Knowing

This post is about knowing. Not the awful Nicholas Cage movie, but the knowing that comes with personal revelation.

it's also a little bit about sibling rivalry

Last Friday our ward primary invited the primary children and their families to meet at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to watch the film "Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration". On the way to temple square James and I talked to the kids about the importance of gaining their own testimonies of Joseph Smith.

I spent a great deal of my life hearing my father reason with me that if one had a testimony of Joseph Smith, then the Book of Mormon has to be true and if one has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, then Joseph Smith did see God the Father and His Son, he was a true prophet of God, and he did restore Christ's church in these latter days. He would then go on to reason, if these things are true and go hand in hand, then everything else within the gospel is true as well and will naturally fall into place.

These are the thoughts we discussed with our children as we headed into downtown Salt Lake City. We also talked about recognizing the Spirit, how he can burn within our hearts and witness of things that are true. We reminded them of reading about Alma and his testimony and how he knew his words to be true because, "they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God...And now I do know of myself that they are true."

It was a good talk and an even better experience within the theater...even though I was wrestling a cranky 9 month old. My testimony and love for Brother Joseph was strengthened as I watched and thought about his life and sacrifice. To quote a great man, my father, "It's all true."

Upon leaving the theater I felt my hand grabbed and looked down to find a sobbing Olivia. She told me through her tears, "I know Mom. I know. I felt it. Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God."

As a parent, this was one of those rewarding moments. James and I talked and she listened...and even better...she listened for and heard the Spirit. She may not listen on numerous other occasions, but she did listen that night.

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Of course this new level of spirituality she experienced did not extend itself to her younger brother. On the way to Leatherby's for more ice cream than was possibly needed, the following conversation was heard:

Olivia: "Mark did you see any other kids crying? I was crying."

Mark: "I didn't see anyone else crying."

Olivia: "I was crying."

At this point in time James and I exchanged looks. We both knew where she was going with this. In her mind, because she cried she was more 'in tune' with the message of the movie, whereas...Mark was not.

Mark: "I almost cried."

Olivia: "You must not have understood then. When I was little (?) I just didn't understand it all. Now I get it."

Next family home evening lesson? You don't have to cry to "Get it".