Why People Become Mormon: Helping Their Children
Filed under: Basic Beliefs of Mormons, Children, Choosing the Right, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Finding Happiness, Finding Truth, Fruits of gospel living, Gospel & Doctrine, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, LDS Practices, LDS Q&A, Parents/Leaders, Teens & Seminary, Youth Programs
Part one of a series
A new report from the Council of Churches states that while most church membership numbers are declining, Mormon membership is growing. Mormons are the fourth largest religion in the United States and the church with the highest growth among the top ten this year and second among all churches reporting numbers.
Mormonism has a lot to offer teens and children.
Mormonism isn’t an easy church to join. You have to participate in a series of “discussions” about the church first and complete assignments designed to help you learn what you’re signing up for and to help you find out if the Mormon Church is true. To this end, you are required to pray and ask God to tell you, since God is the one source you can always trust when you want the truth. You are then asked to commit to living specific Gospel principles and to live a moral lifestyle.
Then, if that’s not enough, you’ll probably get put to work. The Mormon religion is a lay church, so we don’t have paid ministers, organists, or other workers. This means everyone pitches in to help with one or two tasks. For instance, I assist a toddler with a disability in the toddler nursery each week.
Does Obeying God Seem Too Hard?
Filed under: Basic Beliefs of Mormons, Choosing the Right, Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps, Finding joy within the gospel, Gospel Principles, Practices & Precepts, Jesus Christ, Obedience, Plan of Salvation
The people who built the Tower of Babel were trying to get into Heaven without following God’s plan for getting there. They wanted to build a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered. Some have suggested they also wanted to avoid having to make covenants with God and to avoid keeping the commandments.
The Self-Governing Child
It is every parent’s dream to have a child that self-governs – one who makes good and correct decisions when choices are put in front of them. Is it just a dream or can it become a reality? Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (known as the Mormons) believe it can.
Solving the Parenting Puzzle of Balance with Choice
In my last blog, I observed that balance between being too strict or too lenient is first found by giving our children knowledge. We help them know their own strength and power – they are children of God with unlimited potential. They can do anything! We teach commandments to show them the most efficient path to the goal. We teach them to follow the Savior as a mentor and example. We teach them to listen to the Holy Ghost who can give personal guidance and inspiration.
The Fire of Free Will
“I do it myself!” shouts my three-year-old daughter as she struggles to put on her shoes. My offers to help are rejected as she fights to do something hard on her own.
Children and Swearing
I stood outside the school doors one day, waiting for my oldest to get out of school. My boys were playing on the nearby playground, and the baby lay tucked tight in her stroller.
The Power of a Parent’s Voice
There’s a particular scene in the movie MONSTER’S INC. that makes me cringe every time. Boo, a sweet little toddler has accidentally found herself in a world of monsters. The monster who let her in, Sully, spends a large part of the movie trying to get her back home without alerting anyone to his mistake.
Establish Morning Family Prayer
“Cry unto him in your house, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.” Alma 34:21
Lost in the Woods
Within the borders of Indiana, where my sister-in-law Melanie grew up, there lies a wooded area right next to her parents’ home, owned by a railroad company. Nestled in the middle of the wood is a large field (she thinks it’s wild corn). If she were to start walking through the woods from her house, she would come out the other side right smack dab in front of her grandparents’ house.
Choosing Good Friends
My daughter came home one day, her normally cheerful face taking on a weighty look. Though I ached to jump right in and demand she tell me what was wrong, I mentally restrained myself and waited for her to come to me.
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