This applies to me so much right now!

Teaching Our Children to Understand Posted: 29 Apr 2012 08:00 AM PDT "Learning to fully understand the doctrines of the gospel is a process of a lifetime and comes ‘line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little’ (2 Nephi 28:30). As children learn and act upon what they learn, their understanding is expanded, which leads to more learning, more action, and even greater and more enduring understanding." —Cheryl A. Esplin, "Teaching Our Children to Understand", General Conference, Apr. 2012 Topics: Teaching, Children I got this from the Daily Gems offered on the lds.org website.  I love those.  They send you a spiritually oriented message on a daily (or whatever set up you chose).   I recently started studying an institute manual that my friend loaned me.  It discusses the history behind the scriptures.  I love it.  It is so interesting to learn about the politics, social and cultural issues, as well as the physical struggles that people went through in the B.C., and A.D. time of our history.  I find that learning about the "peoples" history helps me to understand the way that people think, and the way that they were treated, and what they had to endure and survive.  Some of the information is very difficult to stomach.  The atrocities that people endured were often horrifying.  I have a new respect for people who had to survive to bring us the messages and lessons that we can apply to ourselves today.  We can learn so much from our histories and the history of others.   Too much in life is taboo.  We need to share our stories, even the difficult ones.  We need to share, because through sharing we teach.  When we teach we ourselves learn and grow.  The teacher always learns more than the students.    I was never very studious.  I always struggled in school and with reading.  I found it difficult to read and understand what I was reading.  It wasn't until I was a mother, reading every night to my own children, bed time stories, etc... that I was able to discover the joy of reading. Now I devour books.  I love reading and I find that I love learning.   I heard someone say that a person who does not read is no better off than someone who cannot read.  That is so true.  Learning is how we improve ourselves, our understanding of others.  We learn compassion, empathy and sympathy.  We learn how to help ourselves and others.  We learn how not to repeat the mistakes of those who came before us.  We can find strength and inspiration from the stories of survival of others.   Has anyone you loved, met, or known been through something that you later heard about or witnessed that inspired you or made you grateful that you did not have to face the trial that they are facing?  And did they struggle and fail, or struggle and conquer?  We did you learn?   Studying does not have to be a terrifying, anxiety provoking word.  It can, when paced properly can be grow as individuals and as friends, mother's, fathers, friends, and members of society.  Besides, when we learn we can avoid those issues that face someone who does not have an understanding of the world and the way that people treat each other.   An education is free and priceless.  It is the doorway to a life that can bloom in so many unforeseeable ways.  Education, experience, faith, strength, personal character, ect... is the only thing that can change our lives.   We have to grow otherwise we just exist.  No one wants to just exist.  There is so much knowledge to be had and shared.  Rich or poor anyone can have it and everyone can benefit for it.  It can be ours, our own.  No one has the right to decide for you what should be important for your life.  Learning is a private journey, a private decision, a private goal, and a private joy.  But the strength that we gain from it can change the world. One page at a time, one word at a time, and one day at a time.  It is ours, our own.  It is powerful and can bring about wonderful changes in our lives.  Don't let yourself believe that you are not worth it, because you, most definitely, are.   Life does not have to be all about surviving and existing.  I am still trying to learn that myself, but I am beginning the journey and I hope that you will take the journey with me. Imagine what it would mean to our children if we took learning seriously.  What an example it is to those around us.  What a triumph it is to us.  What a victory for ourselves.  What better way to honor ourselves.   Honestly, it is one paragraph, one page, one chapter, one book, one moment.  Start where you can.  Start when you can.  Start by searching out those things you love, those things that interest you, those things that make you happy.  Search out every good thing.  Your life, your mind, and your happiness can begin with the simplest effort.  You just have to make the decision that you are worth the effort. So here we are... and I challenge you to begin today.  I promise that it will be worth it. Good luck my fellow traveler. *remember that if there is anything you want to share with me, you can email me, or leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you.