If You Love 'Em, Tell 'Em

When I was a kid, the church had ads on TV called "If You Love 'Em, Tell 'Em", like the current ones out now "Family:  It's About Time." 

My favorite was the one where a teenager calls his (or her--can't remember) dad at work and says "I just called to tell you the I love you."  The Dad gets a confused look on his face and asks "Who is this?"

A week or so ago, I read the talk by Elder Bednar in the Ensign from October Conference .  He urged us to be "more diligent and concerned at home" as found in D&C 93:50.  It was great and really got me thinking about how important it is to express our love and testimonies to each other.


We need to express love and show it.  Tell our kids and spouses that we love them.  This isn't hard for me to do.  Sometimes hard to remember, especially with teenagers.  I mean it is more natural for me to tell my 3 year old I love him when I am cuddling with him and when he constantly says "I wuv vu", then it is with big boys whom I don't cuddle with anymore.  But I do say it and give occasional hugs and shoulder squeezes.  I can always do better, but expressing my love is not hard for me.

However, the second thing Elder Bednar suggested is hard for me:  bear your testimony often to your family.  I struggle with this.  I guess because I have a hard time expressing personal feelings.  I don't know. I have been thinking about this often lately, and watching for oppotunities to bear testimony about the things I know to be true.  But it is harder than I thought it would be.  Not finding opportunities necessarily, but actually bearing testimony.  Even after scripture reading I do not add a testimony.  I realize that it will become easier and easier as I do it more.  Finally yesterday morning I did tell the family that I know the Holy Ghost is my constant companion and guides me daily.  (it is even hard to blog this...)  It felt good.  Now that the ice is broken, I need to keep on keepin' on. 

Elder Bednar said that we all know we need to do these things, but what we know is not always reflected in what we do.

Just some food for thought . . .