There is a sign on the wall in the kitchen area near the table. It says “Love is Spoken Here”. It is one of my favorite songs from Primary in church as a child.

Here are the lyrics:

Verse 1: I see my mother kneeling with our family each day. I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray. Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears, and I am thankful love is spoken here.

Verse 2: Mine is a home where every hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood power. With Father and Mother leading the way. Teaching me how to trust and obey; and the things they teach are crystal clear, for love is spoken here.

Over the years, I have thought about taking the sign down because love is not always spoken here. It makes me tired and sad. Sometimes, when things are really not nice around the kitchen table, I feel sad that it is hung where the conversation can turn so mean.

Recently, I felt inspired that when a certain child asks for reassurance for the 50^th time that day and it’s only 11AM, that I just need to give more love. She knows the answer she is seeking, but she is just seeking love. So now, when she asks me something that she doesn’t need to ask me, I just say, “I love you”.

Then another child that has a hard time not saying the unkind thoughts that pop into her mind started getting “I love you” as well. And now, finally, love is truly spoken here. I’m laughing right now. I know that this is a process to get more love into the home. My children have to go through struggles, trials, puberty and things are going to get ugly at times. I’m so glad that God helped me to understand that the words, “I love you” need to be spoken more in the home.

It is not a beautiful thing yet, but I know that God can help make it become beautiful. He has also helped me to recognize as I write this that love has been spoken here more than I have realized. We have had many amazing deep conversations around that kitchen table. Imperfect parents teaching their children about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. About the plan to return home to our Heavenly Parents. About our deep desire to teach them all that we can before they leave home one day to go live their own lives.

I’m so grateful for this understanding. Sometimes as a parent, it can be overwhelming. You feel as if you are not enough to meet the needs of your children. You worry and stress about things more than you should. I learned this years ago. God has them. He sent them to you to be his hands on earth, but He has a plan and a way to help them even when I cannot.

He is the best partner in raising children. My husband and I are a great team most days, but Heavenly Father knows more than we do about our children and I feel like I know them pretty well. I learned to lean on His guidance frequently. After all, they are really His children.

Homeschooling has been very beneficial for this. I have a homeschool huddle at the start of the day. This can be a book read aloud, a video, a discussion, whatever I feel inspired to do. We have a lot of discussions when there is a problem, but we also have discussions about the Gospel. I am truly grateful to have this time with my kids to teach them and help them in any way that they need.

I am so grateful for the inspiration that God gives to me on how to be a better parent. Even when it is a gentle correction to my current way of parenting.  I am trying my best, but like anything worth doing, it can be difficult. I get frustrated when I mess up.

We have a wonderful friend that is an important part of our lives. When we are leaving after a visit or a phone call with her, we say, “I love you!” And every single time, she responds, “I love you more!” And she means it every time. Every single time we visit with this special woman, we leave that visit feeling so loved. I want to be more like her.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to change my ways and become something better. It is hard. Just because I choose hard, doesn’t mean I have an easy time with it. Hard is hard. Some days, I don’t feel up to the challenge. But then, God reminds me of all the other times I did hard things and how it helped me become who I am today. He knows how to inspire me. I love Him. He tells me that with Him, I can do anything. And then, He shows me how.