ESSENTIAL

During the October 2010 General Conference Quentin L. Cook gave a talk entitled "Let There Be Light." It mostly centered on protecting our families and communities from Satan's influences all around us...how to keep that light despite the dangers we face in the world today. One quote jumped out at me like a big neon sign.

"Weekly Family Home Evening and daily family prayer and scripture study are essential."

Yep. That's it. Seemingly, not too earth shattering, right?

Interestingly enough, at the time I didn't remember too much of the talk and actually had to go back and re-read it to try and figure out what the quote was even really about, why it had affected me the way it had.

I mean, it's not new revelation or anything. Having FHE, family prayer and scripture study...well, yeah, we all know we should be doing that.

I thought about it for days, even asking Bryan what he thought. He said that if something an apostle had said had jumped out at me, then no matter how simple and obvious it seemed, there was reason behind it. I finally figured out that it wasn't necessarily the actual quote...it was the word. ESSENTIAL.

Family Home Evening, family prayer and scripture study...it wasn't just something we should do. It was more than just a nice thing... much more, even, than being important. It was ESSENTIAL.

So a few months later when it came time to make New Years goals/resolutions I decided to again have one word be my goal, my motto or focus for the year. (Last year's word was Balance). I knew immediately that my word would be ESSENTIAL.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what things needed to be ESSENTIAL (ie: more than just a nice thing) in my life. Of course FHE, family prayer and scripture study were on the list. But also having dinner as a family. Frequent dates nights with my husband. And, maybe strangely, excersize...not so much about losing weight but being healthy and taking care of my body.

So we're now 3 months into 2011 and 6 months from the original conference talk. How am I doing? I have to admit that it's been a bit of a roller coaster. I have good weeks and bad weeks. I guess that's how things tend to roll with most goals. But I'm working on it.