Why?
Why did the Ammonite sons not even have a shadow of a doubt that their mothers had faith in God?
At first, my mind goes to doing EVERYTHING.
I’ve got a two year old and a six month old, and yet I think I’m not doing enough.
Should I be preparing more for our family scripture study?
Do I need to have more elaborate lessons planned for when we have home-church?
Do I need to be likening scripture study stories every time we are playing together?
How can I make sure my kids KNOW that I have a testimony?
And then I picture these Ammonite women.
They had believed in false traditions as Lamanites.
But when they heard about the true gospel of Jesus Christ, they took a covenant to help them stay far away from sin.
They uprooted their families and moved to a safer location.
They didn’t give a second of their time to the anti-Christ Korihor when he came to town.
These women took in poor Zoramites who had been kicked out of their city.
They uprooted their lives and moved again to give room for the Nephite armies to protect them.
They taught their sons and their daughters that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
And why would their children believe their mothers?
Because their words were backed up by their actions.
Keeping covenants with exactness, turning away from evil, serving with their whole hearts…
There was no way to doubt that their mothers knew that God would provide, because the proof was there over and over throughout their lives.
Of course, these mothers explicitly taught the gospel to their kids.
But the most important part was that their actions backed up every word they may have said.
So what example am I showing my kids?
How do I treat them when they do something they shouldn’t?
How do I model service and kindness?
How do I emanate joy from staying close to and worthy of the Spirit?
That’s how they’ll know that I know.
Yes, I’ll teach them. We’ll keep up scripture study, and I’ll share lessons.
They’ll know the gospel.
But they’ll know that I know by the way I choose to live my life.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
4 Responses
Beautiful thought! Your words turn me again to the things that are most important with each personal lesson you share! Thank you!
Thank you! <3
Fun Sunday meeting idea:
I sent the following text to all of the mothers and fathers of my girls (grandparents, great grandparents etc) to have them participate in what I think would be a very powerful Sacrament Meeting and thought I would share:
Hi family! Our family has been studying about the stripling warriors this past week and I thought of an idea for our family sacrament meeting on Sunday. We have been focusing a lot on the importance of the girls gaining their own testimonies and recently how these testimonies serve as a foundation for them in good times and in times of struggle. This past week they saw the effect of the teachings and testimonies the Ammonite parents had on the 2000 warriors.
I am going to focus on two parts of that this Sunday for church that I would like your help with.
GRANDMAS:
“we do not doubt our mothers knew it”. I would love if you could reread Alma 56 this week and focus on verses 44-48 and then make a video or join us via Facebook this Sunday to share your testimony that you would like the girls to know that shows what you know to be true just like the mothers of the 2000.
GRANDPAS:
Read Alma 56 and focus on the hardship these 2000 young men faced. Then focus on verse 27 and imagine you were one of the fathers to bring provisions to your sons before they fought their hard battles. What would you rush to bring? What would your instruction and guidance be for them? Make a video or join us via Facebook to tell the girls what “provisions” or guidance you would rush to give them today during the spiritual battles they are fighting now.
I LOVE THIS! Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful idea and message!