“Parents aren’t the people you come from. They’re the people you want to be, when you grow up.” Jodi Picoult
When I was a young girl, early in the mornings while my family was getting ready for the day, my dad would take ALL the Bibles and the Books of Mormon he could find in our house, and lay them open to his favorite scriptures on the piano in our living room. He said that seeing all his favorite scriptures open at once brought him great comfort. I can still see him in my mind standing in front of the piano with a toothbrush stuck in his mouth, quietly reading his scriptures. Little did he know that he wasn’t the only one that found comfort in this act. Before going off to school, I often found myself standing in front of the open scriptures, studying them and applying them to my own life. He probably doesn't know, but it was this simple act that helped me develop a strong testimony of the scriptures.
My mom, with a beautiful and soft voice, would sing to me… a lot. ‘Love One Another’ was the most popular song she sang to me, probably because I pestered my little brother far too much. But she must have known that I have a special connection with music because she used this tactic to speak to me in a way nobody else could. It was through primary songs, through her voice, that I not only heard the idea that God loves me, but I felt it, within my heart.
As the winds of life have blown around my family this year, my eyes have been opened to how important my calling as a parent is, to teach my children. The voices of society are strong and confident, and it’s easy to get caught up in the trends they present. But then I think about my childhood. I know the societal pulls were the same for my parents. Faith in God wasn’t popular then either and I remember watching my parents get ridiculed for what they believed. And yet they stood strong. Instead of getting distracted by the world around them, they focused all their time and attention on teaching me the most important thing I could ever learn. That God lives, and that He loves me.
As I became a teenager, and the challenges in my life became more difficult, they continued to teach me by bringing me talks given by our modern day prophets and apostles. To this day, I don’t remember what those talks were about, but I will always remember the way they made me feel. They filled me with hope.
There were times when my troubles were beyond my parents reach. As scary as it must have been for them, this was when they handed the reigns over to me and taught me that even though they might not have all the answers to my troubles, my Father in Heaven did. They encouraged me to personally seek for His guidance.
During the time I lived with my parents, they constantly planted little seeds of faith within me, to prepare me for the world they knew I would soon have to maneuver on my own. Thanks to them, those small seeds of faith have grown into an undeniable faith that resides within every cell of my body. I know that God lives! I know that He loves each one of us! I know He is a part of our lives, always!
I know these things because my mom and dad knew them... and then they taught me.
As a mother now to my own children, I see how hard it is to teach what is right, but as I remember where I came from, I’m reminded of the most important thing I ever learned. I hope that I can be as strong and faithful as my parents were and teach the most needed principles on our earth today.
Today, I want to thank my mom and dad! Thank you for sharing your testimony with me through your words and your quiet examples. Thank you for standing strong even when it wasn’t popular and for protecting me both physically and spiritually!
I was born of goodly parents, and I love them so much!
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