A good thing

You know you have a good thing going when your 6 year old starts asking excitedly when it's time for Conference. He's been asking for the past 2 weeks. Lest you think we've spawned a miracle child who sits obediently and reverently through 8 hours of Conference talks, I must share 2 words with you . Conference. Candy. It works for us. It really, really does.

Excluding our 2 year old, of course. He sees candy and wants to eat it RIGHT NOW! He talked through the entire 1st session of Conference, except for a few minutes when he found some dry skin on his foot and picked at it. Disgusting? Yes. But it was still purely, blissfully quiet for 10 whole minutes.

Anyway, we pick 3 words every session that the kids listen for. When they hear it, they get a small piece of candy. Of course, during the first session they are so very excited about the possibility of eating candy that they bounce off the walls for the first hour. (I had to take them upstairs to have another little talk about appropriate behavior about 1/2 way through the first session.) By the second session, they've calmed down a bit and Sunday usually goes very well.

I also print up the activity packets that make their way around the world before Conference, but unfortunately it only keeps my children's interest for approximately 3 minutes. (Slightly longer for older children.) We're still working on that part. And also the part where I don't get exasperated at bouncy, sugar-filled children while I'm trying to listen.

I enjoyed all of Conference, of course, but like many others, I was extremely touched by Elder Holland's pure, bold testimony of the Book of Mormon. There's nothing quite like listening to an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ bear testimony to the world of certain, undeniable truths. I am so thankful for the words that were spoken, the testimonies that were given, and the desire I feel to be a better person.