Family Scripture.

Many years ago, when my first baby was a baby, there was a mom in our ward who would share these incredible experiences she had with her kids whenever she bore her testimony or taught a class or just talked to people around her. I was in awe of these incredible moments she had with her kids. And then I'd do something silly. I'd compare myself with her. I know...Dumb. I would think to myself, "I must not be a good mom because I don't have those kinds of things happen." or "I will never be as good a mom as she is." Etc, etc.

I know, I am a good mom. Really, I know. I have the awesome kids to prove it. But as I explained my extreme shortcomings as a mom to Daniel, he reminded me that a baby is very different than a 5 year old. And a 5 year old is very different than a 10 year old. My family was just beginning and there would be many many moments that I would share with my own kids.

So here we are many years later. My kids are 10, 8 and almost 7. (Only 12 more days until my birthday!!!! I get daily updates!) And as I look back over many years of motherhood, I can recall many discussions, testimonies, experiences, etc, that I've had with my kids that are inspiring and uplifting. When we have family scripture study, many times we have such sweet discussions about the gospel and the prophets and how to keep Satan away. When we're in the car together or sitting to eat dinner together or getting ready for school in the morning or doing homework or outside playing or are doing any number of things we do together as a family or one on one, Daniel and I make it a point to share the gospel and our testimonies with our kids. And they in turn wow us with their own testimonies.

I was recently reading a book in which the author shares something his family does. They have what they call Family Scripture. He then shares one of those scriptures in the book. The story is about his grandmother and that when she asked heavenly Father to help her, He did. And it was incredible and visible help. That family scripture is now in a book of family scripture.

So I took that to heart. Daniel and I have a lifetime of experiences. We share those experiences with our kids when we teach a principle that corresponds with what we are talking about. But there are more experiences that are very close to our hearts that we don't just talk about but want to share with our kids one day.

So I started our own Family Scriptures. It is being filled with experiences we've had and will continue to be filled throughout our lives. We hope to add scripture from grandparents and other family members as well.

Think about it. What are the scriptures? They are a collection of experiences and testimonies of those who lived it. Those who learned and taught and prophesied and bore record of a living Christ to their children so they would know to whom they could look for power and for a remission of their sins. What do we do as parents? We learn, we teach and we bear record of a living Christ to our children so they will know to whom they can look for power and for a remission of their sins.
The purpose of having Family Scripture is to persuade our children to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God. We hope that as we share our experiences as scripture with each other that our children will receive them with thankful hearts and have Joy.

This book will be filled with our profound and humbling and uplifting and inspiring experiences. Individually and as a family. Oh my heart. My Joy.