Sunday Sentiments

So remember how I wanted to start doing Sunday Sentiments...where I shared what I learned each Sunday?  Yeah, I am obviously behind, so I've decided to do it as I feel inspired to.  Today was definitely one of those days.

In Sacrament meeting today the talks were about being an example of the believers.  One of the sisters (Jenny) gave a talk that really touched me...and made me consider a few things about being a parent.

First.  Is the example I set for my children, the one I want them to see?
"Our children will do what we do" she said, "both good and bad."   Even at Noah's young age I have seen this statement to be true.  The things we teach our children by example are often times greater than the things we tell them.  How can our children expect to live by the things we say if we don't live them ourselves?  Sometimes our greatest faults/weaknesses are fully realized when a child points them out to us.  That is a blessing I think...for not only does it allow us to correct those things in ourselves, but helps us to correct them in our children as well.

Second. What is the most important thing I can teach my children? 
I am not sure if there is just one answer to this question.  Jenny relayed a story about one of her daughters.  To paraphrase - Jenny's daughter Corrie was invited to join a club at school...to which some of the girls chose to leave one particular girl out of.  Corrie tried to tell the girls that leaving someone out wasn't nice, and would make the girl feel bad...but the girls wouldn't listen.  Instead of joining the club, Corrie made the decision to play with the girl who had been left out, and eventually convinced some of her other friends to join them.   


Couldn't we all afford to be more like little Corrie?  What price do we pay when we teach our children that there are more important things than being kind to others?  I truly believe that when a person is genuinely kind and cares about others - they are happy.  What good do worldly success offer us if we don't care about how we treat those around us.  

'Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.' 

-Joseph B. Worthlin

There are people I can think of, in my past and in the present...whom I believe emulate this great virtue.  Kindness.  I hope that I can emulate it better in all aspects of my life- and most importantly teach my children the virtue of kindness.  

Lastly, today we watched the end of the video On The Lord's Errand, about the Prophet Thomas S. Monson.  I wanted to share with you President Monson's testimony from this video.  I hope it inspires you as much as it does me...no matter your beliefs. 

"I have a testimony of this great work that we are engaged.  I don't know when I first obtained it, I think it came step by step, from goodly parents.  I've always had a testimony.  The sweetest experience I know in life is to feel a prompting, and act upon it, and later find out it was the fulfillment of someones prayer, or someones need.  And I always want the Lord to know that if He needs an errand run, Tom Monson will run that errand for him.  I'm so grateful for His example, and that's whom we serve.  This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I honor that name, I honor this church. The work is true, and I testify of that truth from the depths of my soul - and would say may God bless us, everyone.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. " 

Don't forget General Conference this next weekend!