I found a cute, little story from lds.org under the topic "reverence."
"As Father passed Jill’s room, he overheard Jill and her friends playing. He peeked through the door. The two friends were seated stiffly with arms folded tightly, eyes pinched shut, feet flat on the floor. Their faces were frowning; their mouths looked as if they had just eaten sour lemons. Jill was standing on a small chair in front of her friends. 'Shush!' she said. 'Shush!' The friends pulled their arms in tighter and lowered their heads farther.
'What are you playing?' Father whispered.
Jill looked up. 'Oh, we’re playing church. We already had a song and a talk. Now we’re playing reverent.'"1
"As Father passed Jill’s room, he overheard Jill and her friends playing. He peeked through the door. The two friends were seated stiffly with arms folded tightly, eyes pinched shut, feet flat on the floor. Their faces were frowning; their mouths looked as if they had just eaten sour lemons. Jill was standing on a small chair in front of her friends. 'Shush!' she said. 'Shush!' The friends pulled their arms in tighter and lowered their heads farther.
'What are you playing?' Father whispered.
Jill looked up. 'Oh, we’re playing church. We already had a song and a talk. Now we’re playing reverent.'"1
This story can lead us to ponder… Is reverence just the way we look, or how quiet we are? Is it supposed to be sour-like? As I've pondered and researched the true meaning of reverence, a simple primary song came into my mind: “Reverence is more than just quietly sitting, it’s thinking of Father above.”2 Are we just being quiet, or are we being reverent? Are we quietly, blankly staring at the speakers, or are we quietly listening for the spirit to guide us in our lives.
Today, when I talk about reverence, I hope we can see much more than the volume of a room, but understand that its true meaning is "to have a deep respect for sacred things."3
I had a Brigham Young University (BYU) professor compare the reverence of a funeral to that of a sacrament meeting. Those deep, respectful, reverent feelings shown at a funeral should actually be similar to those shown at a Sacrament meeting, because the Sacrament is a memorial ordinance .4 We are also under covenant, after baptism, to remember the Savior. In regards to the sacrament, Luke 22:19 reads, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”5
Do we think of the Sacrament as a memorial ordinance? Do we look at the sacrament table and remember what it represents? Do we have and show that deep respect every Sunday by not only how quiet we are, but by the direction of our thoughts?
I found a General Conference talk, by Jeffrey R. Holland, titled, “This Do in Remembrance of Me,” and will a share a few of his wonderful ideas for how we can preserve memories of the Savior every Sunday.
Today, when I talk about reverence, I hope we can see much more than the volume of a room, but understand that its true meaning is "to have a deep respect for sacred things."3
I had a Brigham Young University (BYU) professor compare the reverence of a funeral to that of a sacrament meeting. Those deep, respectful, reverent feelings shown at a funeral should actually be similar to those shown at a Sacrament meeting, because the Sacrament is a memorial ordinance .4 We are also under covenant, after baptism, to remember the Savior. In regards to the sacrament, Luke 22:19 reads, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”5
Do we think of the Sacrament as a memorial ordinance? Do we look at the sacrament table and remember what it represents? Do we have and show that deep respect every Sunday by not only how quiet we are, but by the direction of our thoughts?
I found a General Conference talk, by Jeffrey R. Holland, titled, “This Do in Remembrance of Me,” and will a share a few of his wonderful ideas for how we can preserve memories of the Savior every Sunday.
- "We could remember the Savior’s premortal life...
- As the creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are...
- We could remember the simple grandeur of his mortal birth...
- We could remember Christ’s miracles and his teachings, his healings and his help...
- We could remember that even with such a solemn mission given to him, the Savior found delight in living; and told his disciples to be of good cheer...
- We could remember that Jesus found special joy and happiness in children and said all of us should be more like them...
- On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice... [In the Savior’s words from Matthew 26:38, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”]6 However dim our days may seem they have been darker for the Savior of the world."7
I like these examples, because I thought reverence for the Savior was mainly supposed to be remembering His suffering, so we could appreciate His sacrifice. But, we are also to remember the example He set throughout His life. To think about who He was and Is.
Preparing for the next part of my talk was quite daunting for me, as it is how to teach children reverence. I have a squirmy, wild two-year-old, whom we quite frequently take to the foyer during Sacrament meetings. I was surprised to find such joyful, uplifting, happy answers to how we can teach children reverence.
1) "That Which we Value Inspires Reverence."1
They spoke of the gift of life, practically universally valued, as the first example. Children can so easily see the reverence and joy that is shown for a new baby. They sense reverent love for the newborn, and beg to hold the baby. They are dazzled and delighted by their presence! If we value something, they will sense it. 1
Could I find an example of this in my life? In my last ward, I was the primary chorister. At first, I was completely rigid, and didn't know how to be the goofy, lively chorister I wanted to be. However, I learned to love and find reverence for my calling (and ended up becoming super goofy). My son picked up on this love, as I sang primary songs to him before he fell asleep at night. Also, half of the reason my husband and I love to put on Family Home Evening, is to see my son’s eyes light up when it’s singing time. He turns into the happiest little boy with an absolute love for primary songs. Once I learned to value something like my calling, my son ended up with the same love and joy that I felt. What do we value in our lives? Are they eternally important things? Our children will notice.
