Saturday morning session

My two favorite talks in the Saturday morning session were about children. Jean A. Stevens gave a really poignant talk (for me) about learning to be more like a little child; taking examples from children and learning from watching our little ones. This was especially touching for me right now as Nicholas is old enough to "act for himself." He picks up EVERYTHING we do, and he makes his own choices...I can no longer make them for him. If I want him to do something, I need to ask, persuade, teach, or do it myself and hope he'll follow. I can't just pick him up to stop him from doing something he's not supposed to do. I can't put off teaching him how to behave in public places or how to be polite because he's still "too little." He understands now!

This has become especially apparent as I watch him fold his arms quietly and wait for the prayer before we start eating, or when I say, "Let's go outside," and he immediately grabs his shoes and and his ball. He knows that we do things a certain way, and he learns by example.

For instance, he kept putting his foot up on the table as he ate meals or snacks. It drove us crazy! We kept telling him to put his foot down, and helped him place it back under the table. We said, "No se pone los pies en la mesa, mi amor," or "Feet go under the table, love. The table is for eating." But every day, he continued to put his foot up on the table. It wasn't until last night, as we were finishing dinner and I leaned back in my seat and brought my foot up to rest on my chair so my knee was poking up, that I looked over and realized Nicholas and I were sitting EXACTLY the same way. No wonder he always put his foot up on his seat and then onto the table---- he saw ME, every day, without thinking, prop my foot up on the seat of my chair as I leaned back and finished my meal. EVERY day. EVERY meal. Without even noticing. I may not have noticed, Armando didn't notice, but Nicholas did...and he copied me because I'm his mom and his example in all things.

I liked Sister Steven's talk because it reversed things for me. If a child comes to earth as pure in spirit and full of love as you can get, shouldn't it be us, those who are hardened and rough from the ways of the world, who learn from them? If we just take the time to notice the spiritual side of their behavior, we could learn a lot by simply copying what they do and why they do it. They obey us because they love us and have faith that we love them. They seek ways to help in any way that they can. As Sister Steven's said, "They are the first to forgive."

Maybe if I'm busy doing this, then Nicholas was learn to maintain that natural love and energy he has.....and I won't have time to impart bad habits like sitting in front of my computer or television all day (my current struggle).

The other talk I loved was the talk about pain by Kent F. Richards. I especially loved the story he told of a young girl who underwent major surgery. When she woke up, she told her Dad about all of the visitors in the room who had already passed through the veil. Her grandparents, her father's brother, etc. This story touched me deeply because there were three times this very week (at least) that I felt the presence of people guarding my son beyond the veil. Sometimes I think there's a whole army assigned just to keep him from hurting himself! Several times he's had falls and collisions that should have resulted in serious injury, but, miraculously, he walks away unharmed. I'm so grateful for those people. I'm grateful for me loved ones that have gone before me, set the example, paved the way, been diligent and obedient so that MY life could be better, and now continue to bless and protect me by caring for my son.

I just wanted to get this posted before I forgot my thoughts.