I love that church teaches us about our Savior and how much He loves us and how that love is unconditional and unchanging no matter what our choices are. That we are of infinite worth and value, that we were made with a purpose and that God doesn't make mistakes. We are His children.
I love that church teaches my kids music and that they're becoming familiar with how to read music and even write their own, in Kasen's case. lol
I love that they get to give talks in primary and practice speaking in front of people and have that confidence talking about what they believe.
I love that they get to make friends at church and that Kohen can learn to share with them and practice being away from mom and dad. :)
I love that church gives us opportunities to help and serve others and teaches us to love everyone as children of God.
I love that church is family and home centered, always encouraging us to spend quality time together as a family and reminds us what is most important in life. I love that Tai and Kasen ask to plan family night activities and look forward to them.
A couple of my favorite family night activities last year were when we made collages of things we love or believe and talking about how we all will go through hard things, but how can overcome our challenges too.
I love that church teaches my kids to pray and to have a personal relationship with their Savior, to think about others needs, practice gratitude, know that they are never alone and how they can find answers for themselves.
I LOVE hearing what they pray for. Things like;
"Please bless me and Tai to get along, that we don't.
Bless everyone that makes bad choices to be more like Jesus.
We're thankful for all we have so we can share with others.
We're thankful we have a garden for extra food.
Bless people without food that they can have a fishing pole to catch fish to eat.
I'm thankful my parents got married and are alive so I can be alive.
Help me be a better at school to be the star student.
Bless us to make more friends in the world.
Please bless those in need, all around the world. Even the aliens, if aliens are real.
And he knows all about us cause He made us."
I have learned so many great things at church, (outside of figuring out what is right and true for me and making covenants with God). Such as goal setting, how to teach and study, what my morals and values are, risk management, self control, self reliance, priorities, perspective, self esteem, belonging, how to forgive and how to feel peace, how to plan activities and lead others, and how much we need one another and to share our talents. How we can connect, lift and really love.
I am so thankful for the all goodness and the ways we can become the best versions of ourselves. We can do good and be like Him. I am so thankful for the gospel and the strength and love it brings to our family!
Happy Sunday
I love everything you you wrote in this post. I was pondering this topic a couple of weeks ago as it relates to society as a whole, and I posted this question in on a couple of internet sites:
ReplyDeleteWhere do you take your family on a regular basis to hear inspiring or motivational speakers, and mingle with community members who share your values? Parents send their kids to school and maybe kid clubs or other after-school activities, and parents may be involved in their own social groups, but name a place where you all go together on a regular basis where a large group of people reinforces the values that you want your kids to learn? For many people that is a function of their chosen religion, but if you choose not to participate in religion, how do you fill that void for your family? If you are not involved, as a family, with a group of other families that meet regularly to reinforce your values, then you are leaving your kids at the mercy of the world and all the harmful things the world wants to do to them. Kids are exposed on a daily basis at school to a large group of people who want to instill values to them that the government wants them to have. What are families doing to show their kids that there is a larger body of people whose values are better than what the government is offering? I think every family should become active in a church if for no other reason than to allow their children to be exposed to other narratives than just what the government is offering.
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Of course, it would be even better if parents helped their children develop a real relationship with their Savior and an understanding of God's plan, but at a bare minimum, at least get them away from what the government and extremists are trying to expose them to.