2019 National Family Week

#BFF Building Forever Families Guidelines

#BFF Building Forever Families Guidelines

Introduction

The Philippines Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will celebrate the 27th year of the National Family Week on 21-28 September 2019 with the theme '#BFF: Building Forever Families.'


(To date, the National Committee for the Filipino Family has not yet established the National Family Week theme for 2019. The Area Communication Department, formerly Public Affairs Department, will send an update on the theme when available which would become a sub-theme to our #BFF campaign.)


The theme plays around #BFF which is a popular acronym for “Best Friends Forever.” It originally started as an expression of adolescent teenage girls to denote affection. Adults began using it to fondly describe their close friends and now it is widely accepted as an informal term of endearment.


Many popular brands have carried the term in their marketing and social media campaigns, and it has retained its popularity as a go-to expression to describe friendships and relationships.

Building Forever Families

Building Forever Families

The concept of a united family that lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine. Family is a topic that resonates even to nonmember publics. Within families led by a father and a mother, children develop virtues such as love, trust, loyalty, cooperation, and service.


To make the theme unique to the Church's family campaign, the acronym will have new definitions that will express the Latter-day Saint sentiment regarding families and appeal to people of other faiths who share the same beliefs.


From Monday to Saturday, we will celebrate the National Family Week with special-themed #BFFs:

Sunday, 22 September – Building the Family’s Faith in Jesus Christ

Monday, 23 September – Bring a Friend to Family Home Evening / Binding Families with Food

Tuesday, 24 September – Bridging Families through FamilySearch

Wednesday, 25 September – Best Family Foto

Thursday, 26 September – Bring a Family Proclamation to a Friend

Friday, 27 September – Best Family Film

Saturday, 28 September – Bonding Families with a Fun Run / Bonding Families with Fun Activities

Building the Family’s Faith in Jesus Christ

  • Let us strive to establish family traditions that will help nurture multigenerational families who are faithful to the Lord and who call the Sabbath a delight
  • Invite friends of other faiths to a special Sabbath on September 22 where topics in the sacrament meeting are focused on the importance of strengthening families and that “happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ”
  • “The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. It is the only Sabbath meeting the entire family can attend together.” (Elder Dallin H. Oaks)

Bring a Friend to Family Home Evening

  • Build and strengthen family relationships through Family Home Evening
  • Invite a family friend to your Family Home Evening
  • Share family home evening materials, lesson outlines and suggestions to help families of all faiths plan and implement this weekly time together

Binding Families with Food

  • Proclamation 326 declares the 4th Monday of September of every year as “Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga” or the “Importance of Family Dinner” Day
  • Set aside this special Monday, September 23, to ensure that all family members are present during family dinner. Take time to talk on the importance of strengthening families and that 'happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ'
  • The family that eats together stays forever!

Bridging Families through FamilySearch

  • FamilySearch’s commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in the belief that families are meant to be central to our lives and that family relationships are intended to continue beyond this life.
  • Invite and inspire a friend to get started on his/her family tree
  • Provide personal assistance to your friend on how to navigate through FamilySearch

Best Family Foto

  • Preserve precious memories through family photos
  • Capture family moments and post your favorite photos on your social media accounts using #BFF #NationalFamilyWeek2019 and get a chance for your photos to be voted as the best among the rest
  • Invite your friends to share their family photos online to inspire others to take time for families

Bring a Family Proclamation to a Friend

  • This proclamation is a declaration and reaffirmation of doctrines and practices that prophets have stated repeatedly throughout the history of the Church
  • Get copies of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” from your bishop and share it with friends and families of other faiths
  • Help others understand that happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Chris

Best Family Film

  • Some moments are best remembered in motion to relive the event
  • Capture a 30-second to 1-minute video of an important family event, post it on social  media using #BFF #NationalFamilyWeek2019, and invite friends and family to vote for your video
  • Love is spelled T-I-M-E. Encourage others to spend quality time with family members and preserve those memories

Bonding Families with a Fun Run

  • From walkers to runners, to kids from 1 to 92, everyone is invited to join the Family Fun Run to show support to the Filipino family
  • For selected stakes in Metro Manila and surrounding areas, instructions shall be given on registration procedures so members can join friends from other faiths in a color run for the family to be held in Aseana City, Parañaque on September 28.
  • For units outside Metro Manila, you can organize family fun-themed activities to enjoin people of all faiths to celebrate the culmination of National Family Week

Participating Stakes:

Philippines Manila Mission

  1. Manila
  2. Makati
  3. Makati East
  4. Mandaluyong
  5. Paranaque
  6. Pasay

Philippines Quezon City Mission

  1. Caloocan
  2. Fairview
  3. Marikina
  4. QC South
  5. QC

Philippines Quezon City North

  1. Camarin
  2. Novaliches
  3. Valenzuela

Philippines Antipolo Mission

  1. Antipolo
  2. Pasig

Philippines Cavite Mission

  1. Bacoor 
  2. Cavite 
  3. Dasmariñas 
  4. Las Piñas
     

Bonding Families with Fun Activities

Here are some fun activities you can try: 

  • Share the goodness by using these hashtags #BFF #NationalFamilyWeek2019
  • Visit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines and Mormon Newsroom Philippines Facebook pages for updates and more activity ideas
  • Share posts to your friends and family 
  • Give opinion leaders a framed copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World
  • Organize an Opening Program to launch the theme and weeklong events to be attended by Local Government Unit (LGU) representatives and members of the committee, open to the public
  • A meaningful closing ceremony to extend appreciation to all those involved to include presenting certificates of appreciation and framed Family Proclamations
  • Working with media to feature the weeklong celebration and how the public can join the Family Week celebration
  • Art contests and exhibits adopting the theme
  • Organize a Press Conference sponsored by the LGU and the Family Week Steering Committee to discuss the theme and activities
  • Art contests and exhibits adopting the theme
  • Family Fair and Picnics
  • Family Sports Fests
  • Family Fashion Shows
  • Organize projects with senior citizens
  • Visit schools and campaign for the theme
  • Organize projects with senior citizens
  • Identify non-government or faith-based organizations in the community whose objectives are for the upholding of traditional families and values and build relations with them
  • Don’t forget to submit your reports and pictures, and be featured on the Church's online channels. Send via Facebook Messenger fb.com/msg/LDSPhilippines