“The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

“Light and truth forsake that evil one. …

“I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.” Doctrine and Covenants 93:36-37, 40

Last week one of my friends, and reader of my blog, suggested I write about my homeschooling experiences, due to the fact that many people have unexpectedly found themselves in the homeschooling arena. I did write previously about it here but wanted to share some specifics today. Teaching my children from home is something I’m passionate about and believe in, otherwise, I never would have survived 20 years of homeschooling 4-7 children, during various times. Did I ever have doubts? Of course! I’ve had doubts about every part of mothering at one time or another. I didn’t, however, let those doubts stop me from doing what I felt called by the Lord to do for my children.

I think we all agree on the importance of being educated. Our leaders have spoken to us many times about getting an education, continuing to learn, teaching our children, and being a light in the world. I firmly believe in lifelong learning; I also believe there are many different ways to achieve the goal of becoming educated. Just as each child is unique and individual, each parent may choose the best education plan for that child, whether it be public school, private school, private tutoring, online classes, homeschooling, co-ops, etc. Each of us are blessed with the ability to receive inspiration and help from the Lord, if we seek it, in deciding how best to provide an education for our children—His children. Whatever method is chosen, we still teach our children at home every day of their lives.

“Parents must resolve that teaching in the home is a most sacred and important responsibility. While other institutions, such as church and school, can assist parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go,” ultimately this responsibility rests with parents. According to the great plan of happiness, it is parents who are entrusted with the care and development of our Heavenly Father’s children. Our families are an integral part of His work and glory—“to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” L. Tom Perry

My answers from the Lord led my plan for educating my children. We had a variety of educational experiences, including public school and homeschool. Either way, I wanted my children to learn eternal truths along with their schooling. I put my heart and soul into teaching my children, and it was incredibly hard work, physically and emotionally. I can state now, with my youngest daughter one year away from completing home education through high school, that every hour spent researching, planning, printing, and shopping, every tear cried in frustration and worry, every mess made in the name of learning, every mile traveled, every dollar spent on supplies, games, charts, flash cards, trips, shows, instruments, and books, books, books, was 100 % worth it!  I’d choose it again. I’d happily do all the work again. One of the greatest blessings of my life has been learning with my children, strengthening our testimonies together, seeing their interest, watching them develop talents, and witnessing, in amazement, their creativity.

“Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect, we consider the obtaining of an education to be a religious responsibility. Yet opportunities and abilities differ. I believe that in the pursuit of education, individual desire is more influential than institution, and personal faith more forceful than faculty.” Russell M. Nelson

I’m going to share a few things that worked for our family and brought us joy. There were many things we tried that didn’t work, ending in frustration and tears. We kept the good and tossed the bad; that’s the freedom of homeschooling. I’m grateful for those who shared ideas with me. I used those suggestions, which often sent me off on tangents perfect for us. I hope to spark ideas in others who love to learn with their children.

At the beginning of every summer, I started planning.  For the base of that year, I referred to a four-year rotation plan (Kindred Learning), where core subjects, including the scriptures, were covered in four years, then started over every four years, with deeper investigating. Then I looked for the children’s current interests. I planned in detail for the whole year, but rarely covered every single thing I’d planned. I allowed for exploration of other interests. I don’t think children normally learn best by switching subjects every hour. Mine were generally interested in something for hours or days, then moved on. Sometimes they were excited about a subject (animals, constellations, inventions, art, music) for much longer and really wanted to delve into it. That’s true learning! Except for math, which needs to be consistent, we generally did one subject per day. As long as the subjects I wanted to cover were included sometime during the year, it was flexible.

