Family expo at BYU strives to strengthen families

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    By ESTHER YU

    A family expo, with the theme “Teach Them to Love One Another and to Serve One Another,” will be at the BYU Conference Center Monday and Tuesday.

    “Come and let us learn from each other and from family experts how to help our children grow in truth, in soberness, in service and in love for one another,” reads a pamphlet about the conference.

    This is probably at least the fourth annual family expo BYU has held, said Duane Hiatt, the director of editorial and media productions in continuing education. The conferences were held yearly after individuals looked at the situation of the world and the LDS Church and felt there was a need to have workshops about family, Hiatt said.

    “The basic idea is to bring in experts from various ideas and expertise of family life and give them a chance to get direction and find the latest research on what works well with families,” Hiatt said.

    This year’s expo features speakers ranging from President Merrill J. Bateman and Sister Marilyn S. Bateman, to Virginia H. Pearce, a former first counselor in the Young Women’s General Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pearce will be speaking on “The Family: Making Connections With One Another and the Larger World.” Sandra Merrill Covey will also be speaking about “Insights from 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families.”

    The expos are sponsored with a different scripture-based theme each year. Last year, the theme was “Train Up a Child in the Way He Should Go,” from Proverbs 22:26. Another theme was “Bring Up a Child in Light and Truth,” from Doctrine and Covenants 93:40.

    Though most of the participants seem to be middle-aged with several children, people from all ages and from all over come to the expo, Hiatt said.

    “Single people can benefit too. These skills are good for any of us,” Hiatt said.

    The majority of participants are from Utah, but there are also people coming from such places as Minnesota and Florida, Hiatt said.

    To register, call BYU Conferences and Workshops at 378-4853. Conference tuition is $50 per person or $85 for a married couple.

    The conference will be from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday and from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday. There will be breaks for meals.

    The expo is sponsored by the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Religious Education; BYU Alumni Association and Division of Continuing Education.

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