Jesus Loves Everyone

Today while eating breakfast I read Pres. Eyring's message in The Friend to the kids. It was about becoming Christ's friend and how He is our friend. I was explaining to them that Jesus loves everyone. I told them how Jesus loves good and bad people no matter what they do, but that he wants us to make the best choices we can. Ally then looked at me, and in a very matter-of-fact manner, stated, "Jesus loves Thaddeus (our 4-foot giant teddy bear). And Jesus loves chocolate milk." So, while she hasn't quite caught the concept that He loves all people, she definitely understand that He loves. And knowing that He is loving is an important thing to know.

Music, Comfort

Duo-post by me today. I haven't posted these stories as they've happened this week.

As mentioned before, the kids listen to CDs from the Children's Songbook when they go to sleep at night. On Monday, I had a terrible headache and just wanted to take a nap. Once Daniel went down, I told Ally that I wanted to go lay on my bed. She followed me to our room and started singing "I Am a Child Of God" for me. So, this story really has no real gospel learning other than the songs they listen to are Church songs. But, because we've taught Ally that good music invites the spirit and can be a comfort, she knew that when I laid down I should listen to good music too.

Prayer

CJ just posted about prayer and I'm going to again! Gospel learning around prayer is probably the biggest one in our house right now. So, while Ally did pray for us several days ago, she has fallen back into old habits of not wanting to pray. One day during lunch, I told Ally and Daniel it was time to pray. I asked Ally if she would pray and she said "no." I was about to say the prayer when Daniel started saying, "My turn! My turn!" I was a little surprised that he wanted to pray, but I was glad. He did so well! He, of course, repeated everything I said and really tried to pronounce everything to his best ability! He was so pleased with himself afterwards. I'm glad that all our praying has helped Daniel learn to be excited to pray.

Prayer

It has been too long since I've posted on here...I am learning from my children still, learning that they keep me busy!! :) I have a post that mirrors very closely Jamie's about Ally praying. In our family we just run through age order to keep track of whose turn it is to pray. Once you'vehad your turn you can expect 5 more family prayers until your turn again. (Unless you fill in for CharlyAnn). But within the last couple of days no one has prayed except for Ram. He LOVES to pray. And, since he is 2 he throws a tantrum if we even begin to say, "Whose turn is it? Brooke's turn" As soon as we ask he just says, "WA!" (his version of Ram). ANd so what can we do but let him pray, he loves it so much. We usually help him, but ocassionally he'll do it on his own. (That sounds mostly like this "hmmahh haha, eehh meh ahun, ee daddy baby, humua, djee kai amen!") But it is so great. Hopefully the girls can continue to love praying since they have't had as many turns for family prayer lately! :)

Music

Part of our nightly routine is turning on a Children's Songbook CD for the kids to listen to as they fall asleep. This all started because Ally kept saying she was scared. So, we told her that as long as she listened to music about Jesus she didn't need to be scared because music invites the Holy Ghost. Last night after LaDon and I had shut their door, we heard the sweet voice of Ally singing "I Am a Child Of God." Tonight, I asked them if they were ready for their music and Ally said, "I get to sing 'Child of God!'" When I hit play and left the room, I could hear her singing, softly, with all her heart. Music has brought such a comforting feeling to Ally and she loves it.

Enduring and Prayer

Ally, for awhile, has been really good about folding her arms when it comes time to pray. But, if you ask her to say the prayer, then it's like pulling teeth! She will not do it. Even if you whisper everything she needs to say to her. Well, yesterday for lunch I announced that we needed to pray first. Ally quickly turned her head to me and, in excitement, said, "I want to say the prayer!!" She started it out and then repeated everything I said to her, plus some of her own. I'm so glad she was excited to say the prayer! And...I think we might be starting to see the fruits of much coaxing and teaching. Although she is young, I do think she knows the importance of prayer to her parents as she knows what to do. Hopefully, as she grows, she will realize the importance it can be for herself as she says her own prayers.

