teaching

i'm trying to get back into the swing of things after being on vacation for a week, but i'm just not feeling the motivation to do anything responsible. so instead of unpacking, doing laundry, cleaning or making my grocery list while the kids nap, i'm blogging. but not about my trip, because there's too many pictures to deal with right now! 

it's been a rough morning with the kids. i think they are still tired from our fun vacation (filled with non-stop playing, late nights and not good enough naps) and they're having a hard time getting back into the swing of things too. and on these rough days, where the whining seems constant and my patience wears thin, it is so easy for me to doubt how i'm doing with this whole motherhood thing. it really is such an amazing responsibility and trust that is placed in us to nurture, love and teach these precious little people. and there is so much to teach! a little while ago i was talking with my friend mindy. it was while emma was in the midst of all her crazy medical issues and yet i wasn't really worried. neither mindy or i are big worriers, but we both agreed that the thing we worry most about (regarding our kids) is their spiritual well-being. i worry and wonder how i can best teach them the gospel, help them develop their own testimonies and relationship with the savior, help them recognize the joy that comes from living the gospel, how to instill in them a desire to be obedient and follow the counsel from our prophet. i want them to love the gospel like i do and feel the true joy and real peace that comes from living it like i have. and really, of all the things that i can teach my kids, these are the most important. these are the things that will bless them in their day to day life and eternally. so no pressure, right?! luckily conversion is a process (and a lifelong one at that), and i know that our efforts, made consistently and prayerfully, will bless them in learning and loving the gospel and the lord for themselves as they grow. and it's exciting and encouraging to see that some things are actually sinking in! 

i love to hear the scripture stories that logan comes home from church and tells us (some of his favorites: daniel and the lion's den, baby moses, joseph smith's first vision, the israelites being fed manna in the wilderness, david and goliath, samuel the lamanite prophesying of christ's birth). i'm so grateful for his wonderful primary teachers. just a couple of days ago, out of nowhere, logan began quoting a scripture (amos 3:7) and i couldn't believe it (he also pulled it out this morning, right after he was being super whiny and i was about to lose it. good move logan! it softened the moment and made me smile). i love to hear emma request "jesus" ("i'm trying to be like jesus") every night for her bedtime song and listen to her sing along. i love that she recognizes pictures of the temple. and while these are such simple things, it's a reminder to me that the little things we do matter and that kids are never too young to start learning (i was reminded of this when elder l. tom perry, an apostle, encouraged us to begin teaching our children the gospel "at cradle side"). 

i wanted to write down one last experience so i wouldn't forget. we tried to teach logan why we celebrate easter, but it was a little challenging. resurrection seems a bit abstract, when trying to teach a 3 year old (teaching the true meaning of christmas was a lot easier :) but a couple weeks after easter we had a sweet experience. a lady in our ward, who is like the kids' "church grandma," had been gone for a couple of months taking care of her sick sister. her sister passed away and i told the kids that gerri was coming back and that they'd get to see her on sunday. i told logan she was feeling really sad though because her sister had died. he sweetly and innocently said, "it's ok, because she'll be resurrected!" on a separate occasion, while driving past gerri's apartment building logan said to dave, "there's gerri's building. she's sad because her sister died, but she'll be resurrected." 

it's no wonder we're commanded to become like a little child! i'm grateful for these sweet moments and the reminder that heavenly father will help us in our efforts to teach them about him. after all, they are his!