This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Afternoon Session of the October 1995 Conference.
With Abe's mission barreling down on us ever-faster, I've been thinking a lot about how little time we have with our children. For so long it has seemed like I would be teaching them forever. (And it still seems like that sometimes, especially when I think about how far away Clementine is from learning…anything.) But life is so busy, and even if you're consciously trying to have "everyday gospel conversations" with your children—realistically, how often do those take place? A lot less often than I'd like…and a lot less, cumulatively, than I expected, when I was just starting out! In fact, now that I've had a taste of it, I'm starting to feel rather panicked at the thought of how quickly they'll be gone! I'm just realizing how few chances I have to actually have good, deep, heartfelt gospel conversations while they'll still listen to me!
Quotes like this one back up that feeling of urgency. Elder Oaks said:
There are plenty of other spokesmen for trivial things. Latter-day Saints should be constantly concerned with teaching and emphasizing those great and powerful eternal truths that will help us find our way back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.
Of course there are other ways to influence my children (hopefully) and I can still be an example (hopefully) and give advice when it's asked for (hopefully) and talk to them even when they're adults (hopefully). But I don't have experience with any of that yet, so we'll see! What I do know is that I don't want to waste time anymore. There is no time to waste! I want to fill our days with those "great and powerful eternal truths" that are most important in returning to Heavenly Father.
Oh Marilyn, don't beat yourself up. You are a wonderful mother! Your example is powerful. All those outings to the canyons teach your family to acknowledge the Creator and to be grateful for the beauty of the earth. All the family gatherings show how important the Father's plan for families is. Just the fact that you have brought ten children into the world shows a great deal of love for your spirit brothers and sisters and how important it is to give them their turn on earth. Your faithfulness in fulfilling callings, in following the prophets, in studying the gospel are all powerful examples. I've learned that each child gets to make their own choices; they each come with their own personality, character, strengths and weaknesses. Also, I've learned that we don't know the end, we only see the past and the now. It's scary at times, but by trusting Our Father and Our Savior, who love our children even more than we do, we can rest assured that all will be right in the end. Just this week, after years of prayer, one son told me how his bishop called him and talked to him, including taking care of tithing settlement. Oh how much that meant to me! To know that at last my prayers for his priesthood leaders to reach out to him are being answered. It's so hard to be patient as we watch the Father's plan for our children unfold. I believe your children will have an easier time than mine because your husband is an active, powerful example of a priesthood holder. Mine was mostly inactive and a terrible example. Our sons struggle because of that lack in their lives. Gird up your loins, fresh courage take, the best is yet to come. Oh, and darling little Clementine is learning things everyday: that she is loved, well taken care of and in a wonderful family!. She is richly blessed.
ReplyDeleteRozy, you are so encouraging and I DO feel hopeful when you say it like this! I love the example you show of a loving and optimistic relationship with your adult children. And I'm so glad that your son's bishop was able to respond to your prayers. Our bishop's wife was talking about how much she has prayed for people to reach out to her adult children, and it made me want so much to be someone that responds to those needs!
DeleteI’ve felt this anxiousness too! There is so little time! So much to teach! It seems like Eyring gave a similar quote that I can’t find right now. But something along these lines. I’m always so grateful when a natural discussion or teaching moment just presents itself! And I need to keep striving for more opportunities to teach. And I also really need to remember to simply share my spiritual experiences with them more! Often I just don’t think to share them. But I think that teaches them that language of the spirit. And if they know that, then I think they’ll be fine even if I don’t teach them every detail I intend to. (Hopefully! Ha! Because I can’t even teach myself every detail I want to! I am constantly discouraged that I can only skim the very surface of so much I want to understand and learn!)
ReplyDeleteBut I do also love what your friend said above. I don’t recall a lot about detailed moments and conversations of being taught the gospel with my parents. But I think that example must be much bigger than I often dare hope. My patriarchal blessing talks about me learning from my parents. And several of my kids say the same thing about what they’ve gained from our example. That we are as family who goes to church. Supports the prophet. Honors the sabbath. Speaks about others with kindness. Etc. It’s hopeful anyway! That maybe much of what they know is simply the stuff that has happened by living life in our homes.
Yes. I definitely hope the same. That somehow, more is getting through than I'm aware of! It's true about my parents too. I don't remember details, but somehow, the important things became part of me.
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