Home-Centered Gospel Teaching

President Stevenson

About 25 years ago, late one evening my wife and I announced to our family that it was time for our family scripture study. Our second oldest daughter, Brooke, who was about six years old at the time immediately and dramatically fell to floor exclaiming “Not the scriptures!”

We had always strived to follow the teachings of the church leaders and hold regular family scripture study. But at this moment we were at a crossroads. The thought that immediately came to mind was that all of our efforts to help our children love and understand the word of God had backfired. Was the end result that we had just influenced them to dread gospel study? Less than 10 years into our marriage and we had already failed.

I think we have all had these moments, and what I hope to convey tonight is a slightly different perspective on the struggles we all face as we strive to improve spiritually.

During this past October conference, Elder Holland shared a profound thought with us that I would like to reiterate here. He said, “Consider the swirl of bold initiatives and new announcements in the Church in these recent months. … we will miss the real reason for these revelatory adjustments if we see them as disparate, unrelated elements rather than as an interrelated effort to help us build more firmly on the Rock of our Salvation.”

The overriding purpose of all the changes we have seen is to help us draw nearer to and become more like Jesus Christ.

The general handbook of instructions states that “The programs and activities of the Church support and strengthen individuals and families. The Church supports them and their families by serving as ‘a refuge from the storm’ of worldly influences and wickedness. The Church provides opportunities for service, blessing, and personal growth.” This is the church’s role – to support and strengthen individuals and families.

That’s great, but we spend just two hours in church per week out of 168 hours total. For those that like statistics, that’s a little under 1.2% of our week spent nourishing our spirits. Is that sufficient? If we are spending only 2 hours per week focused on the gospel, are we truly protected from the storm?

In October conference of 2018, President Russell M. Nelson reminded us that “We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth.” It takes more than a token effort or a few minutes a week to create the kind of growth we need. And it’s not necessarily easy, though things of value seldom are.

Elder Quentin L. Cook said that this growth only comes with “Consistent daily effort” and “requires the influence of the Holy Ghost.”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband stated that the “most important gospel learning and teaching happens in the home including personal study, conversations with loved ones, living the things we know are true” and that “conversion requires everyday learning and living of the gospel” and a “deliberate effort” on our part.

Sounds like work!

Mark L. Pace, the Sunday School General President taught that “Studying the scriptures with Come, Follow Me as a guide is strengthening our conversion to Jesus Christ and His gospel. We are not simply trading one hour less in church on Sunday for one hour more of scripture study at home. Learning the gospel is a consistent effort throughout the week. As one sister insightfully shared, ‘The goal is not to make church one hour shorter; it is to make church six days longer!’”

How do we do this – consistent daily and deliberate effort? I think they key in what we are being taught is summed up in two words – “deliberate” and “consistent”. Deliberate in that we do it with a plan and for the reason that we want to draw nearer to the Savior. Consistent in that we just keep at it and don’t give up.

We have a wonderful model shared with us in the new program for children and youth. They are encouraged to set goals for personal improvement using the following steps:

1. Discover what you need to work on

2. Plan how you will do it

3. Act on your plan in faith

4. Reflect on what you have learned

I would suggest this doesn’t just apply to children and youth, we should all use this pattern to make improvements in our lives. We should constantly be assessing the quality and effectiveness of our gospel study and be looking for ways to refine and improve our learning and worship. This is completely in line with what we have been focused on for the past several months as we have talked about creating our own personal and family titles of liberty.

President Russell M. Nelson gave us the following counsel: “The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith.” The promise is that the power of our families will be unleashed as we grow into a more abiding faith in Christ and His atonement.”

He added the following powerful promise: “I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time (1) your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. (2) Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and (3) the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining.”

These are remarkable assurances:

• Our Sabbath days will be a delight.

• Our families will be excited to learn and obey.

• The influence of the adversary will decrease.

So back to our attempts to study the gospel with our young family. Our motto was something along the lines of improvise, adapt, overcome. We tried to be creative and seek the guidance of the spirit. But above all, we didn’t give up. We constantly tried to improve and try something new. We must keep in mind that the same process will yield the same results – try new things and see what works. Remember that one of the most important things we are doing is to set an example and create a habit that can last throughout our lives.

