Late last month, a group of harried parents in Ridgewood, N.J., not far from New York City, hit on what was for them a new and exciting concept. They would set aside one night in which people could devote time exclusively to their own families. There would be no organized sports leagues, no music rehearsals, no meetings of community groups or book clubs.
The New York Times reported how media members buzzed around the town on the appointed night, March 26. They took particular interest in one family that was getting ready for an old-fashioned dinner together.
"You would have thought," said the family mother, "we were examining the Shroud of Turin."
In reality, they were examining something far more precious. The family, the most sacred of all the institutions ordained of God, is central to the plan of salvation and deserves the utmost attention.
But then, to faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that is hardly a new concept.
The date on this issue of Church News, April 6, is the beginning day of the 172nd Annual General Conference of the Church. Twice a year, conferences give Church members an opportunity to hear directly from the people God has ordained to lead His Church through these troubled times. That need always has been great, but never more so than today.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Amos said, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7.) For decades now, modern-day prophets have been telling faithful members of the Church to hold a regular "family home evening," preferably on Monday night. Wards and stakes have been instructed not to plan activities on this night. Parents have been counseled to avoid outside activities that could interfere.
These instructions first were given at a time when family life was, generally speaking, much more leisurely paced than it is today. An outside observer may in fact have wondered what the need was at a time when, by current standards, things were idyllic.
But that is often the pattern of instruction the Lord gives through His prophets. Today, when most families find themselves struggling against the demands of rigorous schedules and car pools, members of the Church already are conditioned, through decades of habit, to set aside Monday nights for the family. In Ridgewood, by comparison, families hope to be able to set aside another family night some time next year.
It is the same with other important concepts. The Word of Wisdom, for example, was given as a revelation during simpler times, then gradually conditioned to be an essential part of every Church member's life, long before today's media blitz by advertisers who entice people to consume alcohol in record amounts.
What a tremendous testament to the love Heavenly Father has for His children. He has not left them alone in a world choked with temptation and sin.
And what a tremendous testament to the importance of listening carefully to and following the words of the prophet, and of all the General Authorities. We urge everyone to pay strict heed to the messages given in sessions from the Conference Center this weekend. Therein lies the key to happiness.
The good folks in Ridgewood, N.J., have the right idea. Experts say fewer and fewer families are bothering to eat meals together regularly. Organized activities, most of them wholesome and good, have by their sheer volume become impediments to family life. As a result, many parents never find the time to pass on important family stories, to teach what is expected of children or to pass on other important principles.
Nearly seven years ago, the First Presidency issued a proclamation to the world concerning the family. In it, they said, "Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives — mothers and fathers — will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations."
Only by listening to the counsel of those whom the Lord has ordained to lead this generation can we safely accomplish these sacred duties.