Don and I were asked to speak in church last week. Our subject was family. I was so grateful for the opportunity to do this. I am not one to like to get up in public but I love researching topics and I always learn so much more than those listening. I know I need to take a look at our own family and see where we need to improve. I know it starts with Don and I. I love these quotes:
"As parents, we should remember that our lives may be the book from the family library which the children most treasure. Are our examples worthy of emulation? Do we live in such a way that a son or a daughter may say, “I want to follow my dad,” or “I want to be like my mother”? Unlike the book on the library shelf, the covers of which shield its contents, our lives cannot be closed. Parents, we truly are an open book in the library of learning of our homes".
Next, do we exemplify the legacy of love? Do our homes? Bernadine Healy, in a commencement address, gave this counsel: “As a physician, who has been deeply privileged to share the most profound moments of people’s lives including their final moments, let me tell you a secret. People facing death don’t think about what degrees they have earned, what positions they have held, or how much wealth they have accumulated. At the end, what really matters is who you loved and who loved you. That circle of love is everything, and is a great measure of a past life. It is the gift of greatest worth.”
Our Lord and Savior’s message was one of love. It can be as a light to our personal pathway to exaltation.
Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, “I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.”
Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. “Where did the years go?” they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present. Pres. Monson
“The final desire of the Prophet Joseph Smith was to build a community of spiritual Saints. This begins in the home. The most important instruction our children will ever receive will be that which parents give to them in their own home, if parents diligently teach their children the way our Father in Heaven would like them to follow. One instruction our leaders have given us is to hold regular family home evenings where we can meet together weekly, learn gospel principles, and build family unity. Here we can counsel together, read the scriptures, pray together, and play together. Our greatest goal is to become an eternal family. We build a community of Saints one family at a time.”
I absolutely LOVE to read the quotes from the Apostles and Prophets. They speak with such conviction. As I read I can just feel the truth radiate though out me. I am so blessed and grateful for the gospel. I am so grateful that we have this perfect plan and a perfect map of the things that help us within our own family. There is NOTHING greater than family. There is NOTHING greater than the gospel. There is NOTHING great than Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ.
The bishop asked us if any of our kids would like to speak. We got a NO from everyone on that one. But then we asked if they wanted to sing a song instead. Everyone again said NO. But after a few days Rachel thought maybe she would like to. She was still apprehensive. But we practiced and practiced many time a day and I am SO amazed with her. That took alot of guts and boy did she sound beautiful. I am so proud of her.
Then Don spoke. He did a great job. And I am truly grateful for him. My talk was a lot shorter than I expected and he had to fill in the rest of the time (30 min). He was able to do it. He had to rearrange his talk a bit as he was up there but I thought he did great. The Gospel Doctrine teacher referenced his talk 4 times.
I am super grateful for my family. I know at times, I get very frustrated with the chaos and insanity of things. But how grateful I am that God has trusted me with 5 of his amazing spirits. I don't even trust myself with any of them. :) They teach me so much. They are so innocent and so trusting. They have a desire to do what is right and for that I am grateful. My biggest fear in life is that they will go away from the truth. I pray and pray that they will stay strong and hold on to these teachings....especially in a world that knows no morals.
3 comments:
I think that you are a wonderful example of motherhood Lisa and I am always amazed at how tough you are on yourself.
Heavenly Father trusted you for a reason...and i appreciate all that you do to be a good example...to your family and to other families.
I love how much you love your children and want to be with them.
I wished I could have been there!
I always loved it when you taught Relief Society!!
this is a beautiful post Lisa and a reminder to me of really the most important things that I need to teach my children. I honestly believe that Gospel truths should be the bulk of teaching in my home but sometimes it is so hard to find that time, but the time is there, it just needs to be taken! Thank you for the reminder that time really will go by quickly. I am reminded of a talk I read not so long ago about how at the end of our life we'll find that most things that we thought were of such importance will really matter very little. But our children and our families and the time spent will be the memories we will treasure most so hopefully we'll have those loving memories! I hope to have very few regrets when it comes to my family when I am old. You are a fantastic example and that is so neat of your daughter to sing in Sacrament! what a special family moment! Oh and as a side note, thank you for the comment the other day on the importance of pointing out to our children when the Spirit is felt in the home. I've been trying to do this and in addition it has helped me to try harder to have a home where the Spirit can dwell! Not always easy :)
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