Honor thy father and thy mother

Exodus 20:12
"12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."

So would the converse of that be:

If you don't honor your father and mother, your days won't be long upon the land??

Is this a case for filicide?

Happy Re-birthday to Me!

For our Family Home Evening tonight, I decided we would celebrate as a family my baptism 8 years ago tomorrow. It was the first time that I told Willem about my conversion story (in very simplified language). My message was basically: "I know Heavenly Father in my father in heaven, and that he loves me. For a long time, I didn't know that. And there was a time I was really sad and Heavenly Father helped me feel better and because of that I decided to live his commandments and do what he told me was right. So I got baptized. Do you know what baptism is? Its when I went all the way under the water when a man said "I baptize you...." and when I came out I was clean and was given a new life to live. Its how I promised Heavenly Father that I would do what he wants me to do. When you are eight years old, you can get baptized too if you want to and you can promise the same thing to Heavenly Father. "

Willem's response, well interruptions:

"Heavenly Father is you dad? I know Heavenly Father is my dad too."

"I know Heavenly Father loves me too!"

"When I was baptized, I was washed-ed!"

When we asked him how old he would be when he gets baptized he said "Eight!"

Even a two year old can testify of the truthfulness of certain aspects of the gospel. I am amazed and joyful to see him beginning to understand some of those basic and profound truths.

Reproving Betimes with Sharpness

The scripture that has offered me the most day-to-day guidance in my life is D&C 121: 41-44. Although it may be the recipe for properly using priesthood authority, I also view it as the proper behavior for parenting. Perhaps, the role of mother is actually an office of the priesthood too?

The topic of guidance and discipline is one of the hardest for me to implement with a typical 2 year old. The scripture provides insight in how to do so yet I have been most confused by how does one "reprov[e] betimes with sharpness?" The footnote offers some more clarity (how's that for a pun) as it states that sharpness in this case refers more to the concept of clarity used in photography. The opposite of clarity in that sense is blur. When reproving, the directions we give or chastising ought not to be unclear, muddy or incomprehensible.

I have tried to do this in my parenting and I'm pleased to report a success it in. Like usual, the two year old and I were struggling about naptime. He doesn't like but he needs it. That day I was able to gently, without getting frustrated or losing patience, get him to his room for a nap and clearly stated the purpose of his time in there. When he awoke (or when a sufficient time had passed and I heard him making noise again), I greeted him. We talked briefly and he happily got up to continue his play. As I walked down the stairs behind him, I wondered, "Did I do the scripture? Did I reprove with sharpness (clarity) without maintaining power by the virtue of my status as "the parent? And then show an increase of love?" I felt the comforting assurance from the Spirit that I had. I need to feel that more often in relation to my efforts at parenting.

That experience has led me to want to memorize that scripture. Here I am going to attempt to state it from memory and as I continue to work on it, hopefully there will be some improvement.

Oct 6, 1am:
"No power or dominion ought to be maintained by the power of the priesthood, only by persuasion, gentleness, meekness and love unfeigned. Reproving betimes with sharpness and afterwards showing an increase in love."

--Close, but missing verse 42 and 44 completely.

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by the virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by gentleness and meekness and love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge that greatly enlargeth the soul without guile. Reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the power of the Holy Ghost and afterwards showing forth an increase in love so he does not esteem thee as his enemy."

--Still missing verse 44. Missing long suffering, without hypocrisy, and to him you have reproved.



















Oct 7 11:04 pm (I found I need to create blank space between so I can't see the previous attempt)
"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by the virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by gentleness and meekness and by love unfeigned. By kindness and by pure truth without guile. Reproving betimes with sharpness and showing afterward an increase of love to him who you have reproved so he does not esteem thee to he his enemy, but that you will be faithful until the end of your days."





