The Magic Answer

This is one of those times I'm using my blog as a journal, because I really want to write something down and remember it. For our Family Home Evening lesson a couple of weeks ago, I taught the kids about the "magic answer" -- I told them that if they learned it, they would know the right answer 90% of the time in Primary and maybe even in seminary when they get older. Of course the magic answer is read your scriptures, say your prayers, go to church, and obey the commandments. We talked about how that really is the right answer, because if you're doing those things, you'll never get too far off track.

Nearly every night since then, after we finish reading together in the Book of Mormon, we talk about what we just read and then I ask them a question about it, something that I know they can answer with the magic answer. (There are ample opportunities to re-teach this point, as we're reading in Helaman, and the Nephites have a really hard time learning this lesson.) It has been pretty interesting to see how long it takes for the kids to come up with the right answer. They have gotten a little bit quicker each night. Some of the questions: How can we strengthen our testimonies? What can we do to have the Spirit? What can we do to avoid temptation? How can we know what Heavenly Father wants us to do? You get the idea.

Tonight, we talked again about the Nephites becoming more wicked than the Lamanites. I told the boys that we are like the Nephites used to be, because we have the truth. I (very innocently) asked them what we need to do to make sure we never forget what we know and become wicked like the Nephites. Nathan got it and smiled immediately. Seth and Caleb weren't far behind. Seth said, "Read our scriptures, go to church, say our prayers, obey the commandments."

After I told them they are the most brilliant children and we all laughed, I asked, "How do you know? Is that the answer because it really is just magic, so it's always right?" They all said no. So I asked okay, why is it right answer? Nathan said, "Because it's true." Yay, I think they've got it.

Nathan wasn't talking specifically about the gospel being true, but it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from Conference:

"It's true, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's true."
"Then what else matters?"