My talk notes from today
Jesse Cottam
April 27, 2025 Sacrament Meeting Talk
Topic: the blessings of having the gospel in our home
Home centered model but focus on examples from our own home
10 min
Today I would like to talk about the blessings we can have with the gospel of Jesus Christ in our homes.
Elder Quentin L. Cook shared a general conference talk back in October 2018 when our church leaders introduced a new home-centered, church-supported plan. He said that a couple of blessings associated with this effort are a “Deepening conversion to Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthening faith in Them.”
As my wife and I have tried imperfectly (since we are human) to teach the gospel in our home, I’ve seen that our kids (as they grow up in years) show more interest in the scriptures.
Jared, for example, has been recently reading through the Doctrine and Covenants Stories book that tells stories from our church’ history using pictures and words along with the scriptures. He doesn’t always listen to family scriptures every night, but it’s a comfort to know that between our efforts at home and of his teachers at church, seeds are being planted.
Every week we try to teach one day about the Atonement specifically, a few days about the Come, Follow Me scriptures and other material for that week, and a couple of days reading through The Book of Mormon while, trying to teach Gospel Principles tied to those things. Along with those we also read something from The Friend magazine and talk about the gospel principle taught in there like sharing, forgiveness, or faith. I feel like that as we’ve tried to do that, we’ve seen our kids’ interest in our Savior and His Gospel grow. We are not perfect teachers or parents, but as we strive to listen to the Holy Ghost on how and what to teach, the Spirit guides us.
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In the scriptures, an example in Alma chapter 31 shows what can happen to a people when they don’t keep their homes centered on Christ and God
“22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing about.
23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this manner, they returned to their homes, neverspeaking of their God again until they had assembled themselves together again to the holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner”
The Zoramites were a prideful people. They didn’t understand the blessings God can give us as we follow the Lord’s gospel’s principles, pray to Him in our homes throughout the week, and speak of and rejoice in Christ.
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Jesus Christ told the Nephites when he visited them to “…go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come unto you again.” (3 Nephi 17:3)
He taught in 3 Nephi 18:21, “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.”
An example
Joseph Smith said his family prayed together even before Joseph received the first vision. It was because of those seeds his parents planted that he and his siblings were ready (along with the parents) to join Christ’s church. Hyrum served faithfully with Joseph until they were both martyred in Carthage jail.
His brother, William Smith, said in the Come, Follow Me manual, “We always had family prayers since I can remember. I well remember father used to carry his spectacles in his vest pocket, … and when us boys saw him feel for his specs, we knew that was a signal to get ready for prayer, and if we did not notice it mother would say, ‘William,’ or whoever was the negligent one, ‘get ready for prayer.’ After the prayer we had a song we would sing”
Sometime last year Julie started a pattern every evening after scriptures and prayer to sing one hymn and one primary children’s song. The kids don’t always sing with us, but we’ve noticed that they become more interested in singing during sacrament meeting with us since we’ve been trying to make it a daily thing.
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Talk about how just like how the saints gathering was a blessing for them, it’s a blessing for us as a family as well.
D&C 38
31 And that ye might escape the power of the enemy, and be gathered unto me a righteous people, without spot and blameless—
32 Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high;
33 And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations, and it shall be told them what they shall do; for I have a great work laid up in store, for Israel shall be saved, and I will lead them whithersoever I will, and no power shall stay my hand.
Riley singing reading the scriptures with the family
Michael asks good questions as we read from the scriptures as a family and bringing his scriptures to church to class
Ethan Jesus pictures and singing primary songs
Talk about singing every night and thanksgiving
Love at Home #Hymn 294
Verse 3
Kindly heaven smiles above
When there’s love at home;
All the world is filled with love
When there’s love at home.
Sweeter sings the brooklet by;
Brighter beams the azure sky.
Oh, there’s One who smiles on high
When there’s love at home.
Love at home, love at home;
Oh, there’s One who smiles on high
When there’s love at home.
Even as we try every day to bring the gospel into our home, there is still hurt feelings and accidents in our home. But, we are all learning together the power of forgiveness, saying, “I’m sorry” and “I love you”, and giving hugs. Things like these help bring peace back into our home.
My eternal hope is that through everything we are trying to do in our home, the Spirit will dwell with us and help our kids build foundations of faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ and feel His and our Heavenly Father’s love. I know the Lord will help us through our weaknesses and righteous efforts, and I KNOW he can help you too. Julie and I try to read from the scriptures daily and strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father through prayer every day. We try to teach our kids the importance of the temple, the covenants we make in this life, and the Atonement. I’ve seen some blessings start to bloom from what we are doing, and that encourages me to keep trusting in Jesus Christ and what He and our church leaders ask us to do.
Bear my testimony and end my talk in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Maybe share about my mom’s and dad’s examples as well (cookies???)
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