Let me tell you about our family scripture study last night:
All 3 kids were excited to get started.
We were reading about Jesus visiting the Nephites and blessing the little children and looking at pictures.
“Why is Jesus crying?”
“No, it’s my turn to read, you just went!”
“There are angels!”
“Did Jesus create all the United States?”
“She’s making me laugh!”
“If we were there, we would have been part of that group of kids too!”
A little all over the place, which is pretty normal for a 2, 4, and 6 year old.
We did our best, and it was all good.
Then it was time for family prayer and all three kids wanted to pray.
So we literally had all 3 kids say the family prayer, one after the other.
It was chaotic but also so sweet.
Young kids are often a lot of work. Frustrating. Impatient. Constantly in need.
But other times, I catch a glimpse of their pure and powerful spirits.
My kids are real people. They’ve got a full mortal life and a spiritual forever ahead of them.
And although they need to mature developmentally…
They have faith now.
They have pure, simple faith. They believe Jesus really did visit the children of the Nephites with all their heart.
And I think that’s why Christ wept when He was with the little children.
His joy was full because of their great faith.
President Henry B. Eyring once shared that he felt frustrated with a son who was jumping on the bed.
He grabbed his son by his shoulders, and immediately the Spirit spoke to him:
“You are holding a great person.”
Children are not easy to raise. They are not always obedient, kind, and willing to share. They are not perfect in that sense. At all.
But they are perfect in their faith.
It is unwavering. It is pure.
And that is what filled Christ with such joy that He wept.
I like to reflect on whether or not I’ve lost that Christlike faith. If I’ve become just a touch too cynical or conditional or “realistic”.
I want my faith to become more childlike and pure, so that I can make my Savior’s joy full.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