11:20 pm
"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by the virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by gentleness and meekness and by love unfeigned. By kindness and pure knowledge which doth greatly enlarge the soul with _______ and without guile. Reproving betimes with sharpness, being moved upon by the Holy Ghost and afterwards showing forth an increase of love to him who have reproved so he doth not esteem thee to be his enemy so that he may know that they faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death."

Closer, I'll try again tomorrow night.

Oct 9
I think I have it:
"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by the virtue of the priesthood, but only be persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness and love unfeigned. By kindness and pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile. Reproving betimes with sharpness when moved upon by the Holy Ghost and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love to him {whom} thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy {-so} that he may know thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death."

Missing one word and adding another. Not too bad. Should I also work on memorizing the correct punctuation? Maybe tomorrow night.

Mormons and Social Justice...in the same sentence!?

Hallelujah!

Mormons for Equality and Social Justice

I was raised Unitarian Universalist, and still have a fondness for the true and gospelly-sound principles found in that theological system. The UUs are very involved with social justice concerns. That sense of social awareness never left me as a converted to LDS theology. In fact, my desire to help others and my "love of God and for all men" was increased. So I got all excited about the good that Latter-day Saints could do with the impressive resources of the Church on social justice issues. And then I got confused because I didn't see it happening. Sure, I knew that some LDS somewhere were engaged in certain social justice issues. But as an activist I know that there is strength in numbers, that people cooperating and working together in a common cause is more effective than individuals working separately.


So glad to come across MESJ. I hope there will be others around me that I can connect with. I'll likely be posting more about this exciting line of involvement.

Sharing the gospel line upon line

"The plan of happiness is available to all of his children. If the world would embrace and live it, peace, joy, and plenty would abound on the earth. Much of the suffering we know today would be eliminated if people throughout the world would understand and live the gospel” -M. Russell Ballard, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

I know this to be true, but how arrogant, presumptuous is this to people who do not share this belief? How off-putting would that be?

I have struggled to find out to share this truth with the friends and family members in my life.

Tonight the Spirit whispered in response to that query "Line upon line." That of course is from the verses in Isaiah.

This has been the approach I have been taking as a ward missionary in our ward mission activities. We have started doing semi-regular Family Home Evenings for the community and for Latter-day Saints to invite their friends. The lessons that we are starting with are pretty secular at first look. Yet, it is starting with one line of gospel truth.

This last Monday night, the truth was spending time with your family brings greater happiness to your family.

Most would agree with that, some practical ideas were suggested on ways to enjoy spending time together as a family. My two year old contributed to the conversation with "Eat food!" Very good, son. Eating meals together is an excellent way to strengthen family bonds.

I am hoping this approach is a gentle, non-intrusive introduction to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am vary of putting out there at first deep topics that can be off-putting to those who believe differently. For an atheist (which I once was), a lesson on Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of the world would not help, invite or encourage that individual to return. Building on common grounds: simple gospel truths that most agree with, I hope is a way to invite community members to learn more about the more profound and overtly religious truths of the gospel.

Who created the earth?

According to Willem, Nana did.

This was during a family home evening lesson. After the prayer and song, he testified that he is a child of God.

But I want to get married!

This is a conversation that Willem and I had today:

Me: Willem, we need to go visit the temple sometime soon.

Willem: We go to the temple with Julia?

Me: You still want to marry Julia in the temple?

Willem: Yup.

Me: Do you know how long it will be until you can get married? You aren't legally old enough to get married. As Latter-day Saints, we believe that we are subject to the laws of the land and we uphold and obey them. That means you can't get married until you are 18, or 16 if you have our permission as your parents.

Willem: But I want to get married! (and cries a little)

This is a continuation of a conversation that Willem and I started a few months ago when I told him that his daddy and I were married in the temple. He said that he wanted to get married in the temple too. When I asked him who he named a little boy who lived next door first. When I said that we believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and that he would have to think of a girl to marry, he picked a friends' little girl: Julia. He apparently remembers that's who he wants to marry.