I love this quote from President Spencer W. Kimball. He said we should be, “The happiest people on earth, and the most reverent.”8 This is the kind of reverence that I was happy to discover; not the sour-faced kind, but the happy, respectful, kind.
2) "Understanding Increases Our Reverence."1
Sometimes we don’t feel reverence because our understanding is limited. In regards to the Sacrament, it’s hard to think of special memories of the Savior if we haven’t studied His life and been able to know Him better by following His teachings.
If we want our children to learn reverence, we have to teach them about the things we want them to reverence. What is appropriate for their cognitive development? My son is two years old, and I’ve tried to apply this scripture for what I teach him spiritually: Alma 30:44, “All things denote there is a God.”9 All things. Therefore, we can teach about spiritual things everywhere we go, and with anything. Teaching our children can be spiritual and fun, no matter what age they are.
During Family Home Evening (FHE), we’ve been known to pick a toy out of my son’s toy box, and teach a short, spiritual lesson with that object. I threw a toy train to my husband when it was his turn to teach, and he talked about the “Little Engine that Could.” He used his arm as an incline and showed the train struggle its way up the "mountain." Instead of just using the portion of the story to say, “I think I can,” it was changed to “With Heavenly Father, I can.” He then taught that Heavenly Father will help us with the mountains, or trials that come in our lives.
3) "Reverence is prompted by the spirit."1
What can we do to increase the spirituality in our home?
When I think of a place that I can feel the spirit most strongly, I think of the temple. Here is how the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James version of the Bible Dictionary defines the temple, “A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary… A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.”10
The home isn’t exactly the same as the temple. Activities that make for a happy, healthy home, like children playing games, wouldn’t be appropriate in the temple. However, we can create a holy, spiritual, environment through prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evening, that emulates the spirituality found in the temple.
In regards to prayer, President Hinckley said, “Behold your little ones. Pray with them. Pray for them and bless them… You can do nothing better for your children than to have them taking their turn in the family prayer, expressing gratitude for their blessings.”11
One of the goals my husband and I made before we got married was to pray every day as a couple. On LDS.org there is a marriage and Family Relations Study Guide which says, “Many Church leaders and marriage counselors indicate that they have not seen one marriage in serious trouble where the couple was still praying together daily.”
This is so do-able! Letting our children take turns in family prayer; Praying as a couple every day. So simple, yet so powerful. I hope that we can look to all of these ideas that lead to reverence as do-able and spiritually strengthening.
3) "Reverence is prompted by the spirit."1
What can we do to increase the spirituality in our home?
When I think of a place that I can feel the spirit most strongly, I think of the temple. Here is how the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James version of the Bible Dictionary defines the temple, “A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary… A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.”10
The home isn’t exactly the same as the temple. Activities that make for a happy, healthy home, like children playing games, wouldn’t be appropriate in the temple. However, we can create a holy, spiritual, environment through prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evening, that emulates the spirituality found in the temple.
In regards to prayer, President Hinckley said, “Behold your little ones. Pray with them. Pray for them and bless them… You can do nothing better for your children than to have them taking their turn in the family prayer, expressing gratitude for their blessings.”11
One of the goals my husband and I made before we got married was to pray every day as a couple. On LDS.org there is a marriage and Family Relations Study Guide which says, “Many Church leaders and marriage counselors indicate that they have not seen one marriage in serious trouble where the couple was still praying together daily.”
This is so do-able! Letting our children take turns in family prayer; Praying as a couple every day. So simple, yet so powerful. I hope that we can look to all of these ideas that lead to reverence as do-able and spiritually strengthening.
I was humbled as I researched this topic and was able to take inventory on what I can do to make the Sacrament more reverent and meaningful in my life. I am thankful for the Savior's example, and His love.
I am thankful to also discover ways to teach reverence to my family, through what we value, teach/understand, and as we welcome the Holy Ghost into our lives.
I am thankful to also discover ways to teach reverence to my family, through what we value, teach/understand, and as we welcome the Holy Ghost into our lives.
References
1. Cahoon, O., & Olsen, A. (1984). Children Can Learn Reverence. Retreieved April 13, 2014, from https://www.lds.org/ensign/1984/02/children-can-learn-reverence?lang=eng
2. Words and music: Maggie Olauson, b. 1949 (c) 1987 by Maggie Olauson.
3. Study Helps. The Guide to the Scriptures.
4. Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, (2000), 53–55.
5. Luke 22:19.
6. Matthew 26:38.
7. "This Do in Remembrance of Me,”Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68
8. We Should Be a Reverent People, booklet, 1976.
9. Alma 30:44.
10. Bible Dictionary, "Temple," 780-781.
11. Dollahite, D. (2000). Strengthening Our Families. Utah: Center for Studies of the Family, Brigham Young University.
2. Words and music: Maggie Olauson, b. 1949 (c) 1987 by Maggie Olauson.
3. Study Helps. The Guide to the Scriptures.
4. Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual, (2000), 53–55.
5. Luke 22:19.
6. Matthew 26:38.
7. "This Do in Remembrance of Me,”Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68
8. We Should Be a Reverent People, booklet, 1976.
9. Alma 30:44.
10. Bible Dictionary, "Temple," 780-781.
11. Dollahite, D. (2000). Strengthening Our Families. Utah: Center for Studies of the Family, Brigham Young University.