How have Family Scripture Study, Family prayer, and Family Home Evening blessed your life?

{I was asked to share some thoughts about this question in Relief Society at church. That is our women's organization in the LDS church.}

How have Family Scripture Study, Family prayer, and Family Home Evening blessed your life?

I have been pondering and praying over this question for the past couple weeks and was not sure what to say.  I know that doing these things have been good and right.  At our house it doesn’t look like the pictures in church magazines, ever. Someone is almost always upside down, running, laughing, crying (someone is always crying), or fighting (“stop looking at me. He’s breathing on me.  That was my spot.  I was sitting there.  Those are my scriptures!”  And of course, “He tooted!”).  We have the added challenge of a wide range of kid's ages.  We are trying to prepare Brad for a mission.  We have a tween, kids that can't sit still, and a little two year old who doesn't care about what we're trying to do. Sometimes it feels pointless, even impossible!   I know that my family has been blessed, at least for our effort, but I couldn’t pinpoint any certain blessing.  I couldn’t see something that was directly related to FHE, prayers, or scriptures.  Like, we read scriptures and then this amazing thing suddenly happened as a result.  I'm a little ashamed to admit that.  

Where are the blessings?

The blessings are all around us.  The blessings took some pondering for me to recognize.  

Where are the blessings?

There  is the blessing of our family coming together to study the Word of God. The blessing of knowing my children are learning from great prophets of old.  The blessing that a child remembered something that was read.  The blessing of kids developing a love for the Book of Mormon.  The blessing of kids opening, touching, and feeling the pages of the Book of Mormon.  The blessing of kids becoming familiar with the scriptures.  The blessing of hearing a child ask a thoughtful question about what was just read, not just ,”How much longer?”  I have even heard one of my kids ask me to keep reading.  THAT is a blessing.

Where are the blessings?

The blessing of seeing my 2 year old fold her arms, modeling her older siblings. (modeling her older siblings doing something good!) The blessing of hearing my children pray.  The blessing of recognizing answers to prayers together. The blessing of kids thinking of others who need a prayer.  The blessing of my kids learning to show respect for Heavenly Father (that seems to be a long process).  The blessing of listening to my child thank God for and recognize our blessings.  The blessing of my kids turning to prayer when a problem arises.  The blessing of letting my kids pray that we will have fun today, that we will have fun tomorrow, and that we can have fun the next day.

Where are the blessings?

The blessing of seeing my children understand a gospel principle. The blessing of learning consistency.  The blessing of laughing together.  The blessing of creating lifelong memories.  The blessing of us all learning to work together (HA HA HA HA).  The blessing of us all learning to play together (once again, HA HA HA).   The blessing of hearing my kids sing and play the piano.  The blessing of getting to know each other better.  The blessing of learning to do hard things. The blessing that we are hearing each other’s testimonies. The blessing of developing a love for the Savior as a family.

I asked my kids what are some of the blessings they have seen.

How have family scripture study, family prayer, and Family Home Evening blessed us?

“We get to be together.”  Aubryn said. “Like, even Brad comes in.”

“That we get to learn about Jesus.”  from Rylan.

“Be safe.”  James told me.  He’s right. I love that answer. He then added, “Feel the Holy Ghost.”

“That we have a family to study with.”  was Reagan’s answer.

The official announcement from the 1st presidency of 1915 when the Family Home Evening was launched promises, “If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result.  Love at home and obedience to parents will increase.  Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them.

Just like James said, We will be SAFE.