A few weeks ago we had a fifth week, combined Sunday School class, taught by our Bishop. He wanted to talk to the parents about helping our children to remain active in the church once they were of age to choose for themselves. He said something that has stuck with me and has given me much pause for thought. He said, "The #1 most important thing we can do as parents is to help our children come to know the Lord as their own personal Savior."
He continued to explain that children, little children, who have this testimony by the age of eight or nine are far more likely to remain faithful throughout their life than those who do not gain that personal testimony. So I guess the question is, How can we do that?
Studies have shown that a child's perception of God is based on their relationship with their mortal father. If we were abandoned by our father we may consider God to be someone who is out there, but who doesn't know us or love us. If we were treated harshly by our father we may grow to believe that God is an angry being who will punish us for being imperfect. On the other hand, if our earthly father is a patient, loving, forgiving man filled with wisdom and a good sense of humor, we are likely to think of God similarly.
The first step in helping our children realize that Jesus Christ is their personal savior is to help them feel that having a relationship with the savior is a desirable thing. Why would they want to have a relationship with a being who is angry, harsh and unforgiving? They wouldn't.
The next step, in my humble opinion, is for the parent to share their testimony with their children and to do it often. Children learn their most intense lessons from their parents. Yes we teach them by our example, by attending church, studying the scriptures and having family prayer, but when we make it a practice to share our testimony with our family members on a regular basis we create opportunities for them to feel the Holy Spirit as they listen to our heartfelt words. As you find teaching moments each day, use them as an avenue to look your child in the eye and lovingly testify of Christ. Your words will reach into their soul and plant seeds of faith upon which they can nurture their own personal testimony.
The third and final step I will mention here is the importance of studying the scriptures with your children. Reading the scriptures together is wonderful, but studying them together will enable your children to come to understand and love them. Most children by the age of 6 can read well enough to participate in daily scripture reading, perhaps they will read only one verse a day for a while and that is okay. Use that single verse to open up a dialogue. Ask your child what they think the verse is saying, tell them a story that relates to the verse, make it an intriguing, memorable experience; something that they will ponder throughout the day.
In the world our children are growing up in, it is paramount that they are armed with their own personal testimonies as early as possible. Help them develop a desire to know Jesus Christ.
