Teach from Your Own Experiences

Like many families, we rotate family home evening teaching assignments. My teens are generally willing to take their turn; however, they are reluctant to sit through lessons taught by my husband or me.

I stumbled upon an answer to this situation when we were waiting for our oldest son's mission call. One night I decided to read excerpts from my journal that covered that same time in my life. I selected entries about my excitement to serve the Lord and my missionary preparations, including insights I received during my interviews with my bishop and stake president. I read my joyful reaction to being called by a prophet of God to serve in Indiana. At the end I shared letters I had sent home to my parents from the Missionary Training Center (MTC), and all of these experiences were sprinkled with adventures with my family and friends. My teens were listening, laughing, and asking questions for over an hour.

I discovered that reading real-life experiences is a powerful way to testify of Christ and show the blessings that come through living the gospel. Sharing my stories has also helped bridge the generation gap between me and my children because it helps my teens discover that we have had many feelings in common.

Janice Stringham LeFevre, Utah, USA