Lying and Dying

I took Jonathan to the doctor the other day. He has been running funny ever since he fell from the monkey bars at the playground. Across the street from the doctor's office is a train on display, along w/some picnic tables and a swirly slide. Well, Jonathan wanted to play at the park after his appointment. It was cold and I told him that we would go for a drive and when Jacob fell asleep, we would go to the park. I drove for a VERY short time and asked Jonathan, "Is Jacob asleep?" to which he promptly responded, "Yes!" Well, I had my doubts and I asked "Is this the truth or a lie?" He said it was the truth and I went back to the park. Jacob was awake.

I asked again (while I looked AT Jacob who was kicking and playing), "Jonathan, it's important to tell the truth. Is Jacob asleep or awake?" "He's asleep," was the reply. Getting really frustrated, I got back in the car and said that we wouldn't be able to go to the park unless Jonathan could tell the truth (switching horses midstream). Jonathan continues to insist that he's asleep. Finally, after some tears, he finally admitted he was awake and we went to the park. Consequently, on the way there, Jacob really did go to sleep and Jonathan made the announcement that he was asleep, to which we had the 2nd celebration of truth telling.

Well, when we got home, we had scripture study and the chapter that we "lucked" out on was the Jacob and Sherem chapter. To tell the truth (as I'm encouraging my son to do), I didn't remember Sherem's story until I got into it. Jacob was a priest in the church and Sherem was a man that began teaching the people not to believe in Christ and many believed him. He challenged Jacob and asked him for a sign that Christ would come.

Jacob told Sherem that he already knew in his heart that Christ would come and didn't need a sign, but that if God struck Sherem, that would be his sign. Sherem immediately fell down and couldn't get up for many days. He realized he was going to die and asked the people to get together, where he explained that he had lied and that Christ was going to come. Then, he died.

Well, scripture study time that day was not as rowdy as normal, but Jonathan's eyes were huge, and it wasn't until close to the end of the story that I remembered how it ended and I find myself racking my brain for a way to explain how important it is to tell the truth without conveying that people who lie get sick and die. It made me laugh a little after, but I think he caught on to the point.

All day today and yesterday, he has been asking to learn about "faith." He must have had a lesson in primary on faith, because it isn't something that I've tackled yet. Last night's (crazy) family home evening was on reverence in church (a well-needed lesson). We'll see if it sinks in on Sunday when I'll be alone with the three boys for our last Sunday before the move!