I have never struggled this much with preparing a talk!

I ended up going to bed at 5:30 AM after finally getting some inspiration that felt good enough to plan an outline around. Thanks to Heavenly Father and me really struggling. I guess my delivery wasn't too bad despite being tired because people still said they really liked my talk.

I really struggled with how to take doing Family Home Evening, Family Prayer, and Family Scripture Study to the next level, and not just doing it because you are supposed to.

Everything I planned to start with and every direction I went, felt like I was forcing it, and not really what I was supposed to say. And apparently, I can't live without feeling good about it. Not that I am surprised.

Luke can whip out a talk in a couple of hours after just sitting down. Me-- I was pondering it all week and did hours of research one day. And then Saturday night sat down at the same time as Luke to write at 9:30 PM. Luke went to bed, after trying to wait for me, at 12:30 am.

All in all, things went well considering getting back up at 7:30 am (2 hours of sleep and 8 months pregnant) to get ready for church and put a roast and potatoes in for my in-laws coming for the talk and lunch. Gave the talk at 9 AM Sacrament meeting. And didn't fall asleep through the rest of church.

This is the summation of my talk :

• I should be studied to prove that pregnancy does suck your brain out because I couldn't prepare my talk like normal. All pregnant women would agree with me.
  
• What are your greatest assets???... Your children- Pres. Hinckley. (Huh--Never thought of them that way!)
• "You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question fohow yoru children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, How well have my children done?" -President Hinckley
  
• Sister Beck said in Stake Conference last week: "You are doing better than you think you are. But you can do better than you are!" How do we do better at FHE, FSS, FP? Do it to:
  

1. To show our love for our Heavenly Father
2. To show our love for our children.
3. To internalize the gospel in our children.

• A study by BYU found that the biggest predictor of LDS youth not going astray was internalization of the gospel. Church attendance and social integration in the ward and youth made a difference too, but the biggest was Private Religious Behavior which includes:
  

1. A solid belief in God
2. Personal prayer and scripture study
3. Personal spiritual experiences

Interesting to note that they found it made no difference where you lived from Highest Religiosity Environment (Utah County) to middle Religiosity (East Coast) to lowest Religiosity (Northwest Pacific States). There is no "Spiritual Shangri La." Zion is the pure in heart not a place.

• FHE, FSS, FP are taken to the next level when we:
  

1. Show our children by example how the gospel is the core of our lives.
2. Help our children see how gospel principles are used in their daily lives. Use them to "LIKEN ALL SCRIPTURES" to our children and ask questions that will help them find their own answers and applications. Elder Bednar- last conference, talk about scriptures, bear spontaneous testimony more often, encourage them to act.
3. Encourage them to know truth for themselves.
4. Provide opportunities for spiritual experiences (trips to the temple, family service projects, family testimony mtgs, fathers blessings, baptisms, etc)

Add a few things: counsel with spouses to be united, use Family Proclamation as our guide, personal earnest and sincere prayer, Holy Ghost to inspire us and keep our focus on things that matter. And the most crucial time is before a child is 8. Elder Eyring said that Satan's use of the mists of darkness to hide the path to return home is blocked until they turn 8 and then he is free to tempt them. 0-8 are called the protected years. That is why the earlier the better. No age is too young.

It's going to take hard work and sacrifice because there are alot of times it is hard to do or it feels pointless. But we have to have faith and wait for those perfect moments when our children show us that it is working and we gain our reward.

Gracie's Overheard Prayer

It is up to us. We have this most Sacred Responsibility to forge the shield of faith at home--Pres. Packer's quote.
Elisha's story and remember we have the same assurance and courage as him, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."