There are so many ways to “create”. In this post I’m not trying to preach, I’m just trying to share a way that might help you in your family to create meaningful family scripture time. Okay, okay – true confessions time! This picture was posed by models. It really was!!! It’s the dream image in my head of what our family scripture time should look like . . .
. . . everyone is awake, happy, dressed and groomed nicely. And they even have open scriptures on their laps!!!And now . . . the following pictures were not posed by models. They are a more accurate description of what our family scripture time looks like.
I know, shocking, but true!
In our home we do our scripture reading in the morning. The evenings never worked for us – too much coming and going and just plain forgetting. This was one of those mornings when our 8th Grader had early morning sports (which means 6:30am scriptures for us) – so she’s the one who’s awake and taking the pictures of her sisters. I was still in bed!!!Let me add that we’re grateful for modern technology that allows dad virtually be with us, even when he’s working out of town, so he can still share scriptures and prayers with us.
So why do we do it? I often ask myself this as my children wake me up for scriptures – yes, they wake me up! (Have I mentioned I have awesome children?)
President Ezra Taft Benson promised,
“When individual members and families immerse themselves in the scriptures regularly and consistently . . . testimonies will increase. Commitment will be strengthened. Families will be fortified. Personal revelation will flow.”
And Marion G. Romney said,
“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from The Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase: mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope and charity – the pure love of Christ – will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy and happiness.”
And that’s why we do it.
Let me share with you a book that has really improved the quality of our family scripture time.
We have a basket in the living room that holds various scriptures, and this book.
“Scripture Study for Latter-Day Saint Families”It breaks each chapter into bite-sized pieces – for example, Alma 9 is broken into five segments. Verses 1-7, 8-13, 14-17, 18-23 and 25-28. And then in each segment there are activities, object lessons, stories, quotations, insights and questions. It’s fabulous – I highly recommend it!
We take one segment each day and it usually lasts 10-15 minutes. And it doesn’t require any advance preparation either! When I got this book about two years ago, there were also New Testament and Church History versions. It cost me just over $30.
We are almost finished the book – but we didn’t start at the beginning (we started from where we were currently at in our reading). When we’re finished, we’re going to start again, and then again, and then again . . .
So, I just thought I’d share something that works great in our family.
I think we need to share anything we can that will help us strengthen our families in these latter days.
