Make them Thirsty

     There is a saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." And so it is with children. I can lead my children to the truths of the gospel but how do I get them to drink? And then the thought came to me, my job was to make them thirsty.

     I remember when my children were young and I took them to a video store to rent a movie. Shelby wanted to rent a "new, modern" movie that had just been released. I don't remember what the movie was, but I do remember feeling that this movie did not bring out the best values and it was not going to teach my children anything "good or praiseworthy". I remember suggesting that we get an "old" movie. Yes, you know the ones, the black and white ones where there is a lot of singing and dancing, with happy faces, good prevails and everyone lives happily ever after. They weren't thrilled with my choice. So I said, "Ok, we'll get the new one." But I went ahead and rented the 'old' one too, knowing or hoping that they would all end up watching with me. And all I could do was to hope that they would soon appreciate the values taught in the 'old' movies.
 
     We went home and watched the new movie. It was funny and we all laughed together and then I put in my old movie. I didn't make them watch it, but invited them to come in and sit with me. I don't remember exactly what movie it was, but I do remember we watched it two or three times and never watched the 'new' movie again. Watching old movies is now a family favorite. We have grown to appreciate the light hearted humor associated with those old movies. We watch a lot of new movies also, but we have a deeper appreciation for the arts of good music, singing, dancing and acting.

     We are taught  in the Doctrine of Covenants section 93:40 to "bring up your children in light and truth." We are also taught that we began as spirits in the pre-existence as intelligence's with our Heavenly Father. It is our nature to "cleave unto intelligence" as we are taught in section 88:40 of the Doctrine of Covenant's. "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom, truth embraceth truth, virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light." We are drawn to truth and light by nature. Children by nature want all that is good. They will by nature be drawn to what is good.

    For every good influence you make on your children, Satan will make 20 bad ones. As a young girl, my youngest daughter Jenny stood in front of the TV watching a talk show where a number of women were expressing their opinions of the freedom to choose to have abortions if they wanted to. All of a sudden Jenny shouted out, "Why don't they let them choose for themselves, after all it's their bodies!"

     I was stunned. I thought, "Hasn't she grown up in this house with all my other children; where she has been taught the value of the unborn child and the responsibility one has to that unborn child they are carrying and the choice they made that got them into that circumstance? I remember just staring at her dumbfoundedly. A paradigm shift in my thinking was made. Then I realized that the world was voicing opinions everyday, many times a day to my children and how many times in a day did I voice my opinion in opposition to the evilness around them?

     I began a campaign at that moment. I began to search for opportunities and ways to make my children "thirsty"; thirsty for righteousness and all that was good. I took advantage of every opportunity that came along for them to be exposed to what I felt was the voice of proper values and principles. I prayed to know how to direct them. Up until that moment I didn't feel it necessary to take them to every extra church meeting held, but then I realized I needed to fight back and take advantage of every teaching moment and of every chance for them to feel the spirit. I began taking them to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. Jenny and I set a goal to visit every temple in Utah. I decided I might as well take Jacob with us too. I began to pray that they would have testimony building experiences in their lives and that I would recognize and take advantage of those opportunities when they came.

     Shorty after praying for those opportunities, one arose. Jenny and I had gone to a store to get some clothes out of law-a-way that she had there.  She gave me $20.00 to pay on her clothes while she kept $50.00 dollars in her little black coin purse, which she took with her while trying on some other clothes. When we went to leave the store she had realized that she left her coin purse in the dressing room. Of course it was gone and no one had turned it in. I felt horrible. I knew the money was gone. She had worked so hard to save it. She was planing on using it for a 6th grade graduation party the next weekend. She was very quiet as we drove home. I didn't know what to say. I felt angry that people could be so dishonest. Then the Lord pricked my heart and thoughts and showed me a better way.

     I had been given a teaching opportunity to teach her to rely on her Heavenly Father. I began to tell her, "Jenny, your money is gone. I am sure who ever took it spent it or left immediately with it. But if you will go to your Heavenly Father in prayer and tell him that you earned this money honestly and ask him to help you earn it back, I know he will help you." And then I felt very impressed to say to her, "Jenny, people will call you to babysit, even people you do not know, will call you to babysit!"

     What did I just say? I was stunned at my own words! I know the Lord had inspired me to say those things, although I wondered myself what that meant and who might call her? When we got home she went immediately to her room and said a prayer. The phone rang. A neighbor asked if she could tend that night. The phone rang again. A girl introduced herself as the sister of another lady at our church and was needing a babysitter for the next night, Saturday night; a young lady Jenny did not even know.

     The calls continued to come throughout the week until Jenny had earned all her money back. It was answer to her prayer and mine. A great lesson had been learned by both of us.

     Many other opportunities came to teach faith. We must pay attention and never be afraid to trust in the Lord to teach our children to trust in Him.  He will always answer the prayers of a mother and her children to have faith in him. They will want to trust him. They will feel good to feel close to their heavenly Father. They will begin to thirst after righteousness and will no longer need to be led to the waters edge, but will walk hand in hand with you there and will have a great desire to stay close to the waters edge where they can partake of the water anytime they want or need to.