Today in Relief Society we talked about raising a sin-resistant generation. As a Mormon that means something different from the rest of the world. I adhere to a set of standards that are often thought silly, outdated or traditional for many people my age. But it is because of my faith in Jesus Christ and his teachings that I do this. I believe we lived with him before we came to earth, that we are here, having been given our agency, and the purpose of this life is to return to live with Him again.

As a mother of an almost two year old, I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my parenting/teaching. These are the points I found particularly valuable and my own thoughts:

Teach what "sin" is. To me, sin is acting contrary to the truths one knows. It is choosing to be distracted and deterred by temptation. It is self-serving. Without a definition or understanding of something, it's difficult to live by it.

Teach with love and from personal experience. Making mistakes is part of being human. Learning from them and choosing not to continue on the same path is the way we show Heavenly Father who we want to be.

Teach without shame. It's so important to me to have open dialogues with my children, to let them speak openly about how they feel, what they think, and the choices they are making, to be a safe space for them to turn, a place where they will not be shamed, belittled or chastised.

Teach each child to pray to know truth for themselves. It's not my place to tell my children who to be, but to teach them what is right and to let them decide and choose for themselves.

Teach children to pray for their own testimony and to develop their own faith so that even when life gets excruciating or they don't understand something they can rely on their faith to see them through.

Have a plan. A strategy.

Arm your family. We're being attacked on every side. The more righteous we are the more opposition we are going to have. Teach them to be strong. Safeguard them with knowledge. Knowledge is powerful. It's the only thing we carry with us in our lives and the only thing we take with us when we die.

Teach each person to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Solidify in your children's minds  the plan of salvation - who we are & where we came from, where we are going, and most importantly WHO WINS in the end. This helps us each, as individuals, to keep an eternal perspective, a "big picture" perspective. It makes all the little steps a bit easier to take and a bit more bearable if we have a clear picture of where we are going.

Teach agency and the consequences of choices/actions to one's soul and mind. Addictions warp your brain and deeply affect you psychologically. They greatly impact your relationships with others and your ability to love and forgive yourself. They will literally ruin your life.

Serve and befriend people in your community. Interact with people from all faiths, races, and personalities regularly.

Role play what to do if someone attacks your faith, etc. Teach your child traits that allow him or her to comfortably navigate social interactions with everyone.

Teach your children to be consistent - in their studies, in their reading, in their relationships with others.

Let your children see the joy and fulfillment you get from living the gospel.

Speak positively. Especially of other people.

Frame every action you take within these parameters: "If the Savior stood beside me, would I _____?"

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I entered a giveaway and in the application I was asked some questions that made me really think. I want to share them here: 

What mythical creature would you be and why?

A fairy mermaid. They are both mysterious and beautiful and I'd get the best of both worlds. I'd love to swim in every ocean, exploring sunken ships, watching the fish and finding sunken treasure. I'd have a beautiful green fin that would sparkle in the sun and retract into my skin when I wanted to be on land. It's always been a daydream to be able to fly! My wings would appear under a full moon and remain as long as I am airborne. I've always thought of fairies as magical, almost chameleon-like. They adapt to their surroundings well and are good at finding things (or hiding if need be). They can make a home anywhere. Like in trees. How cool would it be to live inside of a tree!?

  

If you could pass on a piece of advice to the next generation of women, what would that be? 

What other people think of you is none of your business, and it doesn't matter. The only person you should (and can) be working to grow is yourself. The world needs more love, more light and more women who know and love themselves. Be one of them. Lift other women up. Love people where they are at and remember that we are all children of God. Treat people accordingly. And remember Cinderella's advice: "Have courage and be kind."

  

What does “loving yourself” mean to you?

It means taking time to find out who you are: your talents, your passions, the things you enjoy most and allowing yourself time to develop and explore those things. It means honestly evaluating where you could work on some things and actively doing that. It means looking yourself in the eyes in the morning and telling that beautiful person in front of you that you love and accept her, that you are proud of who she is becoming. That you try to be a little more patient and forgiving of yourself, realizing that you are human, you will make mistakes, but that the way you experience this life is completely up to you - you control your actions and reactions to everything that comes your way. It means NEVER comparing yourself to someone else.

I don't think we ever "arrive" or get to a point where we stop growing. Self-reflection is a characteristic of one who desires to be a master of their life and emotions. I'm on that quest now. I am grateful to be alive and to have had every trial in my life. They have all been for my good, to see what I will do with them. I will rise. I will overcome. I will endure. I choose to be kind.