Amid a crumbling world, Church members are promised they can find refuge in one basic unit of society - the family.

Just a little over a year ago President Gordon B. Hinckley read a proclamation to the world concerning families at the General Relief Society Meeting Sept. 23, 1995. Since then he has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the family - calling it the "bedrock organization on which all other organizations are established." Church leaders continue to say that spending time together and holding family home evening strengthens the family unit.Some of President Hinckley's happiest moments, he has said, are spent with his family.

"Sister Hinckley and I have five children. We have 25 grandchildren and 14 [17 as of October 1996] great-grandchildren," said President Hinckley while speaking at a fireside in Copenhagen, Denmark, this past June. "We get together once a month for a family home evening, nearly all of us are now living in the Salt Lake Valley, and so we gather once a month in the home of one of our children. I look at them, and the first thought is, `How could this be? All these?' And then I sit back and marvel at the gifts of the Lord and His love and kindness to us, and I hope that I am worthy of the title of patriarch of my family."

At the Plano Texas Regional Conference in March 1996, President Hinckley urged members to spend time together as a family and hold family home evening, explaining that teaching children of the Lord will bring them peace.

"It may be a difficult chore to hold family home evening. It isn't always easy. Some children don't like it," he explained. "But, there's a strength that comes from it."

During sacrament meeting at the Eagle Gate 7th Ward, Salt Lake Eagle Gate Stake, in September 1995, President Hinckley recalled attending family home evening as a young boy, after President Joseph F. Smith sent a letter across the Church asking members to set aside one day a week for the family.

"My father said, `President Smith has asked us to have family home evening so we are going to have family home evening,' " President Hinckley recalled. "It wasn't a very happy occasion. We children didn't like to sing very much in front of one another. But out of it came a lot of good. I am satisfied of that."

Elder Harold G. Hillam of the Presidency of the Seventy has invited all families to respond to the counsel given by the prophet and leaders and gather weekly for a planned family home evening.

"Family home evening is the forum where father and mother have opportunity to demonstrate their sacred roles," Elder Hillam, executive director of the Priesthood Department, said in a statement to the Church News. "Father presides and together with mother, they teach their children through prayer, music, gospel instruction and wholesome activities the great plan of happiness designed by our heavenly parents.

"Family home evening is where families can begin to teach and practice what is possible in the eternities to come. Children rooted and nurtured in this fertile family garden and blessed by priesthood counsel from caring parents will blossom and produce fruit capable of withstanding the storms of life."

Several families in the Church say they have found strength from one another, as they spend time together and hold family home evenings.

- Bill Riggins, bishop of the La Mesa 2nd Ward, San Diego California East Stake, said he and his wife, Bonnie, are committed to their family and holding family home evening once a week. Sometimes they have standard lessons, other times they discuss a gospel principle and have an activity - such as talking about fitness and then riding bicycles together.

"Family home evening is a struggle when you allow it to be," said Bishop Riggins. "We have thought of it as something fun as a family and it is a great thing for us."

Beside studying the gospel together as a family, the Riggins also play board games, go to the beach, get together with other families and spend time together at night helping their children do homework. They have been holding a formal family home evening since before their children were born. "The earlier you get into the habit the longer it lasts," explained Sister Riggins. "Our family is the most important thing in our life. Everything we do is for the family."

- During family night, Greg and Jennifer Harmer, members of the Endicott Ward, Owego New York Stake, read an article from a Church publication, plan their week and talk about any problems they may be having.

The couple, who do not yet have children of their own and are away from their extended families, say they could not get by without this family time. "We are already doing it," said Sister Harmer, "so we are already preparing ourselves for when we have children."

The Harmers also try to do activities during the week that strengthen their relationship. "We do acts of service together, read scriptures together, and pray together morning and night. To me, that has really strengthened our relationship."

- Lawrence and Hazel Gibb's eight children are now all married. So the couple, members of the Hill Spring Ward, Cardston Alberta Stake, have a lot of time to spend together - a "family night" of sorts everyday. Many of their children and grandchildren live by them and once a year they hold a family reunion. When they can't be with their children, they enjoy spending time together. They read the scriptures and work in the temple. They have also served three missions.

When their children were younger, Sister Gibb said they struggled to hold family home evening. They know now their efforts were a blessing to their family.

"We did try to reinforce the teachings of the Church and tried to have family prayer and family home evening," she said. "Sometimes our children's friends would be here so we would just invite their friends in, and say either you can join us or wait. Now our children are trying to do the same with their families."

- Family is "absolutely" Tamar Chitwood's No. 1 priority. To be together with her family, the single mother of five children has to work around her children's busy schedules, which include sports and cheerleading. They try to support each other in their callings and in their activities, she said. For example, her daughter was recently nominated for homecoming queen. When the winner was announced, Sister Chitwood's other children and grandchildren were present.

Sister Chitwood, a member of Summerville Ward, Charleston South Carolina Stake, has the missionaries over occasionally for dinner on Monday nights. Her teenage children, she said, "look up to the missionaries," and will sit and listen to their spiritual messages.

- David and Alyce McCulloch take time once a week to talk about Church principles with their two young children. "We talk about what they learned in Primary and what questions they have," said Brother McCulloch of the Crescent 11th Ward, Sandy Utah Crescent South Stake.

Monday night at their house is a time "just for the family."

Brother McCulloch said he knows that the things taught in the Church's proclamation on the family are true. "It is through the family that we receive all of our blessings," he said.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Parents must teach children Lord's ways

A message from the First Presidency in the Church's family home evening resource book tells parents they are responsible to teach their children to walk uprightly before the Lord. It lists the following as ways parents can strengthen their families.

- Hold family councils.

- Talk to children in personal-parent interviews.

- Read the scriptures together.

- Enjoy playing together.

- Have family prayers.

- Hold family home evenings.

- Be a worthy example.