A couple of years ago. I don't know how long now, too long really.
(I should have written down the date.)
Our family started reading The Book of Mormon to finish it.
We used a similar chart like this one to help move us along.
I liked this reward incentive because it was for each book,
instead of just doing one reward for the whole book.
It helped encourage us better.
We weren't the best at it every day. We tried though. Sometimes each member of the family would read a verse or two. Other times one person would read a few verses. Sometimes we listened to it with our devices. Other times we even watched a video. We forgot where we were a lot. That means we read double some times, or probably skipped some parts.
The point is we were consistent.
The kids were in the room with us, not always sitting still,
maybe never sitting still, or even behaving for that matter.
But we did it, We FINISHED!
That was a great feeling. Really Good.
The quote below and others like it, are what encouraged me to keep trying to finish the book with our family, even when it was challenging at times for sure:
(The quote is from Elder K. Brett Nattress from his Oct. General Conference talk,
"As further evidence to help you understand the challenge my parents faced in raising our family, let me tell you about our family scripture reading. Each morning, my mother read the Book of Mormon to us during breakfast. During this time, my older brother, Dave, and I would sit quietly but irreverently. To be completely honest, we weren’t listening. We were reading the print on the cereal boxes.
Finally, one morning, I decided to square up with my mother. I exclaimed, “Mom, why are you doing this to us? Why are you reading the Book of Mormon every morning?” I then made a statement that I am embarrassed to admit to. In fact, I can’t believe I actually said it. I told her, “Mom, I am not listening!”
Her loving response was a defining moment in my life. She said, “Son, I was at a meeting where President Marion G. Romney taught about the blessings of scripture reading. During this meeting, I received a promise that if I would read the Book of Mormon to my children every day, I would not lose them.” She then looked me straight in the eyes and, with absolute determination, said, “And I will not lose you!”
Her words pierced my heart. Notwithstanding my imperfections, I was worth saving! She taught me the eternal truth that I am a son of a loving Heavenly Father. I learned that no matter what the circumstance, I was worth it. This was a perfect moment for an imperfect little boy."
