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When a family is governed by righteous principles and cemented by the unifying force of charity and affection the Spirit of God will be present.
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Family gatherings are more meaningful when planned around principles. The specifics of family gatherings and traditions vary from family to family. However, all may share common threads-including an emphasis on honoring and prayerfully searching the word of God, understanding one’s unique role as a son or daughter of God, and cultivating an environment of love and mutual support. Here are three examples:
Traditions Take Time
Following our marriage in the late 1950’s, we Pinegars didn’t set aside regular times to read the scriptures with our small children. As time went on, we realized the importance of family scripture time, so we decided to make it a regular part of the family routine. I would rise early, go to the children’s room, flip on the light and say, “Scripture time!” The children would slowly get up, sometimes dragging their blankets into the living room.
We began reading just a few verses associated with a gospel topic. Then we attempted to apply them to our lives. Studying by topic- and later reading the Book of Mormon and other scriptures-became a tradition. The younger children grew up thinking that was the way each day began…the tradition of scripture study had been established.
The payoff came when our daughter Kelly was giving her farewell talk prior to serving a mission in Ecuador. She said, “I learned to hate my father’s squeaky voice as he awakened us for scripture study every morning.” She paused, began to cry and said, “Oh how grateful I am for my parents, for they taught me to love the word of God.” Joy filled her parent’s hearts. Now as grandparents, we visit our children’s homes and see them establishing the same tradition. Truly, our joy is full!
Foster Talents and Creativity
In Allen family gatherings, we’ve always tried to combine spiritual aspects with an emphasis allowing the children to express themselves in creative ways. As they discover the wonderful gifts they’ve received from the Lord, we’ve made tools available to entice them to experiment with wholesome activities. These included puppet theaters, handmade art easels, musical instruments, plaster-of-Paris mold sets for making creative figures, dress-up wardrobes for aspiring young actors, sewing paraphernalia, outdoor equipment, family service-and-kindness charts, and games like charades that encourage active expression.
We’ve felt joy and gratitude in witnessing talent flowering in many ways: a daughter who became an accomplished illustrator; another daughter who excelled at creating beautiful crocheted afghans; a son who auditioned for a performance with a local symphony after only limited piano instruction; and another son with multiple challenges who produced amazing computer art masterpieces. Talent can flourish in any family setting. All children have gifts and abilities that can be cultivated in an atmosphere of encouragement and positive support. We’ve been pleased to observe this practice continued by our children when founding families of their own.
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By Ed J. Pinegar and Richard Allen, LDS Living Magazine May/June 2003
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