The Music of the Gospel Chalkboard Drawing

I summarized the conference talk, "The Music of the Gospel" in Sunday School this week. Here is the chalkboard I drew to accompany. And here is the talk.

Elijah and the Still, Small Voice Chalkboard Drawing

I did this drawing for my Sunday School class on reverence. Got was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire. But then a still, small voice. I need to work on flames apparently.

Scripture Study Chalkboard Drawing

Mothers in the Scriptures Chalkboard Drawing

Apostasy and Reformation Chalkboard Drawing

Christ even loved the loud and squirrely kids

This Sunday we discussed the Sacrament. Someone made the comment that really, we should be partaking of it as if Christ, himself, were handing it to us. Because that is really what it is like. That is where our thoughts should be. And are we being reverent enough? Are we focusing enough at that time and really allowing it to change us?

I couldn't help thinking about my sacrament experience only two hours before. The one where I told Max to sit up, stop spitting, put his tongue in his mouth, get his feet off the pew. The one where I told Jane to stop crying, took away whatever was causing a fight between the two, told her to whisper and tied and retied the "necklace" she was making. I think Rob remembered to whisper to them to, "Remember Jesus."

So when I imagined what I would be doing if Christ were passing the Sacrament at church, I had to think, what would my kids be doing? Would they understand the true weight of that moment? Would they sit there in awe and gratitude.

Maybe. For approximately 8.4 seconds.

I can tell you one thing, they probably wouldn't look like the kids in this picture.




Or this one.


This picture gets a little closer. At least some of the kids have removed pieces of their clothing and one is carrying a stick.



And as I pondered if my kids would just SIT STILL AND BE QUIET FOR TWO MINUTES so I could appreciate the wonder of the Savior, I realized, Christ loves my kids just the way they are. In fact, He's told me to become more like them.

Christ loved all little children. Not just the ones who sat quietly with their hands in their lap, or the ones who look up at Him with their angelic, sweetly smiling faces.

It occurred to me that Christ would still love a child who wanted to show Him a funny face.

Or is having a bad day.

Or can't seem to figure out whispering.

He thinks they're all great and wonderful and beautiful. And He knows I'm trying to teach them and we're all just learning and doing our best. 

And you know what? Because Christ was once a child. I'm sure he understands what it's like to have so much pent up energy that you just have to wiggle, or the need to jump off that really high table because it's just sitting there challenging your abilities every day, or how hard it is to use an inside voice when you have something REALLY IMPORTANT to say.

He knows. 

He loves. 

My kids. Your kids. All kids. Even the loud and squirrely ones.

Can we get a picture of Christ with some of those kind of kids please?

Family Devotionals with Young Children

We have a family devotional, or scripture study, every night (ok, ok, most nights with very few exceptions. Nobody's perfect!)  We started doing this consistently about 4 years ago. It has become a wonderful part of our routine. After only a few weeks, there was a noticeable difference in the spirit of our home and even our marriage. Here are some ideas to help you get started or "freshen up" your family devotional.

Have your devotional at the same time every day. Not necessarily always at 6:00 pm sharp, but at the same time in your routine. Devotional has become part of our bedtime routine. Right after bath and pajamas...sometimes during the brushing of teeth (Hey, sometimes the patience just runs out.)

Don't make it too long, especially with little ones. A few verses is perfect! When we are reading through the scriptures, we aim for a column a night, but sometimes it's only a verse. Only you can gauge what you kids are able to handle that night.

Add a song! Kids love to sing and frankly, songs teach them more than scripture verses. Choose one song and sing it every night for the whole month. You can even have a monthly theme if you want, and have all your family home evenings go with the monthly song. We try to do this and I think it helps, at least with the planning if not the comprehension.

Finish with family prayer. Always. Always. Always. Hearing your kids pray is one of the best things in life.

So what should you read? We've done a few different things with differing success.

Just read straight through. This is our go to plan. We're nearing the end of our second round of the Book of Mormon. But Heaven's knows my kids don't understand a word of it. I figure it's the consistency and thought that counts.

Children's Bible stories. Get a book of bible (or Book of Mormon) stories, that tells them very quickly. Then read the verses that go along with the story. For a long story take a week to cover all the verses, but read the story every day.

Give each child a piece of paper and crayons and have them draw what you are reading about. We haven't done this yet, but it is something I would like to try when my kids are older. A great way to engage everyone.

Have your kids "read" with you. Everyone takes turns reading a verse. Even the littles, with some help of course.

LDS Bible Videos. This is my new favorite scripture study with the kids. We started it in preparation for Christmas and will probably do it again for Easter. There are about 60 videos so far, and they keep adding more. We read the verses listed under the video (or as many as the kids can handle) and then watch. This has been our best scripture study by far. My kids listen, ask questions. The videos are beautiful, and well done. I can't recommend this route enough!

The Ordain Women Movement and why I don't care whether or not you're a part of it.

I've seen a lot of different posts about the "Ordain Women" movement within the church lately. Posts on both sides of the fence. They're all about why they are or aren't joining the movement. And so whether you're for or against, we all have something in common. It's something most of us have thought about.

Because let's be honest, we are all at different places in our "faith journeys" if you want to call it that. We all will/have come across something in the gospel or the church that we have to make peace with. For some it is women and the priesthood, for others it may be church history, blacks and the priesthood, homosexuality, tithing, word of wisdom, whatever. We all have different challenges, hang-ups, questions.

But here's the other thing. We all have access to prayer, fasting, the Holy Ghost and personal revelation. Does that mean our personal revelation on these topics should be new church-wide doctrine? No. But it does mean that the Lord cares enough about us to help us find peace.

And the most important way He does this is through the Atonement.

And honestly, that's the only thing I care about.

Do you wear pants to church, want to attend the Priesthood session of General Conference and hope that one day women will be bishops too? Okay. Do you believe in a loving Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and in the power of grace and the Atonement? Great! There's room for you here.

Do you not give a whiff about holding the Priesthood and don't understand what the big deal is? Okay. Can you help others find the peace that the Atonement brings, lift burdens and strengthen faith? Wonderful! There's room for you here.

Are you a fence sitter who thinks certain things wouldn't hurt to change and other issues with the priesthood you're mostly ambivalent about? Okay.  Do you have faith that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know you personally and love you? Perfect! There's room for you here.

Because that's the thing about the gospel. It's all about the Atonement. In fact, it was Joseph Smith who said that everything else in the gospel is simply an appendage to the Atonement.

Are these things still "important"? Yes.
Does it make me sad when women leave the church over the priesthood? Yes. It makes me sad whenever anyone leaves the church. Not because I think they are terrible people, but because I wish they could have the joy and peace that I have in the gospel, and it makes my heartache when they don't find it here.

But to everyone out there who feels like they don't have perfectly "orthodox" views about certain gospel principles. I can tell you from talking to a lot of people, that most of us have a few thoughts about one thing or another that someone else will say are "unorthodox". We each make our own peace. We each have our own questions. Our testimonies are unique, special, personal.

And there is room for all of us.