Song:
"Love is Spoken Here," Children's Songbook, p. 190
Scripture:
Proverbs 22:6
Quote:
"If we will build righteous traditions in our families, the light of the gospel can grow ever brighter in the lives of our children from generation to generation. We can look forward to that glorious day when we will all be united together as eternal family units to reap the everlasting joy promised by our Eternal Father for His righteous children." (L. Tom Perry, "Family Traditions," Ensign, May 1990, 19)
Lesson:
Family cohesiveness, love, and unity don't just happen. Close-knit families are not born, they are made. One way to succeed in building family unity is to create and strengthen family traditions.
There are three basic kinds of traditions found in a Latter-day Saint home. Gospel traditions, family customs, and traditions that our forefathers have handed down to us.
Gospel Traditions
Holding a family home evening can become a gospel-centered family tradition. In homes where family time is scheduled for each Monday evening, a tradition is established which all family members know they can depend on. When family home evening becomes a tradition, it provides an opportunity to relax, to be undisturbed, and to enjoy each other as family members. It is the family's island in a swirling stream of weekly events.
Consider the following checklist of gospel-centered traditions. Which ones would your family want to initiate or strengthen?
1. We pay tithing each month.
2. We have family prayer each day.
3. We hold a weekly family home evening.
4. We plan how to keep each Sabbath day holy.
5. We fast regularly.
6. We attend Church meetings weekly.
7. We magnify our Church callings.
8. We engage in reading the scriptures consistently.
9. We contribute regularly to missionary work.
10. We respond to calls for welfare assignments.
Family Customs
What special traditions are unique to your family? Perhaps you have a favorite story describing how dad proposed to mom. Or is it traditional to have pizza and root beer at a time when the family watches television together? Do you have a tradition of singing certain songs as you travel long distances in the car? What about special ways that you celebrate birthdays or baptism? Do you hug or kiss each other after daily family prayer? Do you have special family traditions related to the celebration of Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Thanksgiving or other holidays?
Children love special family traditions. They depend on the security of repeated activities. Even adults need some structure and pattern in their daily activities. Encourage your family to recognize and maintain its useful family traditions.
Traditions of Our Ancestors
It is interesting to discover the origin and meanings of the given names and surnames of our ancestors. Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had physical features that have been passed on to us. By obtaining pictures of our ancestors and examining them carefully, we can discover new qualities abut ourselves. Collecting and telling stories about our forefathers is a good way to strengthen family traditions. Stories about the sacrifices that ancestors made to join the Church and assist their families make deep impressions upon all of us.
Family traditions provide security as we go through life. We can return again and again to our traditions and find emotional and spiritual strength.
(Eric G. Stephan and Judith Stephan Smith, What Happy Families Are Doing, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1981], p. 107-112.)
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