My Spiritual Maestro

Sundays are such a struggle for me. I often wonder why we go to church since it seems like we get nothing out of it. Adam and I lose the weekly wrestling match with Caroline and inevitably end up taking her out into the foyer starting with Sacrament Meeting and ending there during the 3rd hour. Sunday School is a joke as only one of us gets to pay attention and R.S.? Well forget that. I teach the 3rd Sunday, which I love, so Adam gets Caroline that day and we try to alternate who gets the wrestling match. Yesterday was my lucky day. I think it will go without saying that I ended up in the hall. (Why can't kids go into nursery at 15 months rather than 18? By 18 months they're too attached and don't want to go. At 15 months you can't keep them busy long enough. Would someone please write President Monson and tell him to change this.)

With that being said, yesterday at church Owen was sitting on Adam's lap during the hymns. As Owen watched the conductor, I happened to glance over and found him conducting the music and congregation all on his own. It was so cute to see him conducting. He has a lot of wonderful musical talent on both sides of the family (even though I inherited none of it) and I am hoping those genes got passed on to him.

After I saw this my heart soared with pride. I knew at that very instant that we were in the right place and for the right reasons. Owen is learning the importance of music in his life and what better music to teach him than the hymns that sing praise to the Lord. He may not be able to sing the songs, but the Spirit is what is touching his heart. Owen asks for songs at nap time and bedtime that are sung in nursery each week. One of his favorites is Book of Mormon Stories. He knows the hand movements to that song. He is learning about the Gospel. I am humbled that such a small amount of time each week can have this kind of an impact on a young child.

Recently, when we have said our family prayers or the blessing on the food, Owen has been mumbling right along with those words. If we mention Caroline, Owen, Adam or myself, you will hear Owen mumbling and then say "E", or "me" or "Dadda" or "Mommy" or any other word that he can say that he hears during the prayer. He is learning how to commune with his Father in Heaven. Although we cannot understand what he is saying, there is no doubt that Heavenly Father understands every single word being uttered by his tiny voice.

These simple and precious things to me have brought about a new perspective. I think I can understand a billionth of a smidgen of what Heavenly Father must feel when we are learning something that is benefiting our eternal life. When a concept is grasped even though complete understanding is not, I am sure Heavenly Father is beaming with pride and joy for one of his children. This is how I felt yesterday at church and each and every time I hear Owen uttering the simple words of a prayer.

The responsibility of teaching our children all things spiritual and temporal has always overwhelmed me. But, when I see a simple concept like prayer being grasped, it is making it all worth the hard work, effort, frustration, tears of joy and frustration.