Mommy Moment: "In the Leafy Treetops"

Last week the two youngest (5 and 7) got into daddy’s closet and put on “suits.” When told that they looked like missionaries, the 7-year-old took it upon himself to prepare a “discussion.” He showed me his paper later. With no resources or help, he had written this:

1. Read a scripture.
2. What do you think this scripture means?
3. Did you feel the Holy Ghost?
4. What does the Holy Ghost feel like?
5. Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

I am NOT KIDDING. He wrote all that without looking in any resources. I guess he was remembering the last time we had the sisters teach a discussion here (about six months ago).

SO, not wanting to waste a precious resource, I “scheduled the elders” to come teach a discussion for Family Home Evening the other night. When it was time, he went upstairs and got on his suit and his father’s badge. (His brother, who refused to change out of shorts and a t-shirt, became the “member missionary” with whom he was doing splits.) And then he proceeded to teach us his discussion, using his paper as a guide.

For the scripture, he opened his Book of Mormon to a page that was highlighted and read it. (Just happened to be “I was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand . . . “) Then he asked us each of his questions.

And it was cool. Dang cute and very cool. But I’m still coming to the coolest part. After he asked, “What does the Holy Ghost feel like” and we had discussed it, I asked them all, “Can you think of some times when you have felt it?” Oldest (barely 12) mentioned times when he had received priesthood blessings, his baptism, passing the sacrament, etc. Then he paused and said shyly, “This morning I woke up at 5:30 a.m. because the window was open and the birds were singing. I felt the Holy Ghost then, while I was listening to the birds.”

And my heart did this: !!!!! because I also love to hear the birds in the morning, and it really does feel like the Holy Ghost. Each night since then he has insisted on having his windows open so that he can awaken to the Holy Ghost.

Hallelujah!