Much of our learning was reading—the library was my best friend. I did searches according to subjects, and reserved books and movies ahead. Sometimes I had 75 books checked out, between all our cards. When we studied invertebrates, we used an Apologia science book, nonfiction books, learned a song from Lyrical Life Science for memorization, and watched “Finding Nemo.”  When there were several children, they’d each write a report about one of the animals and stand and share it with the others. (As much as possible, writing assignments related to their studies.) When the French Revolution was the subject, we read nonfiction books and historical fiction, like “The Scarlett Pimpernel,” and we watched “A Tale of Two Cities.” They might write about Napoleon or Marie Antoinette. For art and music, we often read a biography (with cartoons) by Mike Venezia about an artist or composer from the time period or geographic area we were covering.  We viewed paintings online or at an exhibit (the Leonardo da Vinci one was so cool!) and attempted to copy the style of painting. We listened to composers’ works and occasionally played a sample on the piano or watched “Beethoven Lives Upstairs” or Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”

Some of our favorites:

• Incorporating scripture reading and Family Home Evening in studies and using Discover the Scriptures’ lessons to make scripture study more personal
• Reading aloud together (especially fun in a fort on rainy days)—that’s how we discovered Harry Potter, Fancy Nancy, Merlin, Winnie the Pooh, The Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and our love of reading
• Geography studies with maps, passports, dressing up, cultural activities (including creating a Chinese dragon and a piñata) and “feasts” of foods from the country studied, with friends invited
• Year-long newspaper project—all writing assignments were newspaper articles and entries for a completed newspaper at the end of the year
• Anatomy, with life-size body cutouts, field trips to “Slim Goodbody’s Bodyology” and “The Body Exhibit,” Lyrical Life Science songs about muscles and bones, and posters with labels to help with memorizing
• Science experiments, which succeeded about 60% of the time, but usually taught a lesson anyway
• A family history cookbook, with recipes received from many relatives we’d never met
• Making quilts for the grandmas 
• Illustrated timelines and homemade inventions 
• Award ceremony, gifts, and party at the end of the year
• Memorizing seminary scriptures, famous quotes, and church proclamations
• Once-a-week classes with a homeschool co-op and orchestra with the Southern Nevada Homeschool Performing Arts school
• Games, games, games for math and grammar, logic puzzles and brain teasers
• FREE TIME for creativity: magic shows, plays, music videos, karaoke, Dinotopia VR flying rides, concerts, travel, songwriting

There’s so much to explore, to learn, to enjoy with our children, who are only with us a little while. I miss those crazy, fun, hectic, strenuous days… but there’s always the grands!!

“God bless you wonderful mothers and fathers in Zion. He has entrusted to your care His eternal children. As parents we partner, even join, with God in bringing to pass His work and glory among His children. It is our sacred duty to do our very best.” L. Tom Perry

“In God’s economy, America is now and has always been a choice and favored land. God has decreed for her a final, great, and glorious destiny. Here Zion is to be established and the New Jerusalem is to be built. From here the law of God shall go forth to all nations.” Marion G. Romney

Early July, in the United States, is a time of celebration and remembrance as we show gratitude for the blessings of freedom we enjoy and honor those whom the Lord called to construct this nation and the principles upon which it was founded.  As a homeschooling mom, I’ve studied and taught about the origins of the United States through historical documents, textbooks, scriptures, and conference talks and devotionals by apostles and prophets. I feel a deep appreciation and have a high regard for the people and events that brought about the miraculous formation of the nation I have been privileged to call home. Studying United States history has increased my testimony that God directed and provided the means and miracles to make it possible for the Constitution to be created and the United States of America to become a nation, unlike any other, providing the place where the gospel of Jesus Christ could be restored.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”

When I ponder America’s beginnings, I’m filled with sincere gratitude and love for our founding fathers, men who risked and sacrificed so much for the cause they believed in. They were real. They were human. They were ordinary men who became extraordinary—heroes—because of their willingness to use their gifts for the cause of freedom and to press on even in the face of daunting obstacles and seemingly impossible odds, made possible through the grace of an omnipotent God. No less admirable and heroic are the many nameless, faceless, unheralded men and women who suffered, starved, froze, and fought, on and off the battlefield, so that their children and posterity would have something better than what they had.

