This past week I found a unique teaching moment during Sacrament Meeting. Sophia had found a sippee cup of water in the diaper bag early in the meeting and had been quenching her thirst with its contents. I had her put it away as the sacrament started. When the water was passed as part of the sacrament she whispered to me, "I don't need any. I already had a drink and I'm not thirsty."
I quietly whispered that she should still drink the water. She did and the tray was passed down our row. I then quietly talked to her about the sacrament, about what it represented, and helped her understand that the water was more than a "drink" after the bread. Emily whispered a few words of wisdom to her as well.
I love little chances like this to teach my children gospel truth. I have learned that you can't put them off, thinking you might remember to talk to the child at a later time. There is no better time than right then and there.
In an April 1991 General Conference address entitled, Teach the Children, Elder M. Russell Ballard quoted an anonymous author:
I saw tomorrow passing on little children’s feet
And on their forms and faces her prophecies complete.
And then I saw tomorrow look at me through little children’s eyes.
And I thought how carefully I must teach if I am wise!
And on their forms and faces her prophecies complete.
And then I saw tomorrow look at me through little children’s eyes.
And I thought how carefully I must teach if I am wise!
He then said,
"My dear brothers and sisters, if we are concerned about our tomorrows, we will teach our children wisely and carefully, for in them lie our tomorrows."
