Come And Get It!

COME AND GET IT

THE POWER OF THE FAMILY MEAL

One of our stake goals for 2015 is:

"Set aside a time each day to sit down together and have a family meal."

Growing up on a farm, Mom always found time to put together incredible meals for our family to enjoy as we sat around the table. Dad often jumped in to help make breakfast. He would ask, "How do you want your eggs... fried or scrambled?" My favorite breakfast item was lumpy Cream of Wheat. We prayed, ate, talked and planned the day.

Fast forward. I remember my young family of eight sitting around the dinner table each night, meal by Mom with a little help, children all talking at once about their day with frequent entertainment from the younger ones. Sunday dinner was a report time on what each child learned in church. Sometimes we read scriptures or talked about a gospel principle. Everybody took their turn to pray.

Elder Oaks stated in a conference address, "The number of those who report that their whole family usually eats dinner together has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children’s academic achievement and psychological adjustment. Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children’s smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: what your children really want for dinner is you."

Family meals are not just for eating. This is a time where families connect to one another; parents listen to their children; stories are told; lessons are taught and love grows a meal at a time. Children have the opportunity to help prepare the meal, clean up the dishes and understand how a family works together. Husband and wife learn how to be a team. It is a time to break from the day, relax, laugh and enjoy each other. Whatever happened during the day that may have caused stress, dinner time can be restorative and healing. 

For some, the breakfast table may be the best time to get the family together. President Joseph Fielding Smith's daughter recounted growing up that her father, "taught us at the breakfast table as he told us stories from the scriptures, and had the ability to make each one sound new and exciting though we had heard it many times before."

Please consider this simple and yet powerful stake goal. "Set aside a time each day to sit down together and have a family meal." This can be some of the most valuable time a family has to listen to one another, review the day and feel the power of prayer. It may provide timely teaching moments. Memories are imprinted around the dinner table, family unity increases and the courage to tackle life's challenges is reinforced.

The Lord will bless us as we choose to prioritize our time for things of eternal value. It is up to us to "Come and Get It." 

-Michael Beus, Farmington Utah North Stake Presidency