Families are a central part of the gospel. The family is the basic unit for the gospel, and all the activities in the church are supposed to support family unity. It can be difficult to build family unity in your own family. Here are some basic ways to help your family to be closer to each other and to form strong bonds.
1) Do the basics that the church leaders have counseled. This includes family prayer and scripture study and family home evening. These are great tools that will help to build family unity.
2) It is a good idea to have traditions that you do as a family. Your traditions could be a big breakfast on the weekends, hot chocolate when it snows, a yearly family camping trip. You could have a Saturday family activity and do something as a family every Saturday or one Saturday a month (once your children are older).
3) It is important to build unity with extended family as well. If you live close to your extended family, you could get together for dinner once a month to celebrate birthdays and to let the cousins play together. You can also plan play dates for the cousins.
4) If your family is far away from each other you can start a rotating newsletter or do a monthly email newsletter update. Family reunions are also a great way to build family unity. This gives the adults a chance to share their memories and the children a chance to make some. You can also make picture books using photographs to help your children learn the names of those in their extended family.
5) The most important key to family unity is to spend time together. This can be time learning about the gospel, serving others, cleaning the house and having fun. As your family spends time together they will become friends with each other. These friendships will carry the unity into adulthood.
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