How to make your reunion spiritual

FUN AND TOUCHING FAMILY REUNION MESSAGE GIVEN BY A FATHER

You guys—four days together! This is a trial run for a long Christmas break together and practice for the rest of our life as a family! We want to have fun when we get together so we will always want to be together and not stay away. Everyone please help out or the place will be a wreck and Mama will not be happy. Clean up after yourselves, don’t be demanding, don’t act like a guest (unless it’s to our advantage!), be nice to the younger kids—they have grown up a lot, don’t wait to be asked to help, i.e., vacuuming, dishes, trash, clean up, etc., put yourself last, no contention, no pride, no selfishness, no “I didn’t come here to work” attitude. Don’t be costly—we live on a shoestring as you do, don’t ask Mama to buy you anything, don’t be mean or ridicule or make fun of anyone, don’t say rude words, don’t bring up past stuff that’s embarrassing, don’t swear, don’t be gross or off-color in the least, don’t be spoiled, don’t have to have your way, be Christlike, be a peacemaker, eat what Mama fixes, don’t demand special stuff or favors, be considerate of the car situation, be agreeable, have a great, great time!!!




HOW TO MAKE YOUR REUNION MEMORABLE AND SPRITUAL


"It will be great to go to Timp Caves and Lagoon and do all the other exciting things that are planned, but just talking together and sharing each other's lives and feeling that wonderful spirit of Mom and Dad's memory will be the greatest thing for us."



"And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon, yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer” (Mosiah 18:30).



Church History Sites make a great focal point for a family reunion. Here is a list of the major ones.

Sharon, VT
Birthplace of the prophet—monument
Palmyra, NY
Martin Harris farm
Joseph Smith cabin
E. B. Grandin print shop
Smith family home
Hill Cumorah monument
Sacred Grove—trail
Palmyra Temple (dedicated in 2002)
Fayette, NY
Peter Whitmer log home
Harmony, PA
Susquehanna River—priesthood monument
Kirtland, OH
Newell K. Whitney Store
Newell K. & Eliza Ann Whitney home
Cemetery—Joseph and Emma's twins buried there
Kirtland Temple—tours by RLDS Church
John Johnson inn
Isaac Morely farm
Ashery, sawmill, and schoolhouse
Hirum, Ohio
John Johnson home
Independence, MO
Visitors’ center
Far West
Adam-ondi-Ahman
Hauns Mill
Liberty, MO
Jail
Nauvoo, IL
Nauvoo Temple (restored)
Restored pioneer homes and shops
Carthage, IL
Jail
Winter Quarters, NE
Pioneer Cemetery
Visitors’ center
Winter Quarters Temple (dedicated 2001)
Salt Lake City, UT
Temple Square—grounds, tabernacle, assembly hall, monuments, visitors’ centers
The Conference Center
The Church Office Building (view from the 30th floor)
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building
Legacy Theater
Beehive House
Lion House
Welfare Square (tours available)
"This is the Place" Monument and Pioneer village (out near Hogle Zoo)
Walking tour of historic downtown sights such as a small pioneer graveyard
Cove Fort, UT
Fort and visitors’ center
St. George, UT
Jacob Hamblin home
Brigham Young winter home
St. George tabernacle
St. George Temple
Sun Ranch, WY (near Willie & Martin Handcart trail)
Martin's Cove, WY (handcarts available)
San Diego, CA
Mormon Battalion visitors’ center



As one of your events in the family reunion, you could attend one of these Church events:

Church Pageant/Musical Schedule

Savior of the World Salt Lake City, Utah March/April

Jesus the Christ Mesa, Arizona April

Mormon Miracle Manti, UT June

America's Witness for Christ Palmyra, New York July

And It Came to Pass Oakland, California July

Castle Valley Castle Dale, Utah July/August

City of Joseph Nauvoo, IL July

Willy & Martine Handcart Co. Nephi, UT August




“We have come to this place to be spiritually lifted and motivated so that we will not be taken in by the worldliness, by the violence, the lack of morals, the lack of ethics and integrity that we see all around us. It is a time to strengthen and prepare ourselves for the future.”
--Elder Perry—

Logan High School
The Logan Tabernacle
His father’s law office
His birth place
The old family home
Aggie ice cream store
Utah State University
The Logan Temple


HISTORICAL SITES

ACTIVITIES TO MAKE THE REUNION MEMORABLE

FAMILY HERITAGE ACTIVITIES BASED ON THE PAST

Invite the oldest relatives share stories
Make up songs about ancestors
Sing old songs
Bring family history projects to share or even sell
Make a pedigree chart or family tree
Tell stories of ancestors
Impersonate an ancestor
Enact family history events
Read excerpts (not too long!) from journals, etc.
Tell how some of your ancestors met
Have a question/answer session with older family members
Interview an older family member or videotape an interview and show it
Visit gravesites
Model clothing worn by your ancestors or display other artifacts
Tour sites where your ancestors grew up

START FAMILY REUNION TRADITIONS BASED ON THE PRESENT

Have a parents’ night out
Hold a family business meeting
Make a “No empty chairs” display
Make and bury a time capsule
Have the children make an autograph book
Start a website
Make a video of each reunion
Make a scrapbook or photograph book of each reunion
Write letters to missionaries and those in the military
Enact the nativity (Christmas)
Commemorate another holiday
Have an auction, a trading post, a family “yard” sale
Write letters to yourselves outlining your goals, aspirations, and predictions
Ask each family to bring a video clip of their town, their home, etc.
Get a trumpet and have someone play taps, reveille, call to mess, etc.
Have a flag raising or lowering ceremony
Spotlight family members
Have cousin parties for the various age groups
Make a family banner or flag
Prepare a memory booklet that everyone can take home
Start a family missionary fund
Make a calendar with a different family picture each month
Start a family organization
Have guest speakers—some one who knew your ancestors
Have education week type lectures by family members
Teach the children to crochet, quilt, carve, or make other handicrafts
Review movies, books, etc. of interest to your family



ACTIVITIES TO MAKE THE REUNION SPIRITUAL

Attend sacrament meeting in a near-by ward or branch
Invite inspirational speakers
Have education week type lectures on gospel topics
Split into age groups for Sunday School with just your family
Hold a testimony meeting
Have family prayer or devotionals
Prepare a family or gospel trivia game
Visit Church history sites
Attend a temple session together
Do a family service project
Relate family miracles, inspiring incidents, etc.
Tell conversion stories
Read or recite a favorite scripture
Fast for family members who have a compelling need
Have a missionary fireside (or another kind)