May 15 is celebrated as the International Day of Families. The theme this year is, “Advancing Social Integration and Intergenerational Solidarity,” (in other words, strengthening families across generations.) Usually, the theme for the International Day of Families is adopted for the National Family Week in September.
The concept of a united family that lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine. Within families led by a father and a mother, children develop virtues such as love, trust, loyalty, cooperation and service.
According to Church doctrine, a marriage performed in one of the Church’s temples does not dissolve at death as long as the couple remain faithful to their temple vows. Rather, the family relationship continues beyond the grave, and individual family members can progress throughout eternity.
In 1995, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — the Church’s two highest governing bodies — issued a proclamation explaining the divine nature of the family and how family relationships should be conducted and nurtured. (Read “The Family: A Proclamation to the World")
In 1915, Church leaders established a program that would urge parents to gather their families around them once a week for an evening devoted to family. Family home evening is a time when parents can teach children principles of the gospel. A typical family home evening includes a prayer, song, short lesson, activity and refreshments. Lessons are taught by parents and sometimes by children.
Since that time, the family home evening program, established by Church leadership, has encouraged Latter-day Saint parents to build and strengthen family relationships. Today, “family home evenings” are generally held weekly on Monday nights.
A typical family home evening begins and ends with a prayer and usually includes singing, scripture reading, a short lesson on a religious or practical topic, and refreshments. Or, instead of a lesson, the family might participate in a service project or join in an activity together. Family home evenings are geared to involve all members of the family.
The Church provides family home evening materials, lesson outlines and suggestions to help families of all faiths plan and implement this weekly time together.