Homemade Pizza and Family Home Evening

In The March 2003 Ensign President Gordon B. Hinckley encouraged us to hold Family Home Evening.  He says,

(this was quoted from an interview with the Boston Globe)

“We have a family home evening program once a week [Monday night] across the Church in which parents sit down with their children. They study the scriptures. They talk about family problems. They plan family activities and things of that kind. I don’t hesitate to say if every family in the world practiced that one thing, you’d see a very great difference in the solidarity of the families of the world” (interview, Boston Globe, 14 Aug. 2000).

We had a nice family home evening tonight.  Each member of the family made his or her own personal pizza for dinner.  We have dairy allergies in the family, so we often have to make pizza without the cheese…yeah, I know that seems kind of weird to those who can have cheese.  But tonight was special.  I found some tapioca based mozzarella shreds at the health food store that are actually pretty good.  They make the pizza taste much more "pizzalike."  We got some regular mozzarella for Dad to use on his pizza as well.  Sophia made pizzas for herself and little David.  She made faces out of the veggies and meat.  They were pretty cute. 

Sophia, with a little assistance from Emily and Mom gave the lesson tonight.  She gave a lesson on faith and prayer.  We talked about stories from the scriptures and church history where people had problems or questions, but through their faith and prayer, were able to find answers.  Then everyone shared times when they had prayed in faith and received answers.  It was a great discussion. 
 
When you have really young children as well as older youth it is always a challenge to come up with lessons that are beneficial to everyone.  This lesson really worked.  We had pictures and stories that had to be matched up.  There were pictures of Joseph Smith, Esther, the brother of Jared, and Nephi building the ship.  There was a word strip containing a "problem/question" and another with an "answer to prayer" that went along with each picture.  We had to match everything up.  That part was the most fun for the younger ones, and the scripture discussion and sharing of personal stories was great for the older children. 
 
In that same article in the March 2003 Ensign President Hinckley was quoted as saying,

“[The Lord] expects us to have family home evening—one night a week to gather our children together and teach them the gospel. Isaiah said, ‘And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ That is the commandment: ‘All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.’ And the blessing: ‘And great,’ he said, ‘shall be the peace of thy children’ [Isa. 54:13]” (meeting, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 17 June 2000).

I want to have peaceful children.  I want to have peace in my family.  I find great joy in teaching my children the gospel, in gathering together in the family room on a crisp fall evening, and talking about the scriptures and sharing our experiences with gospel principles.  I believe that as we follow the counsel to hold regular Family Home Evening, our family will be strengthened, testimonies will develop and love in our family will increase.