Personal Ministries as parents

"Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result. If we are His hands, should we not do the same?"

I have been inspired by the words at church as well as words from the Apostles of our church, that were given at a world-wide broadcast in April. So much of what they said related to our ministering to others, especially within our homes...that the distractions of the world have become so all-encompassing, so available, and that they easily pull us away from serving others, from building our character, and from edifying our families. I was asked to give a talk on Sunday for our congregation on the power of scripture study within our homes; I was happy to have "an excuse" to take the time to study many talks given in that April General Conference of our church. Repeated parents, especially mothers, were encouraged and challenged to talk about Jesus Christ and His role in our lives, to read the "words of eternal life" found in the scriptures, to help our children become "active learners" rather than passive listeners. To "be doers of the word and not hearers only"...some of my favorite quotes, from Apostle, Elder Neil L. Anderson (he presided over Ted's mission in France in 1991-3) are:

We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. We cannot be casual in how we prepare them. Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.

The stories of Jesus can be like a rushing wind across the embers of faith in the hearts of our children. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”8 The stories of Jesus shared over and over bring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strength to the foundation of testimony. Can you think of a more valuable gift for our children?

Do they think about His humble birth, the Savior of the world lying in a manger? Do His circumstances help them better understand the proper place of material possessions?

Do they know that Jesus often taught, “Ask, and ye shall receive”? Do His prayers of thankfulness and His pleadings to His Father flow through our children’s minds as they kneel in prayer with their own concerns?
Have we told them of the love Jesus has for children, how He held them in His arms, prayed for them, and wept? Do our children know that Jesus stands ready “with open arms to receive [them]”?
In their own loneliness, do our children know the loneliness the Savior felt as His friends deserted Him and as He asked His Apostles, “Will ye also go away?”
Have our children felt the power of the Savior’s miracles? Jesus healed the leper, gave sight to the blind. He fed the 5,000, calmed the sea, and raised Lazarus from the dead. Do our children believe that “it is by faith that miracles are wrought,” and do they pray for miracles in their own lives?
Have our children taken courage from the Savior’s words to the ruler of the synagogue: “Be not afraid, only believe”?