Brightening My Light

ldsclipart.com Family home evening can sometimes be a challenge because we don't know what to do. This is especially true for those of us with only a baby. There are plenty of ideas for single members, couples, and families, but I have yet to find good suggestions for planning a family home evening lesson for a baby (not yet in Nursery). So I compiled my own list: Read gospel-related board books. They are short and introduce common scripture stories in a very simple manner. Read the scriptures. Elder Bednar said , "Youth of all ages, even infants, can and do respond to the distinctive spirit of the Book of Mormon. Children may not understand all of the words and stories, but they certainly can feel the 'familiar spirit' described by Isaiah ( Isaiah 29:4 ; see also 2 Nephi 26:16 )." Sing Primary songs together. There is no better way to invite the Spirit, teach basic gospel principles, and prepare your baby for Nursery and Primary. Sing inte...

I know a name, a glorious name, Dearer than any other. Listen, I'll whisper the name to you: It is the name of  mother. ("The Dearest Names," Children's Songbook , 208) Sidney J. Harris said, "The commonest fallacy among women is that simply having children makes them a mother--which is as absurd as believing that having a piano makes one a musician." What defines a mother is not having children, but having a mother's heart. By this definition, any woman can be given the name of mother. And what an honor to be given this name, for "of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother" (Lin Yutang). Unfortunately, some women do not believe this and view motherhood as bondage and weakness. However, it is easy to be a worldly woman and mother, to be selfish, idle, and shallow. It is not easy to be a godly woman and mother, to be selfless, productive, and deep. Yet in the end, the better women are those who have gone through the refi...

My favorite day of the week is Sunday. It is the one day I get to forget about worldly cares and just enjoy being with my family, focus on my spirituality, and participate in uplifting activities. I love how different the Sabbath Day feels from the rest of the week. On the Sabbath I dress up and put on makeup and stay that way all day. On the Sabbath I learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the Sabbath I relax and rest. On the Sabbath I play with my husband and baby. On the Sabbath I read the scriptures and the Ensign . On the Sabbath I listen to beautiful music and feel the Spirit. I feel deep sorrow whenever I hear people say they dislike Sunday. I think their negative attitudes come from their misunderstanding of the purpose of the Sabbath. The Lord did not give us the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy to punish us or to benefit Himself. Jesus said, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" ( Mark 2:27 ). This scripture means, as one of my BY...