PP Faith #2 - a required value experience

Discover the principles of faith taught by the mothers of Helaman’s stripling warriors. Read Alma 56:45–48 and Alma 57:21. Review what “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (see page ii) says about a mother’s role. With a mother, grandmother, or leader, discuss the qualities a woman needs to teach children to have faith and to base their decisions on gospel truths. How can these principles help you in your life today and help you prepare to be a mother? Record your thoughts in your journal.

What a broad topic to try and put into a little box that is a journal. A woman needs first of all to be faithful herself. Living the example of who and what you hope for your kids is a necessary foundation. Invite your children to experience making faith based choices. Show them that the Lord knows each of individually and hears our requests. Help them to learn to love the Lord and have confidence in his timing. Thankfully, the gospel is taught line upon line, precept upon precept. If you start when your kids are just babies and teach them the basics of the gospel, making good choices (to some degree) will be automatic for them. While they are young, this is probably the easiest it ever will be during their lives.

Enter, school, friends, peer pressure, TV, cell phones, etc. Hopefully, you've taught them the basics and can now expand their learning as needed. For example, a friend of mine has a 12 year old son. They are not members, but are church going folk who are excellent examples of Christians. She is in the process of reviewing the curriculum for Health class and has to sign a waiver allowing her son to view the materials that will be presented. Her son begged her to let him participate because those who don't get a signature are sent out of the class. He just wants to belong; to not be different. His mom said this, "Son, we have been chosen to be different. I'm sorry that we might have to do things that aren't popular sometimes. We have to do what is right." Now, he's staying in class, but the message is absolute. For their family, the rubber is starting to hit the road.

Surround yourself with those people that support your good choices. Members, non-members, family, friends, whatever. Then, don't be afraid to do what is right, even when it isn't popular. As I like to say, "You can't live in the grey." Many issues in life are black and white, but popular society would have us believe we can blur those lines and still be ok. One of my least favorite sayings is this: "It's ok as long as he isn't hurting anyone else". Well, what about the person himself? What are those choices doing to his self-esteem? His love for himself? His self-worth?

Knowing we are children of our Heavenly Father is mandatory to wanting to make good choices for ourselves. To know that you have a divine lineage, that you are DIVINE, capable of living in the presence of supreme beings is knowledge that influences every choice you make. Showing your children their potential by loving them, encouraging them, disciplining them, and supporting them is crucial to helping them become gospel living, balanced and loving people. No kid is going to make it out of our homes perfect, but giving them the tools to work with what they've got is the best we can do.

Lastly, teach our kids to love the good things in life. Teach them to love family, children, education, the Temple, good friends, wholesome activities, to laugh easily, forgiveness, to be careful of judging others, to be grateful, quick to serve, to be realistic about life, and to be hopeful, even in the face of strife. Teach them to love themselves enough to want to be united as families forever. To love the idea of their posterity. To live this life to its fullest and not be ashamed to try new things. To work hard for the things we need and want.

All of this is much easier said then done, but if we follow the counsel of the scriptures and the words of the leaders of the church we will see that all of the tools we need are available. Just like the shovel, we must put them to use to see the results. Sometimes the work is back breaking, hard, and exhausting. The dirt is like clay and it seems like you'll never get the job done. But, God does look out the window and see you need a glass of water and he will give it to you. And when you're done, the pay off is always greater than the work put in. Just look at Lexi. She has so much potential, life, exuberance. She came in struggling and has proven to be an awesome little person. Frustrating, exhausting, back breaking, and every other thing that parenthood has proven to be, I have an absolute testimony of the joy she brings. It is far greater than any of the work I've done so far. I hope that I will be able to provide her with all she needs to become the person she hopes for in this life.