Are you hearing what I'm saying? Really hearing me?

This week we learned about the importance of listening.  It is been proven that we are actually only actively listening about 25% of the time.  What are we doing the rest of the time?  How often are we only half listening?  Are our children talking but we are too distracted with our school work, or making dinner, or other household duties.  Our children notice when we are only half listening.  And often times it comes back to bite us when our children point out that we have already had this conversation and I even responded but somehow totally can't remember.  I'm Guilty!!!  This was a good lesson for me this week.  I need to take the time to listen to my children. 

As part of this assignment we read the account in 3rd Nephi where Christ is coming to the Americas.  Something that really struck me was that the Nephites heard a voice three times.  The first time they didn't understand. In verse three it says:  "and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn." Not to mention the people were probably so stunned about all the destruction around them that they were talking amongst themselves.  By the 3rd time they not only had opened their minds for understanding but they had opened their hearts.  This is a good reflection on our own lives.  Are we sometimes to busy with everything that we have to be called 3 times?  Do we respond immediately to the promptings of the Holy Ghost? 

We also had to read a talk this week that was given at a BYU-Hawaii devotional by Robyn Bergstrom.  She talked about the "Eves of Understanding." These include Receive, Retrieve, Achieve, Perceive, Relieve, and Believe.  These are all great tools into understanding.  President Monson has said, "When we treat people merely as they are, they may remain as they are, When we treat them as if they were what they should be, they may become what they should be." 

And finally quoting from Elder Marvin J. Ashton's April 1976 General Conference talk, he says, "Communications in the family will often be a sacrifice because we are expected to use our time, our means, our talent, and our patience to impart, share and understand." 

I hope that I can become a better listener in my own home.  I hope that I can get to the point that I'm willing to drop anything and just sit and listen to my children when they want to talk.  My tendencies are to be more a "Martha" than a "Mary."  Dishes can wait, but the chance to connect with my child or my husband can't wait.