“I am going to bear my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that those men who laid the foundation of this American government . . . were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. These were choice spirits, not wicked men. General Washington and all of the men that labored for the purpose were inspired of the Lord . . . Every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence with General Washington called upon me as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ in the temple at St. George two consecutive nights and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the House of God for them. .  .” Wilford Woodruff

I’ve never had to experience war.  I’ve never had a loved one die in a battle for my country’s freedom. I’ve never been hungry or frozen or bloodied fighting for the land I love. But I watched, live on television, airplanes fly into the twin towers and government buildings. I felt the grief and fear of knowing enemies were attacking innocent people and the country I call home. I had a desperate need to have my children around me. That evening I sat in a church with many other concerned members, comforted by the words of our prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley.

“Dark as is this hour, there is shining through the heavy overcast of fear and anger the solemn and wonderful image of the Son of God, the Savior of the World, the Prince of Peace, the exemplar of universal love, and it is to Him that we look in these circumstances. It was He who gave His life that all might enjoy eternal life.”

From an address given on September 11, 2001, in the Tabernacle on Temple Square.

Afterwards, with tears streaming down my face, my throat tight, and my heart pounding in my chest, we sang,

Oh, beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam,

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!

God shed his grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea.

Sobered by these events and their long-reaching effects on freedom, I was reminded that the scriptures teach us the only way we can hold on to this land and the blessings of liberty.

“And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ.” Ether 2:9, 12

It’s unpopular now to express a love for our country for fear of offending someone or being labeled racist or nationalist. It is not with a feeling of pride or superiority, but humility and gratitude, that I share my love for the United States of America. Pledging allegiance to the flag, and the Republic for which it stands, is not worshiping them, nor is it claiming that its citizens are any better or more beloved of our Father in Heaven.

“In this land we often sing ‘God Bless America.’ Let us continue to do so as a prayer. But why not also sing God bless England, and God bless Scandinavia, and God bless South America and Mexico and the Orient, and God bless Australia and New Zealand, and God bless all other lands? He will bless them—every one—if they will turn to him with full purpose of heart. But there is no other way.” Mark E. Peterson

“I testify to all of you—young and old—that God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ have visited this land. They appeared in the state of New York to Joseph Smith, Jr. I testify that their appearance was a reality…

“I testify that this is the Lord’s church. He presides over it and is close to His servants. He is not an absentee master; of that you can be assured. Yes, you young people are privileged to live in this choice land—a land of Zion—a land reserved for the second coming of our Lord and Savior, and the Lord’s base of operations today. When all these events are finished and written, we will look back and not be astonished to see that the prophecies, ancient and modern, about this land and these events were but our history in reverse. For that is what prophecy is.

“May God bless us all to be faithful and true to this vision and to uphold, sustain, and defend this nation, its founders, and the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.” Ezra Taft Benson

There’s No Place Like Home: this sentiment, along with a more current one, Home is my Happy Place, expresses my feelings about home.  I love having a place that is safe, comfortable, loving, and most importantly, centered on the Savior, Jesus Christ, so it can be filled with the Spirit. For me, the influence of the Spirit in my home is vital to my ability to face each new day.  I enjoy the feeling of peace and comfort I feel when I return home after being away, even for a short time.  More and more the world outside our homes is a place of contention, temptation, and darkness. Although we need to go out and shine our light so that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven, we also need, more and more, a haven to return to for filling our lamps, so we may continue to be a light to others.

Recently, I was sad to see the burning of Notre Dame. It brought to mind “sanctuary” and how every soul needs a safe zone, where we can call “time out” and block out negative influences and pressures. I love the image of our home as a sanctuary, not only for those who live there, but also for others seeking a refuge from their storms. I’ve been blessed to have the space and means to welcome extended family members who’ve needed a place to live for a while, to regroup and heal, or long-term help and care.

