Elder Neil L. Andersen: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

Elder Andersen started is talk with his testimony of General Conference. After having studied all of the talks in the conference I would agree and add my testimony to what he says here so eloquently:

When you are assigned to speak at the end of the final session of general conference, you listen to every word, wondering which parts of you talk will be given before your turn comes. There are no assigned subjects, no collaboration of themes. The Lord's way, or course, is always the best way. He takes the individual prayerful efforts of each speaker and orchestrates a spiritual symphony full of revelation and power. Repeated themes, principle building upon principle, prophetic warnings, uplifting promises - the divine harmony is a miracle! I testify that in this conference we have heard and felt the mind and will of the Lord.


The next part of Elder Andersen's talk was about preparing our children for the challenges ahead. This is one of many talks about families and especially, parents teaching their children.

We hold in our arms the rising generation. They come to this earth with important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. We cannot be casual in how we prepare them. Our challenge as parents and teachers is not to create a spiritual core in their souls but rather to fan the flame of their spiritual core already aglow with the fire of their premortal faith.


The theme of Elder Andersen's talk is the Primary song "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus". He quoted part of the song: "Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear, things I would ask him to tell me if he were here." He then continued with some excellent teaching strategy based on formative assessment questions for both them and for us as their parents and teachers.

Are the life and teachings of Jesus Christ embedded in the minds and souls of our children? Do they think about the Savior's life when they wonder what to do in their own lives? This will be more and more important in the years ahead.


Have our children visualized the premortal council, where Jesus - the greatest of all - declared, "Here am I, send me"?  Do they see their own willingness to serve as following His example?


Do they think about His humble birth, the Savior of the world lying in a manger? Do His circumstances help them better understand the proper place of material possessions?


Elder Anderson continues with more questions. Those struck me as a sort of checklist of questions that we as parents can ask ourselves about how we are doing with our children. The responses to those questions will give us a picture of how our children are doing. These are great formative assessment questions. I have put the questions I thought we especially interesting in bold font.

Do they know that Jesus often talk, "Ask, and ye shall receive"? Do His prayers of thankfulness and His pleadings to His Father flow through our children's minds as they kneel in prayer with their own concerns?


Have we told them of the love Jesus has for children, how He held them in His arms, prayed for them, and wept? Do our children know that Jesus stands ready "with open arms to receive [them]"?


Do they take strength in the stories of Jesus fasting - as we teach them the law of the fast?


In their own loneliness, do our children know the loneliness the Savior felt as His friends deserted Him and as He asked His apostles, "Will ye also go away?"


Have our children felt the power of the Savior's miracles? Jesus healed the leper, gave sight to the blind. He fed the 5,000, calmed the sea, and raised Lazarus from the dead. Do our children believe that "it is by faith that miracles are wrought," and do they pray for miracles in their own lives?


Have our children taken courage from the Savior's words to the ruler of the synagogue: "Be not afraid, only believe"?


Do our children know about His perfect life, His selfless ministry, His betrayal and cruel Crucifixion? Have we testified to them of the certainty of His Resurrection, of His visit to the Nephites in the Americas, of His appearance to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove?


Do they anticipate His majestic return, when all will be made right and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ?


Do our children say, "Tell me the stories of Jesus, I love to hear"?


The next piece of counsel was for the youth as well as the children:
Live up to your important responsibilities and great spiritual capacities. Seek to know more about Jesus; open the scriptures. One idea would be to read again the book of John and then discuss it with your parents, teachers, and each other.


To those of us who are older, Elder Andersen said:
To fathers and mothers, to grandfathers and grandmothers, and to those without children of their own who lovingly nurture children and youth, my counsel is to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. In His holy name is great spiritual power.


If a child is not listening, don't despair. Time and truth are on your side. At the right moment, your words will return as if from heaven itself. You testimony will never leave your children.


As your reverently speak about he Savior - in the car, on the bus, at the dinner table, as you kneel in prayer, during scripture study, or in late-night conversations - the Spirit of the Lord will accompany your words.