to remember Him

I am excited to get back into my weekly Conference Reports. Just about every Monday, I will post about the conference talk I am studying that week. Ever since I started doing this I have gotten so much more out of these talks. It has become easier to incorporate them into my life, to recognize the changes I need to make, and then to make them. I believe that we have a prophet on the earth who, along with the other leaders of our church, tells us the things our Heavenly Father wants us to know to help us better navigate this life. It seems so logical to me that we would have modern day prophets, just like the prophets spoken of in the Old and New Testaments. As the people in those days needed to hear counsel from Heavenly Father, so do we today. I am grateful that twice a year we get to sit and listen to new counsel. It brings me peace, gives me hope, and always answers my questions or concerns.

One talk that really stood out to me from this most recent Conference was Elder Claudio R. M. Costa's "That They Do Always Remember Him". He said, "I believe that starting a tradition of telling the stories of Jesus to our children and families is a very special way to keep the Sabbath day holy in our homes." This made me reflect on what we do in our home to keep the Sabbath day holy.

We are really good at not shopping on Sunday, and not doing homework or housework. We attend our church meetings, visit family, and try to maintain a quiet, reverent feeling in our home. But are we actively keeping the Sabbath day holy? Is there more that I can do as a mother to make the Sabbath day more fulfilling for my children? The spirit whispered to me that yes, there is more that I can do.

I loved Elder Costa's counsel to share stories of Jesus with our children as a way to better keep the Sabbath day holy. I keep being reminded that the home is where most of the gospel teaching for my children should occur. It is not up to their primary teachers or other church leaders to teach my children these things. It is my job as their mother. The church is there to support what is being taught at home.

So yesterday we tried it out. Instead of just letting my kids while away the hours quietly before church like we usually do, I sat with Elliot and read him stories from the Friend. I watched Bible videos (there is a great app!) with my children about Christ's life. We talked about why Jesus needed to be baptized because soon it will be Stella's turn to be baptized. I felt a better spirit in our home that day. And I hope, like Elder Costa said, we can "create traditions that build faith and testimony and also protect our family."

Read, watch, or listen to the whole talk here.