Wholesome Recreational Activities

lds.org states that, "Families that play together stay together, especially when their play is uplifting and wholesome. Family vacations, holidays, birthday celebrations, and other activities build strong bonds and feelings of self-worth. The phrase “Remember when we…” is sure to bring love and laughter in the years to come."

 
"Wholesome recreation is part of our religion, and a change of pace is necessary, and even its anticipation can lift the spirit."

Do Not Despair Ezra Taft Benson

  

"Create meaningful family bonds that give your children an identity stronger than what they can find with their peer group or at school or anyplace else. This can be done through family traditions for birthdays, for holidays, for dinnertime, and for Sundays."

What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest M. Russell Ballard

 "Plan and carry out meaningful vacations together, considering our children’s needs, talents, and abilities. Help them create happy memories, improve their talents, and build their feelings of self-worth."

Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty  Robert D. Hales

Some of my favorite memories are those with my family growing up. We used to take family vacations every summer with my grandma. Our favorites were St. George, Las Vegas, Disneyland, and Bear Lake. We loved being in the sun together and spending time in the water. We laughed and loved each others company. I hope to carry that tradition of family vacations into my future family. My family has also always been very supportive of each other. We have attended many dance recitals, football games, and track meets. We are very big on celebrating birthday's in my home. We make it a really big deal and try to make it the most special day. 

Blessings of Family Work

lds.org has a category called Happiness in Family Life. There is a category for work, where it says, "There is no substitute for work. Building a strong family takes hard work, and part of that work is teaching our children how to work. Though some may see work as something to avoid, the gospel teaches that working for and with our families brings great blessings. God Himself calls His plan for His children “my work and my glory” (Moses 1:39)."

 

 Our beloved prophets and apostles have said these things regarding family work,

"Work together as a family, even if it may be faster and easier to do the job ourselves. Talk with our sons and daughters as we work together."

Strengthening Families: Our Sacred DutyRobert D. Hales

"By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience. Hard-earned achievement brings a sense of self-worth. Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service to one another and to God. A consecrated life is filled with work, sometimes repetitive, sometimes menial, sometimes unappreciated but always work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, ministers, aspires."

Reflections on a Consecrated LifeD. Todd Christofferson

"From the very beginning, the Lord commanded Adam to till the earth and have dominion over the beasts of the field, to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow. I have always been interested in how often the scriptures have admonished us to cease to be idle and to be productive in all of our labors. … Teaching children the joy of honest labor is one of the greatest of all gifts you can bestow upon them."

The Joy of Honest LaborL. Tom Perry

"To this day, I am deeply impressed by the way my family worked after having lost everything following World War II! I remember my father—a civil servant by education and experience—taking on several difficult jobs, among which were coal miner, uranium miner, mechanic, and truck driver. He left early in the morning and often returned late at night in order to support our family. My mother started a laundry service and worked countless hours doing menial labor. She enlisted my sister and me in her business. With my bike I became the pickup and delivery service. It felt good to be able to help the family in a small way, and though I did not know it at the time, the physical labor turned out to be a blessing to my health as well."

Two Principles for Any EconomyDieter F. Uchtdorf

 Photo from https://society6.com/

Growing up, my family always had chores to do. My mom would say that it was "just part of being a family." As kids, we dreaded chores. We felt like it was so unfair and treated it like we were dying. My parents had to set so many rules that we just never followed. Sometimes it would work for a week. In the summer they would say that we had to finish all of our chores before 10:00 am and we weren't allowed to be with friends or watch TV until they were finished. Looking back at it now, I wish that when I was younger I would have been more cooperative with my parents. There were weekends when we were required to do yard work as a family. The times that we did so with a smile on our faces (which was a very rare sight) we enjoyed being together as a family. I know now that my parents were trying to teach us hard work and I wouldn't change anything about that.