Alma told his son Corianton that his ministry consisted not only in preparing the minds of the people he taught, but also in bringing salvation to them, so that they could "prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at the time of his coming" (Alma 39:16). He knew that the children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of the people they were teaching would be visited by the Savior after His mortal ministry. He wanted them to be ready to receive Him, to know enough about Him that they would recognize Him and open their hearts to His saving power.
Alma knew something about how parents prepare the minds of their children. His own father had taught him and prayed for him, even though he had been rebellious as a young man. When a moment of spiritual crisis came into his life, he remembered his father's teachings about Jesus Christ. That memory spurred him to pray for mercy, after which his soul was filled with joy. (See Alma 36:17-19.)
Sister Joy D. Jones said:
We can have fun helping our children build spiritual resilience at any age. It doesn't have to be complicated or time intensive. Simple, caring conversations can lead children to know not only what they believe, but most important, why they believe it. Caring conversations, happening naturally and consistently, can lead to better understanding and answers. Let's not allow the convenience of electronic devices to keep us from teaching and listening to our children and looking into their eyes.
"Essential Conversations," General Conference, April 2021
Today, I will prepare the minds of my children to recognize the Savior and receive His empowering grace. I will take time to listen to them, to share my own feelings and convictions, and to express confidence in them.
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