Scripture Treats

Casey & I have been parents for 12 years now.  We love our kids and our family is very important to us so we TRY to do Family Home Evening and have attempted scripture study a few times.  The funny thing is when you start to yell or lose your patience the Spirit leaves so it defeats the purpose.  I'm not saying that would happen at our house or admitting I wasn't patient enough but just saying what COULD happen!  :)

Anyways...a few months ago we started something new and for our family it has been awesome!  We bought The Book of Mormon for Latter Day Saint Families....so helpful...it breaks it into sections and has a few pictures to hold the little kids attention.  And do you see the blue bucket on top of Sawyer's head????  That looks like an Easter bucket but it's really our Scripture Treat Bucket.  Amazing what a little incentive can do!  The kids get 3 warnings--we want them to be reverent and give whoever happens to be reading the respect they deserve.  If they get 3 warnings it's no treat for them--so far it hasn't happened!  At one warning they usually remember what is expected!  Sometimes when they are quiet they even listen & they are learning so much!!!  It's incredible!  It has brought so much peace into our home and I am blown away at how much they understand....even cute Sawyer can read a verse when it is his turn!  I think the neatest thing for me as a mom is the conversations that happen with my cute kids-that we can relate the scriptures easier to every day situations because we are reading them together.  I love the scriptures and hope my kids can gain a strong testimony of them!

I have to share a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson that I love...it's a long one but the promises are incredible and I know that they are true!!  Apparently reading the scriptures is essential...especially in this day & age...who has seen the news lately???

"There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.  You will find greater power to resist temptation.  You will find the power to avoid deception.  You will find the power to stay on the strait & narrow path.  The scriptures are called "the words of life" and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon.  When you begin to hunger & thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance.  These promises-increased love & harmony in the home, greater respect between parent & child, increased spirituality and righteousness-these are not idle promises but exactly what the Prophet Joseph Smith meant when he said the Book of Mormon would help draw us closer to God."