In December 2016 I felt a growing desire to increase the love in our family; to make the "family central" to our plan as it is to the Lord's. (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
I knew that the only way to change how I felt about my family would be to study the words of God. On several occasions I had studied about the family and had tried to implement things but couldn't ever feel like my heart was being changed. I decided that this time would be different that this time I would study the Book of Mormon and read the entire thing looking for examples and scriptures and anything that could be applied to the family.
I found a blue Book of Mormon on our shelf that my Grandparents had given me years ago, opened it up and wrote the following words:
Today I begin a serious study of the family. We are told that "the family is central to the creator's plan for His children." I do not feel that I am making my family central to my life. My goals are:
Over the past few months I have been amazed at how much the scriptures apply to my family. There have been examples of family life especially with Lehi and his children. There have been applications where I lease expected like with King Noah (not sending enough guards.) During this time I was also introduced to a new initiative by the Church to increase our Self Reliance. I felt a need to teach this to our children. That if we want them to become successful people they needed to learn Self Reliance.
In April I wrote the following thoughts out:
I have been feeling a need to make some changes in our family. I think it began with reading the Book of Mormon with a focus on studying the family. I also went to a meeting introducing a Self-Reliance program into the Church and have felt the need for my children to be more self-reliant.
Right now I feel that my family spends too much time with electronics. I feel separated from my kids and they are each revolving in their own space and any interaction usually results in conflict. I want this to change.
My Preliminary Goals
Elizabeth has 3 more years before she leaves our home. Anything we still want and need her to learn must be taught now.
Samantha needs to feel love. With the distractions of electronics I don't spend enough time with her.
John Derek needs to read more, but again electronics zap him of time to read.
Maddie needs to learn social skills but would rather play alone or be on a device instead of interact with fiends.
Michael has boundless energy but does not release it because of "real videos."
Lexia needs to spend more time listening and talking to kids but gets sucked into the television shows, novels, and driving kids to activities.
Derek needs a break from Church and work a time to just be him and enjoy his family.
We all need and want more time together.
Things I want for our Family:
Learn Articles of Faith
Family History
Learn how the Spirit speaks to us
Teach with love not fear
Have Family Dinners--as we change to put family first the other stuff will work itself out ie. school, work, church, etc.
Give my children self worth
Get in Shape-by putting the Savior first our physical problems will work out.
Serve
Personal Progress/Arrow of Light/Faith in God
With these thoughts and lots of pondering and prayer (and a little John Bytheway Tour de Family that I had been listening to in the car) I presented Derek the idea that our family fast from electronics for one month. I am amazed at how the Lord works. Derek was open to the idea but the next night he came home from a meeting where they had talked about the Great and Spacious Building (1 Nephi 8:26) and how in Ephesians Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2). How there is so much evil that is now being transferred in the air and we must defend ourselves against it.
To encourage us we also noticed the fighting that was going on inside our home that centered around electronics. The kids would fight about what show to watch, they would fight if someone was being too loud, the would fuss and complain when we turned the devices off or had them taken away. Elizabeth had also become very difficult every night when we asked her to put her phone in our room which has always been a rule in our home.
After these encouragements and lots of prayer and fasting we decided to turn off the electronics for one month.
Over the next few days I would like to share our experience of Fasting from Electronics.
I knew that the only way to change how I felt about my family would be to study the words of God. On several occasions I had studied about the family and had tried to implement things but couldn't ever feel like my heart was being changed. I decided that this time would be different that this time I would study the Book of Mormon and read the entire thing looking for examples and scriptures and anything that could be applied to the family.
I found a blue Book of Mormon on our shelf that my Grandparents had given me years ago, opened it up and wrote the following words:
Today I begin a serious study of the family. We are told that "the family is central to the creator's plan for His children." I do not feel that I am making my family central to my life. My goals are:
- To find joy in my children.
- To make our home a place my children want to be.
- Have our home be a place our kids want to bring their friends and their friends will want to stay and will feel loved and welcome.
- Our children will love each other and become best friends. They will miss each other when one is gone and rejoice in their return.
- My children and I and Derek will choose family time together above other fun activities.
- Our home will be filled with laughter and love.
- The electronics will be used rarely and desire to be and interact with family will take their place.
- The gospel will be at the center of the family.
- The Spirit will want to reside in our home and we can feel it when we walk in the door.
Over the past few months I have been amazed at how much the scriptures apply to my family. There have been examples of family life especially with Lehi and his children. There have been applications where I lease expected like with King Noah (not sending enough guards.) During this time I was also introduced to a new initiative by the Church to increase our Self Reliance. I felt a need to teach this to our children. That if we want them to become successful people they needed to learn Self Reliance.
In April I wrote the following thoughts out:
I have been feeling a need to make some changes in our family. I think it began with reading the Book of Mormon with a focus on studying the family. I also went to a meeting introducing a Self-Reliance program into the Church and have felt the need for my children to be more self-reliant.
Right now I feel that my family spends too much time with electronics. I feel separated from my kids and they are each revolving in their own space and any interaction usually results in conflict. I want this to change.
My Preliminary Goals
- Find joy in my children.
- Make my family central in my life.
- Home is a place we all want to be.
- All who enter our home will feel loved and welcome and want to return.
- Our children will be our and each other's best friends.
- Family time will be more desired than other activities.
- Laughter and Love will fill our home.
- Electronics will not have center stage and will be used wisely and not control us.
- The gospel will be at the center of all we do.
- The Spirit will reside in our home.
Elizabeth has 3 more years before she leaves our home. Anything we still want and need her to learn must be taught now.
Samantha needs to feel love. With the distractions of electronics I don't spend enough time with her.
John Derek needs to read more, but again electronics zap him of time to read.
Maddie needs to learn social skills but would rather play alone or be on a device instead of interact with fiends.
Michael has boundless energy but does not release it because of "real videos."
Lexia needs to spend more time listening and talking to kids but gets sucked into the television shows, novels, and driving kids to activities.
Derek needs a break from Church and work a time to just be him and enjoy his family.
We all need and want more time together.
Things I want for our Family:
Learn Articles of Faith
Family History
Learn how the Spirit speaks to us
Teach with love not fear
Have Family Dinners--as we change to put family first the other stuff will work itself out ie. school, work, church, etc.
Give my children self worth
Get in Shape-by putting the Savior first our physical problems will work out.
Serve
Personal Progress/Arrow of Light/Faith in God
With these thoughts and lots of pondering and prayer (and a little John Bytheway Tour de Family that I had been listening to in the car) I presented Derek the idea that our family fast from electronics for one month. I am amazed at how the Lord works. Derek was open to the idea but the next night he came home from a meeting where they had talked about the Great and Spacious Building (1 Nephi 8:26) and how in Ephesians Satan is referred to as the "prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2). How there is so much evil that is now being transferred in the air and we must defend ourselves against it.
To encourage us we also noticed the fighting that was going on inside our home that centered around electronics. The kids would fight about what show to watch, they would fight if someone was being too loud, the would fuss and complain when we turned the devices off or had them taken away. Elizabeth had also become very difficult every night when we asked her to put her phone in our room which has always been a rule in our home.
After these encouragements and lots of prayer and fasting we decided to turn off the electronics for one month.
Over the next few days I would like to share our experience of Fasting from Electronics.
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