Manners

Last week I had the opportunity to go to Women's Conference. I just loved being on BYU campus, smelling the flowers, and soaking in classes without worrying about being tested!
One of the classes I went to was of great interest to me:
The Indispensability of Civility: Manners do Matter!
As a mother of 4 boys, you can imagine the conversations we have about manners around here...
I went to this class expecting to leave with a list of great ideas that would help me produce well mannered young men. I left this class with so much more.

The presenter taught that our role as mothers is to teach more than manners... we need to teach our children to have a Christ-like manner.

(A few of my notes)
* There is a direct link between Manners and Morality and Behavior and Belief in God

* We should teach our children "what manner of men ought yet to be!"

* People felt love and acceptance from the Savior even when they were socially unaccepted. The Lord cared about their hearts. He treated everyone with civility and kindness regardless of their station, religion, health or race.

* I want to draw my children- with my life- to the Savior.

* If we want our children to have good behavior we need to teach them who they are! If they know this, they will want to have a Christ-like manner

* They belong to the "Royal Household of the Kingdom of God"

* We want to have the refining influence of the Holy Ghost. The real refining power comes from being raised in a home with the spirit... our very natures can change.

* The world needs my children!

This class taught me that manners ultimately stem from our knowledge of who we are. When we know this and when we know our Savior, we will want to be like him. I learned that manners are so much more than saying "please and thank you" This perspective increased my desire to create a home where my boys can feel the spirit, learn of the Savior and through Him, develop their own Christ-like manner.

What manner of men ought ye to be..... even as I am.