Everybody Likes to Go Their Own Way

"Everybody likes to go their own way - to choose their own time and manner of devotion."

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist of romantic fiction

It has always been that way.  We can disagree, but if we complain about the choices, the real problems begin.

These mushrooms don't belong on the
temple grounds, but they are there...
so I created a scene where they
really look good with the temple.

For example, Lehi's big challenge in saving his family, was that everybody had a different idea about what to do and where to go.  Even his wife "had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness."  When she was finally consoled that her sons were safe, "she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons... and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them."

I felt like complaining about my
orchestra and the late arriving
musicians.  However, I said nothing,
and afterward received many
compliments about how wonderful
the music sounded.

Nephi was devoted to following his father, but shares with us his own ideas, not those of his father. "I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not write it in this work."

 Everyone likes to make their own choices, and we can't take away our children's agency.  We can teach them and bear witness.  When Lehi realized he had a son who did not complain, but did what he was told, he said, "go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.... I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded... And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord."

Lily is reading, because that is the
example she sees around her.

So, we are glad for this news from Jess: "We are in Chapter 5 of 2 Nephi and reading about 3-4 days a week.  Not perfect but much better than we ever have.  Even Lily gets in on the fun.  She get really excited when it is her turn to read and pronounces very well.  It is fun to have all the other kid's reading by themselves and helping each other out."  Everyone is having fun reading the same book.

I am going to read with them, and hope to get involved in their discussions on Skype (or here in the Blog).  We can disagree, but if we complain about each other, that is very destructive to relationships.

Tropical fruits in the Temple gardens

There is no evidence that Lehi's family disagreed on this point: "we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind."  I guess everyone likes to eat.