Today we are in Southern Utah (one of my favorite places on earth).  We attended church with Jeremiah's parents--wonderful meeting.  My favorite part was when I heard a young man who was leaving for a mission.  He was so well prepared!  It was evident he knew and loved the scriptures.  He spoke with confidence.  It was evident his parents took careful care in raising and teaching him, because that type of 18 or 19 year old doesn't just (typically) happen.  

While he was speaking I turned to Jeremiah and whispered "I want Matthew to be prepared like that when he leaves for his mission."  I thought of one of my favorite talks given in October of 2007 by Sister Julie B. Beck. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2007/10/mothers-who-know?lang=eng She says "Mothers who know are always teachers.  Since they are not babysitters, they are never off duty. A well-taught friend told me that he did not learn anything at church that he had not already learned at home.  His parents used family home evening, mealtimes, and other gatherings to teach.  Think of the power of our future missionary force if mothers considered their homes as a pre-missionary training center.  Then the doctrines of the gospel taught in the MTC would be a review and not a revelation.  That is influence; that is power."

I desire to be a "mother who knows" so my son can understand, both in his mind and in his heart, that he is a precious son of a loving Heavenly Father, so he can understand and love the scriptures and apply them in his life, so he can gain a strong and immovable testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and so he can understand his responsibility and opportunity to help and serve others.  I desire that he seeks education and truth and develops a hunger for learning.  I desire that he develops discipline necessary to achieve his goals.  I desire that he makes and keeps covenants.  I desire that he is confident and secure in who he is as a valuable son of God.  I desire these things for him because I know that knowing and applying things will help him to be happy--and I want with all of my heart for him to be happy!

I've now entered the blogging world!  It's something I've thought about doing for quite some time.  But life is busy.  Since life is busy, I'll use this to write about experiences and ideas and people that are especially meaningful to me, and maybe they'll be meaningful to you also.