Everybody knows that a good mother gives her children a feeling of trust and stability. She is their earth. She is the one they can count on for the things that matter most of all. She is their food and their bed and the extra blanket when it grows cold in the night; she is their warmth and their health and their shelter; she is the one they want to be near when they cry. She is the only person in the whole world in a whole lifetime who can be these things to her children.
There is no substitute for her.
- Katharine Butler Hathaway

Sunday, May 1, 2011

31 Days to Better Parenting: Day 1

I need to be a better mom. I've been struggling with the boys lately. Isaac is testing his boundaries, not listening and being a little more aggressive than normal. Taylor whines about EVERYTHING!!! Seriously all day, every day. And Parker has his two upper canines breaking through, and is horribly cranky. It is hard, really hard for me right now.

But today at church we had an awesome testimony meeting. (Testimony meeting generally happens on the first Sunday of every month, where during the main meeting of our church, people of the congregation who have a desire, bear their testimony up at the pulpit.) One of the testimonies was really sad about how her sister and niece were in a skiing accident, and the little girl didn't make it. But her take on the accident and dealing with the loss was amazing. She said how she found peace through the Holy Ghost, and the Atonement of our Savior. Then a man got up and told how he and his wife had tried to get pregnant with their third baby for years, and had all but given up hope. Then by a miracle she got pregnant, and has had a difficult pregnancy. During a visit to the doctor they found that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. They did an emergency C-Section. The baby was only 3 pounds, but is doing well and breathing on her own.

Later when I was thinking about the testimony meeting, I felt how silly my hardships are right now... extremely loud boys, who whine and fight all day, compared to losing a child or having a premature baby. 
I can and need to deal with my hardships better, because I can be better.

Last year our stake president (a local church leader) gave a promise that if parents would study and apply the counsel of the apostles from General Conference (a semi-annual meeting where the highest leaders in our church speak to the entire church) we would receive the greatest counsel but even better we would receive direction from the Holy Ghost on how to be better parents.

I have compiled the parenting talks over the last few years, so I can take advantage of that promise and become a better and more Christ\like parent. 

The first talk was given by David A. Bednar in October 2009

These are some of the feelings that I had while reading this talk:

"As disciples of the Savior, we are not merely striving to know more; rather, we need to consistently do more of what we know is right and become better."
- This quote is similarly quoted again in the talk. I need to do what I already know I should be doing. Simple enough right? At least for me it is harder said than done. 

"Just as our love of and for the Lord is evidenced by walking ever in His ways, so our love for spouse, parents, and children is reflected most powerfully in our thought, our work, and our deeds."
- The only way to truly love the Lord is through our actions, so it is in my family, too. I must show my love and be who I want my family to see.

In regards to bearing testimony of Christ or the gospel: "The power of pure testimony does not come form sophisticated language or effective presentation; rather, it is the result of revelation conveyed by the third member of the Godhead, even the Holy Ghost."
- I don't need to worry about what to say when the time comes to bear testimony to my family, because the Holy Ghost will guide my.

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