This is stake conference weekend. Last night Kiel rushed home so we could go to the adult session of stake conference. Bruce stayed home with a sitter and we took Rhyan with us. We were able to hear some great talks and then get dessert afterwards. On the drive home, I mentioned that I really didn't want to drag the kids to the morning session on Sunday. And he was silent. I jokingly nudged him and said "you're not going to give me the green light to stay home?" And he just replied "what do you want me to say? It's okay?" And there it was, the nudge I needed, to go.

Now, I can sit here and type up a MILLION excuses of why I have the right to stay home. My babies are small, they need their naps, they don't understand anyway. But instead I will tell you why I go by myself with my babies every Sunday:

I go, because I don't know how to raise a child in this world.

A world, where shootings happen at high school parties. A world where babies are taken out of their safe beds for no reason but for harm to fall on their precious little heads. A world where it is uncool to be a virgin in high school.

Nope.

I have no idea how to raise a baby in this world.

But I do know, that I was promised my babies would be alright if I bring them to church. If we have family prayer, every day. If we make family home evening a priority. And have family scripture study. I am told these things by my church leaders. I have faith in these things. I believe in them, wholeheartedly.

Now, did Bruce learn anything about Jesus or Heavenly Father today? I can promise you he didn't. I can promise you Rhyan didn't either. And I got to listen to one talk before Bruce made me chase him into the play room, and the play room is where we stayed for the remainder of conference.

But that's okay. We went, we took in our surroundings. We were suppose to be there.

I can say the same, when we get together every night and say family prayer. Does Bruce know what is really going on? Not really. In fact, he probably doesn't like prayer because he associates it with bed time. Some days he sits in his reading chair while we say prayer, other days he takes advantage of our eyes being closed and whacks us on the top of the head. (We now say prayer with at least one eye open.) But he now says "Amen" after we do. He sometimes folds his arms. He sometimes doesn't. But we do know he's learning.

We will continue to do these things. Because sooner than I would like, my babies will not always be in the safety of their home. They will be in public school and around people that do not have the same values and morals I hope to instill in my beautiful babies. They will be tempted and they will fall. But I hope, when they do, they will reach up and grab the iron rod so they can pull themselves back up again.

I know that I am not alone. And I'm not writing this to get a pat on the back. There are many mothers who show up to church alone because they are divorced, widowed or married to non members. Whatever the reason, is not an excuse to stay home. But instead the opposite. The responsibility lies solely on us to set an example for our children.

So did today make a huge difference in their future? Probably not. But you miss one meal, then you miss the nutrients that would have come with it.

Today was a good day. I learned a lot today. A lot about parenting.

And next Sunday, I will do it all over again. But I will be dreading it even more because I have to give a talk in Sacrament.