Swim Lessons

The kids began taking swimming lessons today. I was able to schedule all 6 of them at the same time! I feel pretty lucky. I thought I could just sit back and enjoy the half an hour. Unfortunately, my youngest son became afraid of the water, and didn’t want to stay in his class. He screamed most of the time. Next time, I’ll sit up in the bleachers, where hopefully he can’t see me, and do a little better.

One of my other daughters has also been deathly afraid of the water. We’d try to teach her easy skills like blowing bubbles, and floating on her back, but she was too scared to try. She had this hurtle that kept her from ever continuing to learn. I put her in 3 different beginning swim classes, and she couldn’t pass any of them! I told her that I didn’t want to waste my money anymore for swimming lessons, because she didn’t even seem to be trying. This summer we had the chance to practice swimming at my mother-in-laws apartment complex. She overcame her fear of the water, and began learning to swim. She did so well, that I went ahead and signed her up, putting her in the 2nd class. After today, it looks like I should have put her in the 3rd class, she’s learned so much since those beginning classes.

Watching her go through that experience, it reminds me of my own similar experience with the gosple. I grew up in a strong Latter Day Saint home. I always went to church and did what good members of the church do, but I always relied on the testimony of my parents. Whenever I tried to read the scriptures, I couldn’t. I didn’t understand most of what I read. Most of my prayers were prayers of rote, the same prayer pretty much each time. Just like my daughter, I wasn’t progressing.

Thankfully, something has changed. Most of it came as a result of trials that made me turn somewhere, and thankfully, I turned to my Father in Heaven. As my prayers became more meaningful, the gospel became more important to me. I began to understand the scriptures. I’ve been so blessed to have some great teachers in my church. I feel like whatever was blocking me before, is gone, and I am able to learn at a much quicker pace. I finally have a testimony of my own.

Things have slowed down a little, but I hope I don’t ever stop progressing. I know there’s so much more to learn, and I’m so glad!