In our most recent Stake Conference, Elder Ted Callister spoke on how to help our children gain testimonies. It was very specific. As a mother of 5, I (like every other mother) was notably interested because aside from my eternal marriage, nothing means more to me than the spiritual commitment of my children. It's a nasty world out there, and especially for our little children, but we know they are strong and very capable little spirit children sent to earth at this time specifically. Our job is to help prepare them for the challenges that they will face.
The first thing Elder Callister spoke about was teaching them how to pray. I wrote about that earlier, you can read it by clicking here.
The second way Elder Callister mentioned was to teach them to read the scriptures. But not only to read them, but to read them daily. His exact words were, "They only need to read the scriptures on the days they want to eat." :) Feeding our children spiritually is just as important as feeding them physically. He spoke about the cartoon Popeye. Do you remember in the cartoon how Popeye always found himself in precarious situations with big Brutus? What did he do for strength?
He popped a whole can of spinach.
Reading the scriptures is our "spiritual spinach."
This is where we will receive strength to handle all that is coming at us in the world. As children get older, it will be a habit for them, if we make it a habit while they are young.
Six Ways To Study The Scriptures With Your Family:
Always begin with prayer and seek the spirit as you read.
Read at a set time. Find what works for you, early in the morning, or right before bed, maybe read right after dinner, before everyone leaves the table.
Provide an incentive or reward for reading consistently. My neighbors family decided if they read for a whole year consistently every single day - not missing ONE day, they would go to Disneyland. And they did.
Get new colored pencils for each person to mark or color code verses as you read.
Look for personal application and talk about how it applies to your family right now, in 2014.
Study them as though the parables and the prophets were speaking to you, because they are.
President Hinckley, the 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said,
"...And there will grow in their hearts a great love for the Savior of the
world, the only perfect man who walked the earth. He will become to them
a very real living being, and His great atoning sacrifice as they grow
to manhood and womanhood, will take on a new and more glorious meaning
in their lives” (quoted in Church News, 6 Dec. 1997, 2).
What is more important to us, than to know our "children walk in truth?" (3 John 1:4)
