We had
dinner with the Mullens in Boyup Brook the other night. They had a veterinary friend over too, but he
had studied Mormonism enough to know that he didn’t want to join, he said. As much as we would like sometimes, our most
precious gift on earth is our own agency.
Sister
Mullen and I had a chance to talk for a few minutes alone that night. She told me of her feelings a few nights ago
when she watched the choir from Orem
Institute singing on a DVD of Conference from a couple of years ago. She said as she saw so many young wholesome
youth together and singing beautiful praises to the Lord (and her eyes filled
with tears), “My children never had that opportunity,” along with so many other
opportunities and blessings we enjoy in Utah; she said at times she has felt
some degree of envy, especially since some of her children have abandoned the
church, like so many, many others in the church here. There are precious few active youth in WA. Peer pressure is so very great, and they lose
hope that they will ever have a chance to marry in the church.
I told her
that I thought surely the Lord will judge righteously. Not to condone sin, but He knows what each
person’s pressures and circumstances have been, what they have been taught,
what they understood. My children, being
raised in the church in Utah will be judged more strictly than hers, yet for
each of them, the circumstances were
different too. Only He knows the hearts
of each of us. He loves us all, but he
expects a different degree of obedience, I think. Am I right?
We did hear
a few talks from conference this time, but still not all the sessions yet. Wasn’t it amazingly wonderful, wonderful! To see those beautiful missionaries in the
choir Saturday afternoon just made me thrill!
Elder Holland’s talk about the parable of the eleventh hour was
exceptional! We can’t wait to play it
for some of our members and contacts.
You could feel the love of the Savior coming right through.
We had some
good meetings with people while we were in Bridgetown, but it feels good to be
home. The fall weather is nice. Our flowers are beautiful in our
gardens. I hope we stay here in Albany,
I think… I love it here.
5 comments:
I'm going to have to go back and listen to conference again. I guess we take it for granted... being able to hear and see the prophet and other GA's instantly. It is a true blessing to be able to have our kids grow up in the church with members all around them. It's got to be one of the most difficult challenges for members who don't have that. I've been listening to podcasts of BYU devotionals. I listened to one by Michael Ballam called "The power of music to lift and teach". It was so good that I had the kids listen to it for FHE! Love you!!
Liz and I are constantly talking about whether our kids (or youth in general) would do better near many members, or out in the field... For me, growing up in Utah was not a good experience for my personal spirituality, but for many it is. I like the thought of my kids being able to really exercise their own testimonies and strengthen them, when near many members this is often taken for granted. Or sometimes its easier to make wrong decisions because many who are making wrong decisions are suppose to have the same faith as you. I guess this is why the GA emphasize teaching the gospel in the home so much. We have families here in our ward who have such strong youth and they are the only mormons in their whole school.. My testimony grew the most living in MN and then on my mission, and now even more here in NE. Hmmm.. Love you guys!
I have to agree with Ammon's comment when he says that it's all about teaching your own families. I think that those families who live far from church headquarters have to be very vigilant or they'll just fall away. But I've seen how some of those kids are amazingly strong when they're the only members of the church in their school, etc.
I saw that President Uchtdorf and Elder Holland spoke on envy. I guess I didn't realize how damaging it can be, but I'm starting to see it!
We also struggled with the decision of whether or not to raise our family in Utah. We had the opportunity to go elsewhere, but we chose Utah, and as hard as it was for some of our children, yet they still are strong in the church, and maybe would not have been, had their peers been non-members. Who knows? You just have to make it a matter of constant prayer, and then do your best to make sure you teach them in the home the best you can! It's one of the hardest decisions we made in raising our family.
We had amazing examples of teaching in the home and because of that, have learned to talk a lot about spiritual and important matters openly. We know that we aren't perfect parents and that we will continue to have our fair share of trials and tests but thanks to you, mom and dad, we know what we need to do as parents to give our children the teaching that they need to be able to make good choices on their own and find their own testimonies. Thank goodness for Family HOme Evening and for those so important constant every day teaching opportunities that we can take advantage of.
Love you! Erin
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