Keepin' it Real

How I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I was able to go with my teenagers to a Youth Fireside with our Stake President tonight. As each day passes I find confirmation in my decision to stay home full-time with my family. No, Matt is not employed yet. Yes, we have been without income for almost 2 months. Without going into detail of our finances, we are ok. I have panicked, made deals and begged for my faith to be strengthened. The panic passes quickly and I firmly remind myself that I need to chill out and trust in God... not easy. More about that at another post. I don't want to focus on the struggle right now. I want to focus on another confirmation that I have done the right thing, even though it seems insane from the outside.

Pres. Moore focused on concerns of our youth that our youth presented to him. He reminded us of our visit from an apostle in December, Elder Russell M Nelson. These meetings with an apostle succored me as a parent. Elder Nelson told us that the best thing we can do as parents is to teach our children who they are. He posed the question of asking our children why they felt they were born in this nation, this town, at this time or why they live here now at this time. The question is further probed with these pondering thoughts: Why here instead of in a village in Africa where your primary and daily duty is to carry a bucket on your head and walk many miles to fill that bucket with clean water only to walk it back to your family. Or why here instead of on the streets of India as an orphan, begging for food or digging in dumpsters to find sustenance? Teach your children WHO THEY ARE! Tell them they were held for this time, at this place, in this family. Not only were they held in the heavens for this time but they were kept hidden in order that they may be kept from the wiles of the world.

Since the 80's when I was a youth, I have heard the phrase "a chosen generation." I sang the song, "We are the Rising Generation." I have known who I am. I know that today I am much more adept at hearing and following the "still small voice." As a youth I felt typical things that many youth feel. Today, I feel like my mission in this life is clear, especially since Matt and I have stepped on this foreign contract road.

Speaking of missions... Pres Moore reported that our Stake has appx 40-50 missionaries that it sends out every year. Of those, 10 came home early last year. 1/5 of our missionaries came home. None of them were for moral transgressions. One was medical, 9 were because of anxiety and depression. Consider what happens when we are challenged. What do our youth do to cope? Video games, texting, talking on the phone, social media (twitter, facebook, etc) watching movies, etc. Are any of those things available/allowed on a mission? Nope. Time for some self-eval. What do I do? This was another aha parent moment for me. I recognize that too often that is exactly what my boys do when they are struggling or bored-- video games, legos, movies. I hope to teach them to turn to prayer, the scriptures, family, fasting. They need to be able to self-solve problems and find good sources for peace. Thing that make you go hmmm.