Newsroom staff recently sat down with Elder David G. LaFrance and his wife, Sister Lori LaFrance. Elder LaFrance was named a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the April 2020 general conference. He is responsible for the North America Northeast Area, Toronto Co-ordinating Council. The LaFrances were invited to share their thoughts about family home evening.
Since April 1915, the family home evening program, established by Church leadership, has encouraged Latter-day Saints to meet weekly to build and strengthen family relationships. Family home evening is a designated time, usually on Monday nights, for families to spend quality time together. The purpose is to teach gospel principles, foster love and unity, and build a strong family foundation.
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What is your earliest memory of family home evening?
Elder LaFrance: While I don’t recall a specific family home evening from my childhood, I do remember my parents’ efforts to gather us as a family to study the scriptures, though with varying degrees of success.
Sister LaFrance: One of my earliest and most vivid memories of family home evening is sitting cross-legged on the carpet as my mother brought scripture stories to life using flannel-board figures. I was about 5 years old when she painted a small spice jar, labelled it “Tithing” and used it to teach us about giving back to the Lord. Even at that young age, I remember feeling the Spirit and beginning to understand the blessings of living gospel principles.
How has your experience with family home evening changed over the years?
Sister LaFrance: When my husband and I started our family, we worked to create in our own home the same spirit of unity and testimony that we had felt as children. With toddlers and infants, our family home evening often featured stories from the “Book of Mormon Reader,” gospel art kits or short animated scripture videos. Sometimes, it was as simple as holding up a picture from the “Gospel Art Book,” reading the caption on the back and talking about it.
For several years, we formed a small family home evening group with three other young families, rotating homes and sharing the teaching responsibilities. It lightened the load and strengthened friendships for both parents and children.
As our children grew, our family home evenings evolved. We created a board with rotating assignments and a calendar outlining lesson topics for the entire year. This helped us stay organized and consistent, and allowed each child to participate meaningfully. We kept Monday nights sacred as much as possible. And when life got busy, we adapted, sometimes shifting family home evening to another night or keeping it short and simple.
Elder LaFrance: During the teenage years, our lessons deepened to include meaningful gospel discussions, often sparked by a thought-provoking podcast or general conference talk. Our family home evening began to resemble more of a family council. We often started by reviewing our shared calendar for the upcoming week, making sure everyone was on the same page.
We made it a point to give each child time to bring up any issues or concerns they had. These evenings became a safe space to resolve conflicts and discuss grievances before they had a chance to grow into something bigger.
Sister LaFrance: Now that our children are older — some married, some on their own and some serving missions — technology helps us stay connected. Weekly video calls have become our virtual living room, where we still gather to share gospel insights, ask questions, laugh and feel the Spirit — no matter the distance.
As my husband and I soon adjust to life as empty nesters, we will be rediscovering what family home evening looks like as a couple.
Why does family home evening matter?
Sister LaFrance: Family home evening matters because it brings the gospel to the most sacred and influential classroom we have — our homes. Busy schedules, tired kids — and parents — and distracted minds are all real challenges, but the commitment to gather, even imperfectly, makes all the difference. Through family home evening, our children developed testimonies, learned gospel truths and experienced a sense of love, identity and belonging. Whether through flannel boards or video calls, what matters most is that we keep gathering, keep learning and keep loving — together.
Elder LaFrance: Family home evening turns hearts and strengthens relationships.
What advice would you give other families or individuals trying to make family home evening successful?
Sister LaFrance: To those trying to make family home evening work in their own homes, my advice is simple: Start where you are. Keep it simple. Be consistent. It’s not about perfection — it’s about presence. Over time, these small and sincere efforts build spiritual anchors and cherished memories that bless generations.
Elder LaFrance: My advice to families striving to make family home evening a success is the same counsel I would give about “Come, Follow Me”: Keep trying. The Lord will bless your family as you sincerely work to make your home the centre of gospel learning. The kind of gospel learning that builds faith and leads to true conversion doesn’t happen all at once — it grows over time. It’s not too late to begin.