“Deep inside each of us is a need to have a place of refuge where peace and serenity prevail, a place where we can reset, and regroup, reenergize to prepare for future pressures.  The ideal place for that peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece.” Richard G. Scott

In our home, I tried to do the things we’re asked to do, by the Prophet and Apostles, to strengthen our families and center our home in Christ. With seven kids, and a 17-year span from the oldest to the youngest, Family Home Evenings were challenging.  I often ended up in tears by the end.  Family council was the worst.  At one point, we had a notebook where we kept track of offenses like interrupting, name-calling, disrespectful behavior towards parents, etc., and fees charged for such offenses. (Hey, money talks.) No matter how hard we tried, or which parenting strategy we were currently using, “organized” family time was often a disaster.  I was totally out-numbered and out-maneuvered. Occasionally, however, we would have a wonderful spiritual experience that made it all worthwhile.  Several of those occasions were Father’s (or Brother’s) Priesthood blessings before a new school year.  The children looked forward to this and were reverent and touched by the Spirit present at those special times. Witnessing those tender hugs to a brother after a tear-filled blessing was the sweet payoff for enduring the rest.

When the older kids were in early morning seminary, we got sleepy little ones and grumpy teens up for scripture reading and family prayer at 5:00 am. We ate dinner together as a family every night, and tried to make it a bonding experience, though it was usually barely civil.  I struggled with my idealistic view of how a family dinner should look versus the reality of rude boys, sassy girls, tears and teasing, parents included. But I never gave up. When my sons were on missions, they knew we were praying for them, as a family, every single day.

Home was the place I gave birth to my youngest daughter. The day before she was born, it snowed in Las Vegas!  The children all bundled up and played in the snow, while I was in labor. They slept in their own beds and woke up the next day to greet their new sister!  Home was also a place to homeschool some of my children. While rocking my sixth baby one night, praying about school for one of my children who’d had a bad experience in her elementary school, the Spirit distinctly (and uncomfortably!) led me to homeschooling. Since that time, 19 years ago, I’ve used many different programs and methods to teach my children, but most of all I’ve loved learning with them and having them with me when they were young. I wanted them to have a place to learn where the Spirit of the Lord could be present. 

This week my daughter asked me about homeschool experiences I’ve had, and it reminded me of the many happy, spiritual, and sometimes difficult times we’ve shared as a family, because of homeschooling. The biggest blessing of homeschooling has been having the time at home with my children.  Time to discuss the gospel together, along with history, science, math, and English.  Time to cook together, sew quilts together, and make music together. We had time to read great books aloud together, to direct and act out plays, to create our own inventions, and to memorize seminary scriptures. My youngest and I memorized The Living Christ together, then she went on to memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World, as well. We learned, played, and shared that time together in our home.

This scripture refers to the temple, the Lord’s house, but applies to our houses as well, and describes what I strive for in my own home:

“And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.

Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;

That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.”  Doctrine and Covenants 88:118-120

Home is holidays, traditions, joy, heartache, shared meals, nurturing, laughter, failure, unity, and family—people to teach us how to love. Sometimes people use the term “broken home” when referring to situations of children with divorced parents, however, the Great Healer can mend all broken things. No matter the tragedies, the mistakes, the detours in my family situation, I choose to keep my focus on the Savior and stand in the holy place within the walls of my home.

 “Amidst the bustle of the secular world, with its certain uncertainty, there must be places that offer spiritual refuge, renewal, hope, and peace. There are indeed such places. They are both holy and sacred. They are places where we meet the divine and find the Spirit of the Lord.” Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander

Our homes are holy places, like the church and the temple.  With home-centered, church supported gospel learning as a focus, we have the opportunity to increase our efforts to shape our homes into places where the Holy Ghost is welcome and feels comfortable, offering us more peace and joy in these holy sanctuaries.