Saturday, May 8, 2010
Family Scriptures Boost
Since General Conference we have done our best to boost our family scripture study. After so many talks specifically focused on teaching children the gospel, I tried to figure out when and how we could make more happen in that category.
Following Elder Andersen’s talk, we started using breakfast time to read from the New Testament to the girls. We just started have a kneeling family prayer right before they leave, and that really does feel like a spiritual fortress for the day, like I’ve heard it would be. After sending the girls off to school, I read from the New Testament Stories to the boys. They usually eat later than the girls and are on a different learning level. They enjoy the pictures and the simplified text. Sometimes the boys hear both, but I do like using the children’s stories version for them right now.
In the evenings, we have continued our family scripture reading of the Book of Mormon. The kids’ favorite is still when Jon reads because he inserts funny words to check if the kids are paying attention.
Recently, however, we shifted our reading to include all of our readers. This has been really exciting. I don’t know why we haven’t started earlier other than feeling like the best way to explain the scriptures to the kids was to read them ourselves.
The kids have eaten this up. We still pause frequently to rephrase, ask questions or explain things, but it has been meaningful for the kids to participate in the reading.
Sorry - all these pictures were taken with my phone.
Adam has especially enjoyed this and feels pretty important reading a verse along with the girls.
Adam and Andrew still have the job of saying “it came to pass” whenever that is found in the scriptures.
I have felt complete gratitude for the specific counsel of the apostles about teaching our children. The trick is just to implement all of it. Baby steps, baby steps! This has worked well for us. I’d love to hear what has worked well for you with family scripture study.