Here are some things that worked for us:

Acting out the stories from the scriptures. I’m sure our children still remember my rampage toppling furniture as we reenacted the siege at Jericho by Joshua’s army. On another occasion, throwing whatever we could get our hands on at our son portraying Samuel as he stood on the second-floor walkway and called us to repentance. Our son recently reported that they used the handle of their Swiffer as an iron rod and turned out the lights to simulate the mists of darkness to teach our 18-month-old granddaughter Jordy about Lehi’s vision.

Another idea: On difficult or very busy nights, we would skip normal reading and just recite an Article of Faith. As a witness of the craziness of those years with small children, I can tell you that our kids know the Articles of Faith backward and forward.

Our daughter’s family with our five-year-old grandson who is not a huge fan of scripture time, have found that having Alexa remind them to study the scriptures is a win. When Jett hears Alexa’s prompting, he runs to gather the family. Technology can be a powerful tool. There are also many online resources through podcasts, YouTube channels, and other media.

Our Come, Follow Me tradition currently is to gather in a circle and have a family hug following our study and prayer. We pat each other on the backs in what can mean “good job,” or alternatively “it’s going to be ok,” depending on how our days went.

If you do not have children in your home, or even if you are alone in your home, it is still of vital importance to have “family” gospel study. We constantly need to be moving forward spiritually, no matter what our family looks like. Study on your own. Find others that you can join with to study and share thoughts and ideas.

Many families do not have priesthood holders in the home, and this is one place where we see the interrelated nature of the changes in the church programs. As ministers, we need to take on the responsibility to help in the gospel teaching and nourishment with all in our influence. Be aware of those who may need extra help, and reach out in love to nourish them spiritually.

And a plea for all of us: don’t give up in the face of trials and afflictions. The Lord’s promises are sure, and we are here to have our faith tried. Things are just not always going to go smoothly. As we persevere and continue in faith (consistent, deliberate effort), the blessings of heaven will eventually be poured out upon us.

The scriptures are where we can find the promises of those blessings. Some of my favorite promises from the scriptures are:

Mosiah 2:41 Blessings and happiness if we keep the commandments

3 Nephi 18:21 Our families will be blessed if we pray

1 Cor. 10:13 We can escape temptation

D&C 10:5 We overcome Satan through prayer

D&C 82:10 Lord is bound when we are obedient

Matt. 11:28-30 Rest from our afflictions as we draw near to Christ

3 Nephi 13:14 Receive forgiveness as we forgive others

2 Nephi 1:20 We will prosper as we keep the commandments

D&C 6:20 We are encircled in the arms of God’s love through faithfulness

James 1:5 God will answer our prayers

Elder Neal A. Maxwell gave us this profound assertion: “Moreover, though we live in a failing world, we have not been sent here to fail.” 8 God is all-powerful, and he’s on the side of each of us. As we seek the Lord’s counsel and guidance, he will inspire us and amplify our efforts. We have been promised that all things will work together for our good , and that the Lord will cause the heavens to shake for our good.

President Nelson recently shared this promise in the face-to-face event hosted by Elder Gong: “I urge you to stay on the Lord’s covenant path with constant courage and perennial purpose. Progress on that covenant path does not just happen. It is achieved because of your definitive decision to follow Jesus Christ. This higher and holier way is rarely the easy way, but it is the sure way. It leads to success and true joy both here on mortal life’s journey and hereafter. Ask yourself and prayerfully ask your Father in Heaven, what can I do to become more like Jesus Christ? As you do this each day, miracles will happen.”

This is our objective. Decide to follow the savior. Decide that trial and challenges will not keep us from following that path. Decide to study the gospel faithfully and make it a part of our homes and our hearts. Decide that we will help all we can to have that spirit in their homes as well. As we do, “Miracles will happen.”

As the prophet Joseph wrote: Let us cheerfully do all things that lies in our power, and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation God, and for His arm to be revealed.

I testify that this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth. It contains the teachings, commandments, and covenants that will allow us to return to the presence of the Father. As we strive to learn and obey, the Lord will bless our efforts and we will grow in knowledge and understanding. May the Lord bless each of us in our efforts to draw nearer to Him and to follow his example. In the name of our savior Jesus Christ, Amen.