It is important to talk to your children about gaining and strengthening their testimonies. This family home evening lesson is going to focus on testimonies and how to build them up. It will also stress the importance of continuing to nourish your testimony once you have received it.
You can prepare for the lesson by reading Alma 32:28-43. You may want to choose just one verse from the passage to open the lesson or you can begin by asking your children what a testimony is. You should make it clear that a testimony is a declaration of faith. Next you can talk about how you can develop faith or a testimony. As a family read (or paraphrase for young children) the analogy that Alma gives regarding faith. This passage of scripture is so poignant and straightforward, that you do not need to explain too much. You may want to question your children as you read so that you can make sure that they understand the passage.
After you have read the passage you should bring out some seeds and little cups for your children to plant them in. You should ask your children how they can plant the gospel into their hearts. You may want to create a poster with a picture of a flowerpot that you can put together, as you ask this question put the seed with the word gospel onto the picture. As your children mention the things that they should do read the scriptures, pray, keep the commandments you can write each of these things as part of the stem and leaves.
Next if you have a flourishing plant and a dying plant you should bring them out and ask your children why they are the way that they are. As they explain that one has received sunshine, water and other nutrients and the other hasn’t you should help them make that comparison to the poster and their testimonies. You should point out that if you are not working on building your testimony you are letting it whither and die.
Challenge your family members to write down and complete three things they can do this week to increase their testimonies. You may talk about things that you can do as a family to build your testimonies as well. Be sure to open and close with a song and prayer. “Faith” p 96 in The Children’s Songbook is a great song to accompany this lesson. If you are teaching youth you may want to include references to the General Conference talk “Do You Know?” and encourage them to take the challenge. You may also want to refer to the talk “A Lesson from the Book of Mormon” for added insight and material.
Related Articles:
General Conference: “Do You Know?”
General Conference: “A Lesson from the Book of Mormon”
General Conference: “Prayer, Faith and Family: Stepping Stones to Eternal Happiness”