LDS Quotes – Page 15 – Nurture Mama

The essential family curriculum

September 25, 2012September 25, 2012 Nurture Mama 1 Comment

In recent days I have been thinking a lot about this verse of scripture:

“And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.” 2 Nephi 25:26

I attended a special women’s conference this past weekend, and this scripture came up in one of the classes I attended. One of the sisters in the class posed the question for all to consider “How much time do I really spend each day talking about Jesus with my children?” I had to pause and reflect on that. I have been spending a lot of time in recent weeks planning a homeschool preschool curriculum for Lily and Zach, with the anxious desire that Lily be sufficiently prepared to start kindergarten next year. So I’ve thought a lot about letters and numbers and calendars and themes.

Tonight I re-read Elder Cook’s talk from the April 2012 General Conference, and this paragraph leapt out at me:

“The message, ministry, and Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior, are our essential family curriculum. No scripture characterizes our faith better than 2 Nephi 25:26: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

Again that scripture, and the words of essential family curriculum! I love that! Then I remembered this wonderful talk given by Elder Anderson in May 2010:

“The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?

“As you do your best, the testimony of Jesus will gently distill upon your children’s hearts. They will go to their Heavenly Father in humble prayer and feel His influence through the power of the Holy Ghost. A stronger personal faith in Jesus Christ will prepare them for the challenges they will most surely face.^“

So I am inspired and excited about this new focus and direction for our family. “We talk of Christ. We rejoice in Christ” is our newest family habit. (You can read more about our habits here). I am thankful for the inspiration that has led me to this point, inspiration which will help us to have a more Christ-centered home.

Highlights from “In Tune with the Music of Faith” (Elder Cook)

September 24, 2012September 24, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

This talk given by Elder Cook at the April 2012 General Conference has really struck a chord with me. So much so that I couldn’t pick just one paragraph to share here!

“Finally, there are those who are in tune with the music of faith. You know who you are. You love the Lord and His gospel and continuously try to live and share His message, especially with your families. You are in harmony with the promptings of the Spirit, have awakened to the power of God’s word, have religious observance in your homes, and diligently try to live Christlike lives as His disciples.”

“Our great desire is to raise our children in truth and righteousness. One principle that will help us accomplish this is to avoid being overly judgmental about conduct that is foolish or unwise but not sinful. Many years ago, when my wife and I had children at home, Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught that it was important to distinguish between youthful mistakes which should be corrected and sins that require chastening and repentance. Where there is lack of wisdom, our children need instruction. Where there is sin, repentance is essential. We found this to be helpful in our own family.”

“Religious observance in the home blesses our families. Example is particularly important. What we are speaks so loudly that our children may not hear what we say.”

“The message, ministry, and Atonement of Jesus Christ, our Savior, are our essential family curriculum. No scripture characterizes our faith better than 2 Nephi 25:26: “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

“Clearly, a dividing line between those who hear the music of faith and those who are tone-deaf or off-key is the active study of the scriptures. I was deeply touched years ago that a beloved prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, emphasized the need to continually read and study the scriptures. He said: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.”

I hope we are reading the Book of Mormon with our children regularly.”

“Our doctrine is clear; we are to be positive and of good cheer. We emphasize our faith, not our fears. We rejoice in the Lord’s assurance that He will stand by us and give us guidance and direction. The Holy Ghost testifies to our hearts that we have a loving Father in Heaven, whose merciful plan for our redemption will be fulfilled in every aspect because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook, “In Tune with the Music of Faith”. April 2012 General Conference.

Our first calling

August 20, 2012August 19, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“The creation of life is a great responsibility for a married couple. It is the challenge of mortality to be a worthy and responsible parent. Neither man nor woman can bear children alone. It was meant that children have two parents—both a father and a mother. No other pattern or process can replace this one.”

“The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling—from which they will never be released—is to one another and then to their children.

“One of the great discoveries of parenthood is that we learn far more about what really matters from our children than we ever did from our parents. We come to recognize the truth in Isaiah’s prophecy that “a little child shall lead them.”

“Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected. We urge our members to show devotion to their families.”

Boyd K. Packer, “And a Little Child Shall Lead Them”. April 2012 General Conference.

Receiving Children

April 30, 2012April 15, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“It is a crowning privilege of a husband and wife who are able to bear children to provide mortal bodies for these spirit children of God. We believe in families, and we believe in children.”

“We express deep gratitude for the enormous faith shown by husbands and wives (especially our wives) in their willingness to have children. When to have a child and how many children to have are private decisions to be made between a husband and wife and the Lord. These are sacred decisions—decisions that should be made with sincere prayer and acted on with great faith.”

“Many voices in the world today marginalize the importance of having children or suggest delaying or limiting children in a family. My daughters recently referred me to a blog written by a Christian mother (not of our faith) with five children. She commented: “[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get.” She then adds: “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.”

