I was asked to give a talk at church for this morning. The last time I gave a talk in church was in the single's ward. It was crazy this time. Since having kids I have become a hormonal freak! I had the hardest time getting through this talk without crying, I sounded like a quivering crazy person! Anyways I am so glad that it's over but for journaling purposes I wanted to keep a copy of my talk.
I am SO glad that I get to be a mommy to these two kids, they are the greatest! I'd like to wish all the mother's and mother's at heart a happy Mother's Day!
My talk today is based off of Sister Cheryl Esplin’s talk in the current Ensign, “Teaching Our Children to Understand”. I think that the call we have to teach children is focused more towards parents with their own children, but is just as important a call for everyone. Whether our children are grown, or it’s our nieces and nephews, or even the children in our ward family all of us are given a specific call to teach children. It is brought up several times throughout the scriptures and in Doctrine and Covenants ch. 68 vs. 28 Joseph Smith received the revelation, “and they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the lord.”
Sister Esplin explains, “This divine privilege of raising our children is a much greater responsibility than we can do alone, without the Lord’s help. He know exactly what our children need to know, what they need to do, and what they need to be to come back into His presence. He gives mothers and fathers specific instruction and guidelines through the scriptures, His prophets, and the Holy Ghost.” I think that prophets and even Christ himself saw the great importance of children. They could see how important teaching children about Heavenly Father, our beliefs, and how to live righteously is. Christ even made it a point during his life to set an example and teach how important children are. In Matthew ch. 19 vs. 13-15 he say’s, “then there were brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”
So now that we know how important it is to teach them and that we are commanded to do so, I wanna talk about ways that we can teach our children. Sister Esplin advises that “sometimes the most powerful ways to teach our children to understand a doctrine is to teach in the context of what they are experiencing right at that moment. These moments are spontaneous and unplanned and happen in the normal flow of family life. They come and go quickly, so we need to be alert and recognize a teaching moment.” For example I know something that is a regular occurrence at our house is a problem with sharing and taking a toy that the other one is playing with. While dealing with this problem we can also use it as a teaching opportunity; of showing love for one another, or being happy with the toys that WE have and not coveting someone else things, by not taking things that aren’t yours. Even though these are very basic and watered down versions of commandments, by teaching your children in a way that they understand and in context to their lives they will be more able and prepared to live by them as they grow.
Since it’s Mothers Day I would like to steer the rest of the talk to Mothers. I remember the day and time leading up to when our first child was born. I remember planning on how I wanted the nursery to look, how adorable he would be, and the hardest decision I could think of was which cute outfit I would bring to the hospital for him to wear. Sometimes I miss how blissfully unaware we were back then. The day we had our children will always be the most special and spiritual time of our lives. The veil was so thin that day and we were completely aware of what a miracle it was that WE were placed in charge of this tiny baby. Later came the terrifying realization that WE were actually supposed to be an example and teach this child! I felt (and still feel) sometimes totally inadequate for the job. We have such good intentions and too often (at least I know for me) life gets in the way. Distractions like TV and the Internet, trying to keep up with your house and the constant mess your children make, going out, and work. I had always felt like I was barely keeping my head above water until I heard a story. My friend had talked about a family on her blog that she knew who’s infant daughter was waiting for a transplant. Ani Taylor wrote a post called “Perspective” on her blog only a week before her precious daughter passed away.
“The old me thought I was tired and stressed out. The old me was unsatisfied with my clothes, my weight, and my ugly carpet. The old me dreaded hearing the babies cry over the monitor, too early in the morning. The old me was bored watching cartoons, and folding laundry. The old me hated making breakfast, and pouring endless sippy’s full of milk everyday. The old me dreaded running errands with two kids to get in and out of car seats and into shopping carts. The old me did not think it was a big deal to spend a Saturday at the beach, or paddle boating around the lake. The old me was tired and a grump from walking up the hill to our house from the lake. The old me couldn’t wait until nap time, when I could have some time for myself. The old me hated doing dishes, and checking the mail. The old me rushed bedtime and skipped pages in bedtime stories. The old me sang lullaby’s quickly, and was reluctant to sing “just one more”
What was the old me thinking?!
My heart is literally aching right now to have my old life back, but with my new perspective. What would I give to have my whole family home on a rainy Sunday morning, making breakfast, and delivering chocolate milk on a fancy platter to my little Kate. I want to forget about the dirty dishes, and get down on the floor and play. I would be thankful for that cheap carpet, because it beats none at all. I dream of the day I get to wake up in bed and hear BOTH girls waking me up early in the morning. I will make them whatever they want for breakfast, and turn the music up load and dance while I make their pancakes(because I know that is what Kate would want). I will get them dressed and spend time gently combing and doing their hair, and breathing them in. I won’t rush them. What is the rush about anyways? I’ll load them in their car seats, and give kisses while I buckle them in. I’ll be happily listening to Disney songs as we drive to Target, or McDonalds, or the park. I’ll chase them, and tickle them, and push them on the swings. We will spend our evenings playing outside, and cooking dinner together in the kitchen. Bath time will be long and drawn out, just like it should be. Bedtime will have lots of cuddling, and a few bedtime stories read slowly while doing the appropriate voices for Papa bear, Mama bear, Baby bear and Goldilocks. Matt and I will fall into bed exhausted together, and thank Heavenly for this new perspective on life and what is truly important and ask that we might always be able to remember.
My entire perspective on my role as a Mother changed when I read this. Instead of seeing myself on the sidelines just watching and caring over them I realized that I need to throw myself into them and their little worlds. It is something that I struggle with and am constantly trying to work on. I have realized that the best way to teach my children is by immersing my self in their lives. Because that is when the little moments to teach them and be an example to them happen. By playing with them and being conscious in their lives I can teach them in a way that they will remember and comprehend.
I would like to take this opportunity to bear my testimony. I’m not brave enough to do it very often but I want everyone to know that I have a strong testimony of this church. I am so thankful for the blessings that I have in my life. I’m thankful for my husband and my sweet children. I’m thankful for the responsibility that I have to teach my kids and for the opportunity to continually grow and learn and become better at it. I’m thankful for my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful for the sacrifice that he made so that we could be reunited as a family some day. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
