911..What's Your Emergency!

In school Benjamin is learning a lot of things.  The other night we were going about life as usual, trying to get ready to go out as a family.  When I came out of my room Ben was talking on the phone.  I asked who he was talking to and took the phone away.  I could hear someone so I said, "Hello?"  In response I got, "Yes, this is Bexar County 911.  Is there an emergency?"  I felt so embarrassed.  I told her no and asked Ben why he called 911.  He kept saying that the toilet was broken...which it was leaking water so we turned the water off to it and told the kids it was broken.  I told her that he was calling because the toilet was broken and kept apologizing.  She asked how old he was and when I stated 5 she said that was fine because he was learning about it in school but to re emphasized that we only do it in a true emergency.  I apologized again and hung up.  I later asked Ben why he did it and he said that at school he learned that if there was a problem to call 911 and since the toilet was broken he thought they could help.  We talked about what an emergency was and that a broken toilet was not something 911 covers.  Hopefully we won't have too many of these phone calls in the future.

Getting Through

As a young mother trying to do all the things that we are asked to do by the prophets, it can be very overwhelming and difficult with such small children. I have come to terms that this is the time to get into practice while the children are young. I wonder as we are reading the scriptures, saying prayers, or any of the other many things we need to be doing, and the kids are jumping on the bed, beating each other up, or running in and out of the room, if this will ever get through to them and are they even listening. Last night as I was reading the scriptures to the boys still having thoughts of doubts Benjamin chimed up and said, "Is that Laman and Lemuel from the ship movie who tie up the boy?" Shocked, I said "Yes, it is." Thanks to the spirit I was able to recognize this as a teaching moment. We talked about who they are, who they had tied up, and whom do we want to become like. It was a very fulfilling reward, knowing that with my efforts, as hard as I am trying and as frustrated as it can get, I am doing good and line upon line, precept upon precept it will sink in and they will get it.