Another Powerful Teaching By Example Story
My heart has been pretty full as a Dad lately, and my kids have been doing an amazing job at teaching me about the power of example. There are times when I am at Church, roaming the halls because of a screaming kid in sacrament, or because of my 20 month old refusing to go to nursery, and I wonder what the heck am I doing here? It is probably one of the most frustrating feelings I have experienced Church wise (not wanting to be at Church because I know I am going to be roaming the halls).
So whats the point of even going? Ok now, before I get hit with an onslaught of comments, I know the reasons, and importance of going (just take a look at the title). Just by being there in Church, setting that example, feeling the spirit, and hopefully the kids feeling the spirit too, is the reason we go! I do get frustrated with the little 20 month old, but he did something this week that made me realize its all worth it.
I recently shared a story about my 5 year old helping me realize the power of prayer and example, so I am pretty lucky to experience all this in the same week! Well this week my 20 month old has started to calm down during prayers, and has even folded his arm on a few occasions for the WHOLE prayer. Any of you that have a 20 month old knows how big if a deal this really is! So he is paying attention to what we are doing, and he is learning by example. Even if he does not understand what prayer is, or why we do it - he knows we do it, and I hope that stays with him for the rest of his life because of how we raised him.
I have been setting a lot of personal goals lately, and one of the main ones is to start doing a better job showing my excitement for Church, and testimony with my kids. Church has seemed like a “have to do” thing lately, and let me tell you, I have 3 kids ages 20 months to almost 8 years, so yea, I have been doing this hall walking for a while now. It started to feel like the last 7 years my calling in Church has been “hall walker”. I do not know how the typical Mormon family with 10 kids does it (ok that may not be typical anymore). That has never been a want of mine, I am just fine with the number of kids I have thank you, but my hat does go off to you!
Do the right thing, set a good example, and your kids will follow you, and that is my point here!
