Later in the afternoon, the missionaries called asking if they could bring an investigator family over for Family Home Evening that night. We agreed and decided to keep with our plan of discussing the First Article of Faith with Hannah.
During the lesson with our investigator friends, Hannah corrected Jimmy's teaching assuring us that the Holy Ghost looked like a camel. Later, she combined the stories of Joseph Smith and Daniel and the Lion's Den that she had learned in Primary, insisting that when Joseph prayed the lion's were nice.
I think our friends were impressed.
Regardless, I felt happy knowing that slowly, she is learning the stories from the scriptures. I am constantly impressed with her memory and just how much her little brain can retain.
I love what Elder Anderson said of teaching your children the stories of Jesus. He shared,
"The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?
Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children? Do they think about the Savior’s life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead.
Have our children visualized the premortal council, where Jesus—the greatest of all—declared, “Here am I, send me”? Do they see their own willingness to serve as following His example?
Do they think about His humble birth, the Savior of the world lying in a manger? Do His circumstances help them better understand the proper place of material possessions?
Do they know that Jesus often taught, “Ask, and ye shall receive”? Do His prayers of thankfulness and His pleadings to His Father flow through our children’s minds as they kneel in prayer with their own concerns?
Have we told them of the love Jesus has for children, how He held them in His arms, prayed for them, and wept? Do our children know that Jesus stands ready “with open arms to receive [them]”?
Do they take strength in the stories of Jesus fasting —as we teach them the law of the fast?
In their own loneliness, do our children know the loneliness the Savior felt as His friends deserted Him and as He asked His Apostles, “Will ye also go away?”
Have our children felt the power of the Savior’s miracles? Jesus healed the leper, gave sight to the blind. He fed the 5,000, calmed the sea, and raised Lazarus from the dead. Do our children believe that “it is by faith that miracles are wrought,” and do they pray for miracles in their own lives?
Have our children taken courage from the Savior’s words to the ruler of the synagogue: “Be not afraid, only believe”?
Do our children know about His perfect life, His selfless ministry, His betrayal and cruel Crucifixion? Have we testified to them of the certainty of His Resurrection, of His visit to the Nephites in the Americas, of His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove?
Do they anticipate His majestic return, when all will be made right and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ?
Do our children say, “Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear”?"
My goal, to keep talking about Jesus.
3 comments:
I loved that talk. In our last ward I was asked to speak on faith and Elder Anderson's words spoke right to my heart and I couldn't help but quote exactly what you posted here. I, too, decided to speak of Him more frequently.
When we read the scriptures and then break it down into managable pieces for Sadie to swallow, she is always so agreeable and I have to wonder what she's thinking. Then, when out of the blue the next day she says "Lehi was a prophet," I think "Okay...it is sinking in. Just keep going."
I love that the Holy Ghost looks like a camel. That one made me laugh! Annika likes to carry around the little military scriptures and tell us stories out of them while I am making dinner, etc... Cinderella frequently makes an appearance, and she seems to be more fond of Laman than Nephi. We're working on that one. But when she was sick this week we told stories of Jesus healing the sick and blessing the children, and I am starting to see that it must be sinking in -- slowly. Thanks for posting such a great talk!
I really loved this post Erin..and shared it with Devin as one of my goals as well. It seems perfect this year as we focus on the NT too.
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