Sunday thoughts...

I teach the Relief Society lessons the 4th Sunday of each month at church.  The 4th Sunday lessons are called "teachings for our times" and talks from General Conference are assigned.  I think I have had this calling for a little over a year and I am finally feeling "comfortable" in my role as a teacher.  There are Sundays that I am completely overcome by the Spirit and really "get" the message...and it usually happens DURING the lesson and takes me by surprise.

That happened today.  Our lesson was on a talk given by President Eyring titled Help Them on Their Way Home.   We were taught and reminded that we need to teach children the principles of the gospel and have a desire to read our scriptures and prayer so they may be able to stay strong during the trials and challenges in their lives.  I really loved this,

"So we help God’s children best by providing ways to build faith in Jesus Christ and His

restored gospel when they are young. And then we must help rekindle that faith quickly

 before it dims as they wander off the path."

As parents, we need to be the "guiders".  Showing them how to live a righteous life and be the example.  Others in their lives may become the 'rescuers' who help them overcome the obstacles they face.  President Eyring painted a picture in my mind when he said:

"Heavenly Father has assigned us to a great variety of stations to strengthen and, when needed, to lead travelers to safety. Our most important and powerful assignments are in the family. They are important because the family has the opportunity at the start of a child’s life to put feet firmly on the path home. Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are made more powerful guides and rescuers by the bonds of love that are the very nature of a family."

We can be 'rescuers' to anyone.  If we can help someone, it is our duty.  Heavenly Father will put us in the path of others who need US.  Part of our discussion in class included listing what we thought children would need "rescuing" from and who the "rescuers" could be.  I can remember: poor self worth, poor friend choices, peer pressure, morality and media influences on our list.  Family, parents, school teachers, good friends, and the Lord who can be the 'rescuers'.

I was struck by the power that we as parents/friends/family/teachers have to the young people around us, what an awesome responsibility.  As I thought about the 'midst of darkness' that surrounds us today, I felt JOY for the knowledge I was given by my parents that I was able to 'turn out okay'.  I felt a tinge of fear.  Afraid that something I don't do will result in my children needing to be rescued.  While talking to my amazing sister-in-law this week she described "this stage" in our parenting journey as still being on "click-click-click" part of the roller coaster...still in the beginning and not sure what may lay ahead.  Isn't that true?  Others in our lives are in the middle of the ride and some are nearly ready to get off.  We can lean on those in our lives to help us on our journey. 

Life isn't always nice.  Morley has had a few experiences recently at school that have brought me to tears.  Happy tears that I have an amazing son that knows he is of worth and that his family loves him.  Happy tears that he KNOWS that his Father in Heaven loves him.  Happy tears that he is strong and confident to NOT follow the ways of those that try to pollute him.  Sad tears that he was singled out by boys that took joy in making him feel uncomfortable and embarrassed.  Sad tears that it happened more than once.  I know this isn't the first and only time my children will face persecution from their peers for being a good person and for their beliefs.  My prayer is that they will be able to dig deep and grab onto their faith during those trials when they feel they are alone.  I hope they remember they are NEVER alone, no matter where they are or what they are going through.  Prayer.  It is real.

President Eyring ended his talk with this:

"Of all the help we can give these young people, the greatest will be to let them feel our confidence that they are on the path home to God and that they can make it. And we do that best by going with them. Because the path is steep and sometimes rocky, they will at times feel discouraged and even stumble. They may at times become confused about their destination and wander after less eternally important goals. These inspired programs make that less likely because they will lead the young person to invite and receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

The best counsel for us to give young people is that they can arrive back to Heavenly Father only as they are guided and corrected by the Spirit of God. So if we are wise, we will encourage, praise, and exemplify everything which invites the companionship of the Holy Ghost. When they share with us what they are doing and feeling, we must ourselves have qualified for the Spirit. Then they will feel in our praise and our smiles the approval of God. And should we feel the need to give corrective counsel, they will feel our love and the love of God in it, not rebuke and rejection, which can permit Satan to lead them further away.

The example they most need from us is to do what they must do. We need to pray for the gifts of the Spirit. We need to ponder in the scriptures and in the words of living prophets. We need to make plans which are not only wishes but covenants. And then we need to keep our promises to the Lord. And we need to lift others by sharing with them the blessings of the Atonement which have come in our lives.

And we need to exemplify in our own lives the steady and prolonged faithfulness that the Lord expects of them. As we do, we will help them feel from the Spirit an assurance that if they will persist, they will hear the words from a loving Savior and Heavenly Father: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”(Matthew 25:21) And we who help them along the way will hear those words with joy."

As I blinked through my tears, I felt the love of my Heavenly Father.  Parenting is not for the weak.  We have been given the tools to build strong families.  We are not on this path alone.  Though this may come across as rambling, I hope some of it made sense.  I know that I gain and learn much more than I actually teach during my lessons.  Today was totally one of those times.

Happy Sunday!