“In “the best of times [and] … the worst of times,”the true Saints of God, acting in faith, have never forgotten, dismissed, or neglected “God’s commandment … to multiply and replenish the earth.” We go forward in faith—realizing the decision of how many children to have and when to have them is between a husband and wife and the Lord. We should not judge one another on this matter.”

“And [Jesus] took a child … in his arms [and] said …“Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth … him that sent me.” What a wonderful blessing we have to receive sons and daughters of God into our home.”

Neil L. Anderson, “Children”. October 2011 General Conference.

Have a Positive Attitude

April 23, 2012April 15, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”

“So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

“Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”

“We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Living the Abundant Life”, Ensign, January 2012.

The first calling for husbands and wives

April 16, 2012April 15, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“Family time is sacred time and should be protected and respected. We urge our members to show devotion to their families.”

Boyd K. Packer, “And a Little Child Shall Lead Them”. April 2012 General Conference.

Notes from Oct. 2011 General Conference: President Monson

March 19, 2012March 19, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

I recently reviewed President Monson’s talk from the October 2011 General Conference. Then we reviewed the talk for a Family Home Evening Lesson. I retold the story of the $5 bill in his pants pocket, and I shared some of my highlighted notes below. Then we played a few rounds of one of our favorite games
“Where’s the prophet?! (go here to get the skinny on this awesome game for the young ones).

The Ten Commandments

“The Ten Commandments are still just as valid today as they were when they were first given to the children of Israel.

“Our code of conduct is definitive; it is not negotiable. It is found not only in the Ten Commandments but also in the Sermon on the Mount, given to us by the Savior when He walked upon the earth. It is found throughout His teachings. It is found in the words of modern revelation.

“Our Father in Heaven is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The prophet Mormon tells us that God is “unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity.” In this world where nearly everything seems to be changing, His constancy is something on which we can rely, an anchor to which we can hold fast and be safe, lest we be swept away into uncharted waters.”

Praying with Faith

Tell story of leaving $5 bill in his pants pocket. He prayed that the money would be kept safe; after two days his pants returned from the laundry with the money still intact.

“Since that time of long ago, I have had countless prayers answered. Not a day has gone by that I have not communicated with my Father in Heaven through prayer. It is a relationship I cherish—one I would literally be lost without. If you do not now have such a relationship with your Father in Heaven, I urge you to work toward that goal. As you do so, you will be entitled to His inspiration and guidance in your life—necessities for each of us if we are to survive spiritually during our sojourn here on earth. Such inspiration and guidance are gifts He freely gives if we but seek them. What treasures they are!

“My beloved brothers and sisters, communication with our Father in Heaven—including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us—is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life. The Lord invites us, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.” As we do so, we will feel His Spirit in our lives, providing us the desire and the courage to stand strong and firm in righteousness—to “stand … in holy places, and be not moved.

Thomas S. Monson “Stand in Holy Places”. October 2011 General Conference.

Key to a great marriage

February 13, 2012February 9, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

“A happy marriage is not so much a matter of romance as it is an anxious concern for the comfort and well-being of one’s companion.”

Gordon B. Hinckley, “What God Hath Joined Together,” Ensign, May 1991, 73.

Quoted in Douglas Brinley, “What Happily Married Couples Do,” Ensign, January 2012.

What lessons are you teaching?

January 30, 2012January 29, 2012 Nurture Mama Leave a comment

Yesterday I attended a stake conference meeting. It was one of the satellite broadcast meetings from Salt Lake City. I spent most of the meeting dealing with my almost-two-year-old son, so I unfortunately didn’t hear too much of the meeting. But what I did hear was this:

“The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest.”

The quote was given in a talk by Sister Esplin of the Primary General Presidency. The words stuck with me, and I know that is the lesson I needed to hear right now. I came home from church and did a little digging to find the original source of the quote. The words are from President Monson, and you can view a short video of his address discussing the importance of Family Home Evening here. The text is below. So the question I am pondering, and what I invite you to consider, is “What lessons are you teaching your children?“

“I begin with family home evening. We cannot afford to neglect this heaven-inspired program. It can bring spiritual growth to each member of the family, helping him or her to withstand the temptations which are everywhere. The lessons learned in the home are those that last the longest. As President Gordon B. Hinckley and his predecessors have stated, “The home is the basis of a righteous life, and no other instrumentality can take its place nor fulfill its essential functions.”²

“Dr. Glenn J. Doman, noted author and medical authority, wrote: “The newborn child is almost an exact duplicate of an empty … computer, although superior to such a computer in almost every way. … What is placed in the child’s [mind] during the first eight years of life is probably there to stay. … If you put misinformation into his [mind] during [this period], it is extremely difficult to erase it.” Dr. Doman added that the most receptive age in human life is that of two or three years.³

“I like this thought: “Your mind is a cupboard, and you stock the shelves.” Let us make certain that our cupboard shelves, and those of our family members, are stocked with the things which will provide safety to our souls and enable us to return to our Father in Heaven. Such shelves could well be stocked with gospel scholarship, faith, prayer, love, service, obedience, example, and kindness.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Constant Truths for Changing Times”, Ensign, May 2005.