My sister and I were talking on the phone the other day and we began to talk about dealing with our children and patience.
"Lately I have really tried to make an effort to speak calmly to my children." she said. "It has really made all the difference."
She then told me about an experience the day before when her son was going to be late for baseball practice because he couldn't find his cleats. Normally she would have been chastising him for not being more organized with his personal things. This time she decided to take the calm approach. She saw that he was already not happy with himself for misplacing them and she did not need to add to his personal agony.
As she quietly followed him around the house, helping him turn over every piece of furniture and blanket the thought came to her to go out in the garage and back out her van. So without hesitation that's what she did. As she backed the van out into the driveway - there were her son's cleats. They had been under the van.
She told me that she realized had she not been calm and patient with her son, her anger and rage would have overpowered the Spirit and she would have not have been able to hear the promptings. I thought this was a great message for everyone.
Doctrine and Covenants 105:40
40 And make proposals for peace unto those who have smitten you, according to the voice of the Spirit which is in you, and all things shall work together for your good.
1 Peter 3:4
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
“The Holy Ghost is a revelator,” said Joseph Smith, and “no man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelations” (HC 6:58). According to the Bible Dictionary, without revelation, all would be guesswork, darkness, and confusion.
We live in such a noisy world as it is. With all that surrounds us, we should strive to be forgiving, peaceful and patient - and to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost with us always. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ amen.
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