Gospel Outcomes

Have you noticed your family or personal scripture study starting to slip?

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I know we have our moments.  Can I tell the difference?  Definitely yes.   

I bumped into a very interesting "study" that has made a difference in my motivation to read and have our family read. 

 It is found in the book Searching the Scriptures by Gene R. Cook. 

  -The Study-

Part 1:  Several years ago the Church did a study in which they interviewed hundreds of young men (also could work and be applied to young women) to discover:

 What determines their faithfulness in the gospel?
 

This is the list that the parents came up with which they named:

  "Gospel Outcomes"

This is what they most wanted for their boys (I apply this to the girls as well) 

1. Ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood
2. Receive temple endowment
3. Serve a full-time Mission
4. Marry in the temple

[What does your list look like?]

Having young men who honor their priesthood, dress like they honor their priesthood, and are anxiously looking forward to holding the Melchizedek Priesthood is very important to young women who are also seeking these blessings. 

Part 2:  The boys were then grouped into two obvious categories...

1. Those who received these gospel outcomes &

2. Those who didn't

What made the difference?  Why did the boys in one category have the gospel outcomes their parents desired and the boys in the other category didn't?

What was the role of seminary? Peers? Church leaders? Family?

"The answer was strikingly simple that many struggled to comprehend it...

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Personal prayer and personal scripture study"

"Could it be that simple?

...That the young men and young women who pray and read their scriptures will have the gospel outcomes we all desire.

I believe in large measure that is so." 

Part 3Next question we all have as parents...

How do we get our kids to pray and  study the scriptures?

3 answers came back that they categorized under

Family Worship of God

"1. Have family prayer.  Show us a family that is having family prayer, and we'll show you a boy who is learning how to have his personal prayers.

2. Have family scripture study and Family Home Evening Show us a family that's regularly reading the scriptures together, and we'll show you a boy who's reading the scriptures on his own.

3. Teach and exemplify the Lord's values.  Somehow the values of the Lord have to transfer from one generation, the adults, to the young people.  The families that learn to do this are those that have gospel outcomes."
 

"The church helps and supports parents in their teaching, but the real battle is won in the home--the home is what asserts the greatest influence on our youth"

How important is family scripture reading?

How important is family prayer? 

 How important is the teaching and example of parents? 

They are vital

If we are consistent in these things, our children will be much more likely to read scriptures and to pray on their own-and when they do that they will be much more likely to receive their temple endowments, go on missions

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and be married in the temple"

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 "A promise from the Lord"

"If we will begin or continue to faithfully read the scriptures as a family, the Lord will deliver us from bondage--it may not happen immediately, but in time, the Lord will answer our prayers."

Making our homes a mini-MTC

There is a G.R.E.A.T talk from Sylvia Allred called Making our home a Mini-MTC from the 2007 BYU Women's Conference.  What a concept!  I love that! 

What are some of the small things we do in our homes everyday to prepare our  children  to stand on their own-spiritually?

In other words what are we doing to make our home an MTC?

This is the errand of angels given to us as women and mothers in our home.  This is the greatest nurturing we can do in our homes-to prepare our children spiritually and physically for what lies ahead.

The MTC (missionary training center)
It is a time of learning and preparation-just like our homes should be-a  place of preparation for our children.  We are their teachers.

Doctrine and Covenants 88:119
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer"

A house of prayer
A day at the MTC begins and ends with prayer, with praying throughout the day.  Prayers are offered during  personal and companion study, in meetings, before meals, in classes.  It really is a house of prayer.

Our own homes should also be houses of prayer. It is never too early to start having family prayer, or introducing our children to prayer. One of our greatest teaching opportunities is to teach our children about prayer and about the Godhead.  They need to know where they came from, why they are here, and where they are going. With this knowledge, they begin to be taught by the Spirit about that they are a literal child of God with divine nature and divine purpose.

A house of fasting. 
At the MTC missionaries learn and practice the true law of fast.  They know that fasting and prayer go together and that when they fast and pray with faith, they will be more open to receive answers to their prayers.

 Fasting is a difficult principle to teach and to live.  I can't say that we are perfect on this in our home.  We try to follow the spirit of the law more than the letter of the law with this principle. For us, there are several principles to be taught and learned with fasting. One, is about sacrifice. Fasting is a sacrifice and it will be hard.  Two, if we can learn to say no to food once a month, than we will have the strength to say no to other things we should not be doing as well. It disciplines us to put God first.

A house of learning

The MTC is about learning languages, cultures, doctrine, and Christ-like attributes.  Our homes are houses of learning.
Our homes are a school for our families. We learn so much about the gospel and the Lord's plan in our homes as we strive to live Christ-like attributes in our day to day lives. 

A house of glory
In the MTC  they hold worship services, devotionals, and firesides.  They sing hymns, missionaries prepare talks, and they bear testimony.

Our homes are like this when we hold Family Home Evenings, family scripture study, and in just living the gospel.

A house of God In the MTC there is an amazing spirit and feeling of love, respect, trust, and confidence.  They are aspiring to become true representatives of Christ and share the gospel with others.  It is a house of God. 

Our homes are the most sacred places on the earth outside of the temple.  It should be a place where the Spirit is felt and dwells. 

 " When a young man or woman enters the MTC,  he or she will not suddenly transform into a well-prepared and obedient missionary.  That preparation must begin YEARS before, in his or her home.  Mothers play an important role in this preparation"

I love Julie Beck's comment in her talk Mothers Who Know, that when they get to the MTC it should be a review not a revelation.

 "The single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission."-Elder David Bednar

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I think back to a light-bulb moment I had when I was first married and our kids were really young.  One day I realized the "home" was up to me.  No one was going to magically come in and make my children's bed for them.  I had to do it. It was me.   No one is going to do the dishes, vacuum the floor, teach them to pray, have good manners, etc..  These things don't happen on their own.  It was up to me.  It was my errand.  As a mother, I am the anchor of the good things that need to happen.



We have to keep doing it and not give up.  The Lord is on our side and He will bless us.