Faith to be healed

Viana was one sick pup last week! When it seemed like there was no end in sight Eric gave her a priesthood blessing. He gave it to her at night when she was too ailed to fall asleep. She was still very sick and didn't seem to be on the mend one bit! But she was blessed to recover and gain her health back. The next morning I was half asleep in bed when Viana ran into my room and sang out, "I am all better I can go to school today!" Then as quick as she came in she dashed back out to find Brooke. I then heard her tell Brooke, "Do you know why I am all better? Because I got a blessing from Daddy." She had absolute faith in the power of the priesthood, and so she was healed...and then she shared her testimony of that experience, which is sometimes harder than having the initial faith. What a great example.

Eternal Families, Joy

I wasn't around my kids for 9 whole days!! That's the longest I've ever been away from them. After I picked them up from the airport and dropped my mom off later that same day, it was amazing to me to see how Ally and Daniel reacted to being home again. They have always been sooooo good about playing with each other or entertaining themselves. They play in the front room or in their bedroom. Well, Friday evening, they both would follow me around the house and set up "imagination play zone" right at my feet, no matter where I was. The kitchen, the foot of the couch, the table, my bedroom. They just wanted to be with me at every step. It made me think about how special it is to have a family in this life and that having a loving home brings great joy. And then it made me think about how happy Heavenly Father must be when we try to be close to him like Ally and Daniel were with me. Or even happier when we are faithful and return to him at the close of mortality. As a mother, having Ally and Daniel have taught me a lot about the feelings that Heavenly Father has for me and each of us.

Trials and opposition

"At the Grand Council we also learned the purpose for our progression: to have a fulness of joy. However, we also learned that some would be deceived, choose other paths, and lose their way. We learned that all of us would have trials in our lives: sickness, disappointment, pain, sorrow, and death. But we understood that these would be given to us for our experience and our good (see D&C 122:7). If we allowed them to, these trials would purify us rather than defeat us. They would teach us to have endurance, patience, and charity (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball [2006], 15–16)." -Gospel Principles Manual Chapter 2

Sometimes I think we forget that we signed up for hard things! Pain, sorrow, trials, opposition--all of it is important to our journey! Ram was playing with a little stuffed animal puppy. I was sitting watching him and he took the dog and ran him into the wall. Then he looked at me and said, "Bonk!" Then again, "Bonk!" I said, "Did he get a bonk? Give him a kiss." So he said, "Yeah, muh" (that means kiss) then he kissed them. We went through this same routine 4 or 5 times. Trials and opposition are so important that it shows up in the imaginative play of a 2 year old. It is something that our spirits know has to happen.

Sisters and Comfort

Viana has been sick. She has spent the last 24 hours on the couch. Brooke and Ram have been playing together and leaving Viana to mend. This afternoon Viana says to me, "I want to say hi to Brooke." I went back to the bedroom where Brooke and Ram were playing and said, "Brooke, Viana wants to say hi." Brooke immediately stopped what she was doing and walked to the living room. She walked over to the couch and said, "Hi Viana." Viana said, "Hi Brooke." And that was it. Viana turned over content and Brooke went back to playing. It was so precious. Brooke was so anxious to help her sister, and Viana felt her love.
Mosiah 18:9
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort,

Endurance

Sometimes it is easy to forget that we have to have faith, erpent, get baptized, receive the Holy Ghost and ENDURE TO THE END. But Endure we must! Viana came down with a harsh bug this afternoon and was out like a lamp. (Weird since Viana has never been a napper!) She was awake for scripture study but was still feeling very weak. I had thought that she would lay there feebly drifting in and out of dreamland. But as soon as I announced the word we would be listening for ("ye") she raised her hand about two inches and said "Ye" like we always do. Then for the rest of the scripture block every time I read "ye" I saw her pale and limp hand raise as high as she could muster it. It was so great to see her doing her very best to endure even though she could have had every excuse to be idle.

Joy in the Journey

Tonight I took the children on a little walk so that I could deliver something to a lady in our ward. I was focused and walked with purpose. The girls on the other hand stopped at every little rock and grasshopper and leaf. I was initially annoyed and wishing they would just walk! But then I looked up around me and saw the beautiful mountains and the clear sky and the colorful trees. I realized that I needed to find the joy in our journey!! Hardly ever a walk has gone by the the girls aren't enchanted with all the little beauties of this world. "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family." -President Monson