Scene: Monday Night – Family Home Evening

  Around 6 p.m. the following evening, Thomas crossed the street to Veronica’s house. He expected something quiet—just her parents and maybe her younger brother. What he didn’t expect was to find Wendy, Eric, and even Daniel already there, gathered in the cozy front room like some impromptu committee.

  He raised an eyebrow, amused. “So… has anyone here actually been to a Family Home Evening before?”

  The adults exchanged glances. There were half-smiles, shrugs, and one sheepish cough—but no clear answers.

  Thomas chuckled. “Alright then. That’s not a problem. I can help guide us through this.”

  He turned to Eric. “Since it’s your house, I assume dinner’s part of the deal?”

  Eric laughed. “We’ve got noodles and sauce. Very fancy.”

  “Great,” said Thomas. “Let’s sit down and say a prayer to start—and bless the food.”

  To Thomas’s quiet surprise, everyone complied without hesitation. They gathered around the modest dinner table, joined hands, and bowed their heads as Thomas offered a short, sincere blessing. Afterward, the group tucked into the simple meal. Conversation was light, warm. When everyone finished, they moved into the living room.

  Once they had settled in, Thomas stood, his posture relaxed but thoughtful.

  “Normally,” he began, “we’d start with a lesson. And usually, we’d begin with a principle. But tonight, I want to start with a story—one that’s been part of my life since I was a kid.”

  He looked around the room. “Anyone know the story of Alma and King Lamoni?”

  Daniel lit up. “Is that the one where Alma cuts off the bandits’ arms?”

  Thomas smiled. “Close—it was Ammon, but yes, that one. Do you remember how he got to the point where he could do that?”

  Daniel nodded. “He offered to be a servant to the king.”

  “Exactly,” said Thomas. “Everything else—earning trust, being in the right place at the right time—flowed from that. Because he was willing to serve.”

  He paused a beat.

  “See, people confuse leadership with being in charge. I’ve had a few folks ask me how I got the youth group so excited about the cricket match. But to me, that’s the wrong question.”

  He turned to Veronica. “You were there—what did I really do?”

  Veronica tilted her head, thinking. “Well… you got the whole thing scheduled.”

  Thomas raised an eyebrow. “Eric, Daniel—was I even there when things were scheduled?”

  Both men shook their heads.

  “No, actually, you weren’t,” said Eric.

  Thomas looked at Wendy and May. “I’m guessing the moms had something to do with getting the word out?”

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  Wendy looked surprised. “How’d you know?”

  “I didn’t,” Thomas said. “But the only way that many families found out so fast is if the moms were involved. Organized communication doesn’t just happen.”

  He took a slow breath, grounding the moment.

  “All I really did was see a need—something I cared about—and then tried to figure out how I could help someone else. I didn’t do it by taking over. I just encouraged things under the leadership that was already there.”

  He turned to Daniel. “Isn’t that about right?”

  Daniel nodded. “Actually… yeah. That’s exactly what happened.”

  Thomas looked around the room. “Now think about it—how could I have done any of it without all of you?”

  Eric chuckled. “You know, you’re right. If I hadn’t picked you up…”

  Veronica smiled. “I would’ve never met you.”

  Daniel added, “And you wouldn’t have been at the bookstore.”

  Thomas let that hang in the air for a moment, then clapped his hands. “Alright. I think that’s enough lesson for one evening. Time for the fun and games.”

  He paused. “But before we dive into that—why do you think it worked?”

  Veronica thought for a second. “Honestly? I think it worked because it was the first event we’ve had that wasn’t formal. No pressure. Just fun.”

  Thomas looked around. “Does everyone agree?”

  Nods and murmurs of assent filled the room.

  Thomas: I also think the reason it works because it focuses on the youth group. I was thinking of two issues. One I think I can help with. The other ones I will need help with.

  So now this was my thoughts over the weekend. I am hopping to get the other youth excited. The first thing, I had in mind. Was the idea to teach the youth how to go looking for opportunities or recognize adoptions. With hope under the quidance of adults. I was thinking about find youth who may not have the best Christmas. Now this will be the trick. It should not be the adults looking for the people. It should be the youth who are looking. But it should be adults who help guid them through it. Have a couple work with a group of five. One older kid in the group helping guide the younger members of the youth group.

  Look I am here because I was show how to recognize people who needed help.

  The second has do what I know I already been ask to do. Now this is for the older kids. I do not just want to be a tutor. I think, I can train some of the older kids can to tutor others if they are willing. Right now we are waiting on someone like me to show up and help others. There will still need to be restrictions who can be tutor. But I am sure I can work that out with the organization. My responsibities and interest does not justify me going all over Houston and neighboring counties.

  So what do you think

  There is quite in the room.

  Thomas looked around the room, his hands open, waiting. “So what do you think?”

  There was a pause. The kind of quiet that wasn’t awkward—but thoughtful. A silence filled with people weighing something real.

  Finally, Eric leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Honestly? I think it’s brilliant. You’re not trying to solve everything. You’re creating space for others to step in. That’s leadership.”

  Veronica nodded slowly. “It’s kind of amazing, actually. You’re flipping it. Teaching kids to notice others, not just be noticed. That’s powerful.”

  Daniel scratched the back of his neck. “I mean… I’d be willing to help. Like if you need someone to wrangle one of those groups—or help train the older teens. I wasn’t expecting to say that tonight, but here I am.”

  Wendy smiled. “And I’d be happy to help on the parent side. Coordinating the adults who guide the groups. I love the idea of empowering the kids to do the noticing.”

  May, who had been quiet until now, added, “And there’s something really healing about what you’re doing. You’re not just giving help. You’re teaching others how to become the kind of people who give help. That sticks.”

  Thomas listened, moved but reserved, as if unsure whether to smile or not. Then he gave a slow nod. “I just… I didn’t want to push something that wasn’t wanted. But if you all think it’s worth trying, then… maybe we can make it real.”

  Veronica leaned back, grinning. “You already did, Thomas. You spoke it into the room. Now it’s ours, too.”

  There was a shared breath, a moment where everyone seemed to sense the shift—something bigger than the evening meal or a lesson from scripture. A new kind of purpose had taken shape, one they could all own.

  Eric stood, clapping his hands together. “Alright. That was your lesson. Now it’s time for fun and games—unless you just want to keep having deep thoughts.”

  Thomas chuckled. “Nope. Games sound good.”

  Laughter rippled through the room, and the tension broke like morning light. But underneath it, something had changed. A vision had been cast—and they were all starting to believe in it.