How do you read the Book of Mormon in the morning, before school with your kids, without the urge to kill them rising to kill the Spirit? In our family, we have taken up the challenge to finish the Book of Mormon as a family before the end of the year to commemorate the 200th Birthday of Joseph Smith, and to honor Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley's council.

Ironically, we have been reading every day already, usually in the evening. Sondra suggested we change the reading time to early morning. At first I was resistant to the notion. Though it is true we are more organized in the morning, rather than at the evening, but it is harder to get certain factions to congeal at the beginning of the day. I have to confess that one of the reasons evening scripture reading was easier to accomplish is because my youngest two daughters often fall asleep during the time we read.

Thing is, in the morning, I'm not entirely certain that folks are entirely in the best spirits to receive the good Lord's word. It just seems that certain folks are a little stressed out. They are focused on getting out the door, to the bus stop, hair brushed, chores done, waking up, last minute homework, and so forth. There just isn't time to enjoy the scriptures as a family. Is this how you teach your children to read the scriptures?

Is it something you do because you have to? Is it something you do because you love it?

I wonder if the kids couldn't do their chores when they get home from school, or if there might be some way to relax before scripture time started. The funny thing is, if they miss the bus, and I'm there, heck, I can take them to school. I just don't understand why it has to be so contentious. It's something that has been bothering me for a while now, perhaps because I love scripture time so much. I love talking about them, perhaps too much. Heaven knows, I talk the walk more than walk the walk.

It is funny, the kids want to read more and more. They want their share of verses to read through. Katie (in 3rd grade) and Becca (in 2nd grade) often try to out-do each other. Sondra and I also get drawn into this. Sometimes it is torturous as we stumble over the language. Certain readers seem somewhat hostile to stopping and discussing confusing passages, again, I sometimes think we've become fixated on the objective to get done, rather than the point of opening the book in the first place.

I think of Pres. Hinckley's promise that there will be a greater outpouring of the Spirit, should we take up his challenge and read as a family... this morning, I am afraid that outpouring was of a different kind of spirit.

--Ray