There has been a sense of peace within me since I went to the temple to take out my own endowments. And with that peace has come an urgency to really focus on teaching my daughter the gospel. It’s so funny how everything kind of rolls into one.
Yesterday in Relief Society, the lesson was on teaching and sharing the gospel. At first I thought, ‘I don’t openly share the gospel, and since I’ve changed wards, I no longer have a calling, so I don’t teach, how will this apply to me now?’ The teacher had opened with,
“Who feels inadequate when they are asked to teach a lesson here at church? You worry about how the class will perceive it. You wonder how well they understand what you’re trying to teach them in this lesson. Well, Don’t! If you come prepared, if you’ve prayed for the spirit to help you, you are not teaching. The Holy Ghost is teaching.”
That touched me, because even though I have sometimes felt inadequate teaching the 9 year olds in my previous ward, I was still always able to get through the lesson and get the point across. And at the end, they seemed to understand. I did notice that lessons that I didn’t spend as much time preparing, the class didn’t seem to run as smoothly that day. I always knew that it was because I hadn’t prepped for it the way I should have, but never connected the two.
In my previous ward, on top of teaching the 9 year olds, I was involved with Activity Days. Activity Days is an activity group for girls that are 8 through 11. They meet twice a month, and work on Gospel based goals. Just to name a few, one is memorizing the Articles of Faith. Another could be that they focus on a talent, focus on serving others, learning how to cook so they can cook for their family, etc. There are also a list of standards, called, “My Gospel Standards,” that list standards that the girls are asked to follow. They are all good and honest things.
While I was participating in Activity Days as a leader, I would bring my 6 year old daughter along, so she could somewhat be a part of it. There were also my teaching partner’s little girls that she would play with too. Well, early on, I had bought a poster of the gospel standards for my daughter. Last night at bedtime, she proceeded to read the whole list, with minimal help. She didn’t quite understand the meaning of all of it at that point, but she understood the basics. It made me so happy to see her reading that. Because I’m thinking that may reinforce some of the things I try to teach her every day.
Prayers were said, and then it was Articles of Faith practice time. She’s memorized the first two, which is great, and then we were reading the third. I had them all up on my phone, and she proceeded to read through to the 8th Article of Faith.
I was on cloud nine! Not only was she being an excellent reader, she was interested in learning the Articles of Faith! To be perfectly honest, we do not have a set schedule on Family Home Evening, because I can’t get her to sit long enough to listen to anything.
So, often times, she’ll listen to ONE quick story in the Book of Mormon stories book, or I’m trying to tell her about something in the car on the way home from Grandma’s after school. I have to sneak in little things about the gospel every chance I get! Usually it’s at bedtime, but we do our Articles of Faith, she says her prayer, and then I usually try to quickly tell her about something. Last night, I knew that my little sneaky ways were paying off!
Shower time is my reflection time. This morning as I took my shower at 3:30 am, I thought back to the lesson in Relief Society. I am a teacher, and I do share the gospel with others. Friends, this is our calling on this earth too. Teach your little ones the gospel. I know we all get caught up in life, and we focus on what we can, when we can. Trust me, I am the queen of, “Let’s just focus on today.” But then in the same breath, “Oh my gosh! What are we going to do about (insert necessary trial here) next year?!”
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Slow it down friends. Take time with your Littles, take time with your spouses. Take time with a friend that may need you at that moment. Be patient, and loving. I know I am not perfect. We all make our mistakes. Just remember to be the best kind of teacher you can be for your little ones, and share the gospel with them.
They will follow in your footsteps, and as little children like to share what they know, often times you will find that they will share the gospel with their friends. Seed planted. SCORE! If it doesn’t happen that way, their example can be another way that we all can plant that seed.
Don’t forget to #LIGHTtheWORLD! I love you all!
