Short Story:
Jesus and Church
A friend posted a question, “If you could RAISE your children all over again— what would you do DIFFERENTLY?”
I responded with, “Replace the word Church for Jesus.” Then, I found myself opening up this Google Doc and sharing why…..
Growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I knew Heavenly Father and Jesus were my friends. I knew that the Holy Ghost’s job was to testify of Them and help me to build that testimony. I remember praying, attending church, reading scriptures in my dad’s office or my room, going to the temple to perform baptisms for the dead, and focusing on serving a mission.
These activities built my testimony of the Savior. My favorite part about my testimony came while reading the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi chapter 17 and reading about Jesus staying the blessing, healing, and comforting all that were with Him that day. I knew Jesus did that for them and did that for me.
As I grew and studied more, I knew that Jesus had/has the power to do all things. He is the one who atoned for all of us individually. Jesus really understands. Jesus is that sweet babe who came, lived, taught, atoned, was crucified, was resurrected, and LIVES today. I know this to be true and deep in my heart.
I felt compelled to raise my children in God’s love and light and did my best to add it to their lives. I thought I did okay. When I left my abusive marriage, I never stopped praying. My first five children were kept safe because of Jesus, but I should have said it aloud more.
Maybe I was stuck in the tradition of reverence (not in a bad way, but if my children don't hear about the miracles because I am keeping sacred certain things, maybe I should have shared more and more). I remember a pivotal song by Chris Rice on the radio: “Sing for Jesus and live.” This captured my reverent but powerful way of singing about Christ. I wanted to say it more...but I didn't.
Maybe I didn’t do it so well with my older kids…but what I can do is love and love all my kids. Well, that's something. (Now, I can’t go back and change anything; I can only go forward).
Anyway, In 2018, I remember a SHIFT in my heart that happened after listening to the General Conference. This was my awakening. I noticed that my friends of other faiths used the word “Jesus” in everyday conversations. Here is what I mean: if they talked about the Holy Ghost, they would say Holy Spirit, and phrases like "PLT!!" would shoot out of their mouth. "PTL?” What is that? I don’t hear that phrase at church. So I listened more, and she would follow up by saying, “Praise the Lord, or Praise Jesus.” In everyday little things, she would say the name of Jesus (not in cursing) but in praise.
This stopped me. Hum...Do I walk around thanking and praising the Lord or saying the name of Jesus the way my friends do? Not really—so I wondered, “What do I say?”
I would say, "The Church." I noticed my family saying, "The Church or the Gospel," but never really "Jesus." I think it is out of culture, out of Reverence, or maybe just assuming that when we say "Church or the Gospel," we mean Jesus....but still, it is not the same.
My mind went to the scripture 2 Nephi 25:26
My heart suddenly started to think about the hymns,
“Praise to the Lord,”
“Christ the Lord is Risen today.”
Rejoice the Lord is King
“Oh, Come All Ye Faithfull”
“Once in Royal David’s City”
“Joy to the World”
“Come Ye Children of the Lord.”
“Redeemer of Isreal”
“Nearer My God to Thee”
Suddenly, I started to think about how I talk about Jesus in my home. Whenever I said “church,” I meant “Jesus.” So, I started to form habits by replacing "church" with "Jesus." I started by saying the Gospel OF JESUS CHRIST. I then dropped the gospel and just started to say Jesus when I needed to replace "the Church.”
I remember when I was a missionary, and the focus was to make sure you told investigators every time they would feel the spirit to identify it...I would have added that that comes from God, the Savior, the Prince of Peace, Christ, and Jesus. I should have done that more with my first five, but I knew I could do it now.
Today, when it is scripture time, I say it is "Jesus time." When we go on Wednesday night for youth, I say, "Youth for Jesus." When it is time to go to church, I say it is Time for Worship. And I’m using the phrase “House of the Lord” instead of Temple. (It works out great for my deaf daughters because they see mom repeatedly signing “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,” and my two hearing boys hear it too).
My other Christian friends use His name and praise him often. I wanted that flow of “Jesus” in my life with the True and Everlasting Gospel. So, I have replaced the word Chruch with Jesus.
We know that with Jesus, you must have action/momentum in order to move toward him, and we must make covenants. So I'm adding the word Jesus/Christ to the Covenants. "Walk the Covenant path" becomes "Walk Christ's Covenant path." "The Atonement" becomes "Christ's Atonement." (NOT SEPARATED but identified WITH Him). Elder Kearon's Elder Hirst and Elder Renlund’s talks were beautiful reminders of this. Elder Renlund's talk about Jesus and the church was SUPER CLEAR about their roles in our salvation.
What would you do if you could raise your children differently? Please share and do some reflecting. Growth can hurt, but it is worth it.
Forever Shining,
April
Comentarios