Strengthen Home and Family

My thoughts on Sister Cook's talk "Strengthen Home and Family"

There is someone out there who is fighting against my home and my family. He does it in such subtle ways that I don’t even know when he is doing it. Other times it is obvious and I still get snuckered!

Sister Cook points out four ways for us all (children included) to combat this bad guy!
1. Pray. I’m going to start asking myself “Who in my family could benefit from my personal prayers?” and I’m going to ask that question before it is my turn to prayer during family prayers. I have a strong testimony of prayer, but it was great to be reminded again.
2. Study! We not only need to study the scriptures (oh, I love the Duty to God stuff) but we also need to study the words of modern Prophets. We also need to be aware of the tools Satan is using today so that we can defend our families. We need to use the tools the world and the spirit has given us. Use the rating systems and then search online to see if movies are appropriate for you and your children. Even PG rated movies are full of filth. Book reviews and other such things help us pick the best of books to read. Knowing the fashion trends helps us pick clothing that will be in fashion today as well as tomorrow AND be modest. Knowing how to use your net nanny to block the ugliness of the internet. Having other electronic safe guards in place on tv’s and computer. Yes, it takes some time, but so does polishing weapons when going to war. And as my mom use to say, “You can either spend the time to do it right the first time or twice the time to clean up and do it right the first time. I have a dear friend who thought she had all the safe guards on but a friend’s son showed her son how to go around them and now her “clean up” time is spent visiting him in a detention home. We either fight now or spend forever trying to fix damage that is very hard to repair. It isn’t impossible, but doing it right the first time is best!
3. Pay your Tithing. AMEN! The Lord’s math sure doesn’t add up and I don’t think any mortal brain has been able to figure out how everything gets paid when you sit down to write the checks and before you figure out what tithing is, every cent is accounted for but there is always just enough to pay it!
4. Attend your meetings. How else can we “endure together” and endure to the end if we don’t have support and love from those around us! This is very important for our children to see. I know Sister Cook was sort of speaking to the youth, so she didn’t say “temple” but we as parents need to set that example. While I was growing up the nearest temple was 800 miles away, but every time we went to Utah, my parents attended a session. Now I live with a temple 15 minutes away and I have a hard time finding 3 hours to go. Maybe I need to fix that!
Yes, one can make the difference—BE THAT ONE TODAY!