Family Home Evening Honesty

We misse family home evening last night, so we will hav it tonght. I had planned on another lesson but thought this one is more timely. My daughter is getting baptised in April but she has an issue with lying. So we will start with prayer and family businesses . The scripture will be Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his delight." The song will be "I Believe in Being Honest" (Children's Songbook, page 149). As our thought for the night, my son will recite the 13th Article of Faith. For the lesson, we will read the story The Case of the Broken Mirror (Friend, January 2010 page 36). We will discuss how Mason actually lied twice, first with a lie of omission and second with the actual lie. A lie of omission is when you know you should tell but don't for one reason or another. A verbal lie is when you say something that is not true and you know it is not true. In the New Era, 1978, page 4, I belive I found what might help my daughter realize why her lying is so bad and what it can do to her. It is by Howard W. Hunter, Council of the Twelve.

"Some of the more common examples of dishonesty are these:
1. Stealing. I seldom read a newspaper without finding a number of reports of burglary, robbery, purse-snatching, shoplifting, car theft, and a thousand other things. Even in our chapels there are reports of petty theft. (My daughter has said she will never steal or cheat. I explained to my daughter that she is stealing my trust when she lies me.)
2. Cheating. Newspapers carry similar accounts of fraudulent transactions in security dealings, in business transactions, cheating in investments, and other things that are called to public attention. There are some who would cheat their way through school and some who would cheat in examinations.
3. Violations of Word of Wisdom standards. These are Church standards. They are not violations of the standards of the world. But you have been given the word of the Lord on this subject.
4. Violation of traffic ordinances. One cannot be basically honest and violate laws formulated by society and government for the welfare of other persons.
5. Not making the best use of time. The more I think about this, the more impressed I become with this concept of dishonesty.
We often speak of that scriptural reference, “Man is that he might have joy.” There is a joy that comes to one from being honest. Let me tell you how. By this means you can have the companionship of the Master and you can have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. Violations of the code of honesty will deprive you of these two great blessings. Could you believe that one who would lie or cheat or violate the Word of Wisdom could have the companionship of the Master or have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost?
If we are sensitive to our relationship to the Savior, we must be honest in little things as well as the big. We should always remember that we are never alone. There is no act that is not observed; there is no word spoken that is not heard; there is no thought conceived in the mind of man that is not known to God. There is no darkness that can conceal the things we do. We must think before we act.
Do you think you can be alone when you commit a dishonest act? Do you think you can be unobserved when you cheat in an examination, even though you are the only person in the room? We must be honest with ourselves. If we would have the companionship of the Master and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, we must be honest with ourselves, honest with God, and with our fellowmen. This results in true joy.
Think of what an act of dishonesty will do to you. It does not make any difference whether it is great or small. First, it may affect your whole life. You will have a hard time living it down. It will be difficult for you to forget about it because it will be engraved upon your conscience. Secondly, it will affect others in many ways. The injury is far-reaching. Its malignancy extends to your friends, your relatives, your loved ones, and persons you may never see. Thirdly, it affects your relationship to the Savior. It closes the channel of communication and shuts out light from your life."

After closing prayer, we can have the cookies I made.