions to society through service and involvement. Second, ‘Be not of the world.’ Do not follow wrong paths or bend to accommodate or accept what is not right. …

“Members of the Church need to influence more than we are influenced. We should work to stem the tide of sin and evil instead of passively being swept along by it. We each need to help solve the problem rather than avoid or ignore it” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1989, 100–101; or Ensign, May 1989, 80).

Bear testimonies on Being Good Citizens and being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates.

Close with a Family Prayer.

Free Printables: Click image to save to computer and print as a jpeg image