Building

Yesterday I actually had a great idea (a rarity) for a Family Home Evening lesson. It gets dark here around 7:00 pm, so Joel and I loaded everyone up in the car and drove down to the river. The children, each enthusiastically armed with a flashlight, ran and played up the trail as we watched the sun disappear and the sky turn dark.

We found a place to sit down and I began to tell the children about Christ's visit to the Nephites. I told them how they had seen terrible storms and some of their homes had been destroyed, and how scared they felt. I wanted to tell them all about how the people were joyful when Jesus visited, and how much Jesus loved them.

However, the children were getting restless, so I sped things up. "Do you think the people were happy or sad that Jesus came to see them?" I asked.

"Sad," Everett replied.

"Yeah," Ashley added.

I reminded the children how happy they were to see Jesus, and how happy He was to see them. I explained that when Jesus came, He told them "I am the light of the world."

"Can you say that? Can you say 'I am the light of the world'?"

"I am. . ." Everett began, as Ashley just stared.

"I am the light. . ." I continued for them; they both looked blankly at me.

I had them repeat it one more time.

"I am the light--hey look! A Sun!" Everett noticed a design on the ground where we were sitting.

I redirected his attention to the lights illuminating the walkway. I explained that Jesus says he is the light of the world because he shows us the way to get back to Heavenly Father, just like the lights help guide us along the path.

"If those lights were off, do you think it would be dark or would it still be light out here?"

"Um, light," Everett replied quickly as he played with the grass.

I explained the point again. Just as I was finishing up, the children jumped up and escaped to the nearest light pole.

I didn't mind too much. This lesson had the potential to be something that really made an impression on them. However, I realize that my job as a mother is not to only provide few amazing moments, but to help them build their testimonies brick by brick. Sometimes it can feel a little tedious, and a lot of the time it's difficult to see the progress we're making, but I know it is happening.

The important thing to me at this point is that my children know their Mother loves Heavenly Father and that they want to love Heavenly Father, too. We'll build the rest a little at a time.