My Visiting Teaching appointment for this morning was cancelled due to family being sick at our sister's house. So after reading Elder Oaks' talk "Good Better Best" I decided to utilize that time for the purpose I had set it aside, strengthening my own testimony by sharing it with others. So I'm posting the message I have been pondering.

The VT message for February is on the topic "The Family Is Central to the Creator's Plan." I love Elder Hales' comment "When families are functioning as designed by God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of mortality." Isn't that awesome? When we are doing what we're supposed to in our families, our family members become our best friends. As Adam and I have been married, I have noticed that our need for individual outside friends has diminished as we become each other's best friends. Not to say we don't need or want other friends, but it's different than when we were single.

In Sis. Mary N. Cook's General Conference address "Strengthen Home and Family", she repeats a 4 point program that President Hinckley gave the young women that "will not only 'assure your happiness' but will bless your family as well. He counseled each of us to '(1) pray, (2) study, (3) pay your tithing, and (4) attend your meetings." Sis. Cook counsels us to ask 'Who in my family could benefit from my personal prayers?' As we study the scriptures, we'll learn from Christ's example how to love, serve and forgive family members.

After so much of our Snday meetings centered on Elder Oaks's talk and also our Relief Society lesson, I have been pondering Good, Better, and Best. Or as Bro. Kraude put it during his sacrament meeting talk, Essential, Important, Urgent and Appropriate (which I absolutely love). I've been pondering this for me and our family. So I pulled out the talk again for Family Home Evening (Adam groaned - "again?"). But we talked with Kaylyn about how we spend our time. Is Caillou good? Yes. Is Sesame Street good? Yes. Is Super Why good? Yes. (and so on). Is it good to spend ALL our time watching these "good" shows? No. There are other things that are essential. We talked about Elder Oaks's saying that we should preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, and family home evening. We asked Kaylyn if we were doing each one (we are actually - Hooray!). Then I suggested that as a family, we're doing Good. But can we be Better? Can we be doing Best? So specifically for FHE, I challenged our family to not only have a lesson (Better), but to be preparing more than 30 minutes ahead of time, which sadly has become our habit.

So back to the VT Message focus on the Family. The question is asked What can I do because I know that [my] family is essential to the Plan of Salvation? Pres. Eyring suggests that you ask this in prayer and promises that you will receive impressions and "if you act on them, I promise you the help of the powers of heaven."

I'll share one more thought - Easter is coming up. The Ensign had some wonderful ideas on how to make Easter more Christ centered. What ideas have you tried or will be trying this year to make Easter more Christ centered?