Nourishment

I am pregnant again! Because of this wonderful blessing, I am constantly reminded of the need my physical body has for nourishment, and with a little one growing inside me, the need for nourishment is greatly increased, and cannot be ignored:) I was thinking about this tonight as I was feeling ravenously hungry (after eating just 2 hours earlier)....and then I thought about my need for spiritual nourishment. Just as my physical body needs more nourishment when I am feeding and growing a baby, I believe that my spirit needs more nourishment because I am a mother. It is my job to nurture my children and my husband, and to provide an environment where they can be spiritually nourished daily, by the Spirit of the Lord. In order to do this most important work, my own spirit must be fed constantly throughout the day.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke about spiritual nourishment- what it is and how we obtain it.
He said, "God reveals Himself and His eternal truths- the spiritual food that the scriptures call the bread of life and the living water- to those who seek, who serve, who keep His commandments, and who wait and listen in humility for His teaching. Study and reason are appropriate to begin this process, but "the things of God cannot be learned solely by study and reason. Despite their essential and beneficial uses, the methods of study and reason are insufficient as ways of approaching God and understand the doctrines of His gospel. We cannot come to know the things of God while rejecting or failing to use the indispensable method God has prescribed to learn these things. The things of God must be learned in His own way, through faith in God and revelation from the Holy Ghost." (Dallin H. Oaks, Nourishing the Spirit [1996])

He goes on to emphasize just how important the role of a parent is in helping their children to be spiritually nourished. "Among the most important things parents can do for their children is to provide them with worthy examples and with opportunities for personal religious experiences. Statistical studies of Church members in North America show that the example of parents is the most important single factor in shaping the behavior and beliefs of youth. These studies also show that family experiences are the strongest methods of affecting religious behavior- clearly exceeding the effect of Church activities."

I am so grateful for the organization of the Church that guides me on how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. For He is the Living Water and the Bread of Life, and it is only through Him that our spirits can be filled and renewed every day. I am grateful to be a woman and for how Heavenly Father reaches out to me and teaches me so lovingly and personally through my every day responsibilities.