Pretty Deep For 15

At church, I teach Sunday School to the 14-15 year olds.

There are mostly boys, like 6 of them, and 2 girls. 

Bless those girl's hearts.  

One of them sets quietly by the door so she can make her escape as soon as we all say 'amen'. I know her family and they assure me she's quite loud at home. I'm not too worried about her.

The other girl would be lost without her cell phone. She tends to roll her eyes at the boys a lot, which means she probably likes one of them.  Or maybe they just really do annoy the living pants off her.  

The boys are pretty normal 14 and 15 year old boys.  I love them because one of them is mine.  

They're goofy, giggly, silly boys.  They're still trying to keep track of where their elbows and knees are.  It also takes less than half a nano-second for them to get off topic during the lesson.  I taught these same boys two years ago when they were 12 and 13 year olds.  They really are getting better.  It used to take them less than a quarter nano-second...

Sometimes it makes me a little crazy.

But I love them because they are awesome.

They are talented, smart, savvy, brave young people.  And they are amazing.

One boy challenges me.

He challenges me because he is REAL.

Sometimes in church I think we groom ourselves to say the 'right' answers.  Those 'right' answers become a little textbook and they seem to fit questions in a sin-song-y way. And we think that if other's aren't able to joyfully skip through life saying and doing all the right answers then they are some how wrong or weak.

'Youth, when you are faced with problem A, B, or C, what do you do?'

'Pray, read your scriptures, and choose the right.'

The thing is, those things ARE great answers to so many problems and situations we find ourselves in.  

Lost my car keys?  Say a quick prayer.

Need to feel the spirit?  Read my scriptures.

Feel like spitting venom at my kids?  What would Jesus do?  Choose the right.

It's simple and not simple all at the same time.  Life gets hard.  Especially for teenagers.  I was one, and I am still no expert.  I don't envy the things our youth are slammed with every day.  

So, back to this boy.  

This boy is a bit of a devils advocate.  He very much enjoys this.  He likes doing things with shock value. 

Every once in a while though, he lets me know just how deep he is.  

Like in class last week.

He shared a very simple experience where he spent the night in a place that wasn't dangerous, but was a place he knew he shouldn't be.  Yet, he really wanted to be there.  So he prayed.  He prayed that he wouldn't get himself into trouble.  He didn't.  He felt pretty good about that.  

His point was that sometimes we're in a place we're not supposed to be, but we can still pray and God will still help us.

I think that's pretty deep for 15 years old.

I think he's awesome for having the nerve to say it in class.  In front of his peers.  In front of me.

I told him he was absolutely right.  Because he is.  God doesn't listen only to those who do all the right things most of the time and mess up only once in a while.  He listens to all of us all of the time.  I also told him as a mother, if I were his mother, I would prefer that he not get himself in that situation in the first place.

There were a few eye rolls, and probably a few silent judgement calls.  But that's ok.  We're all in 'a place we're not supposed to be' from time to time, whether it literally or figuratively.

I thought of the story of the 'Tree of Life' in the Book Of Mormon. The mists of darkness and the iron rod. Our talk reminded me of these scriptures. 

We are all finding our own path through this life.  I find comfort and safety of the gospel and the framework the Bible and the Book of Mormon gives me.  That doesn't exempt me from trials and bad decisions though. I've made plenty of mistakes in my life.

Thankfully Heavenly Father has listened to my questions and pleas. I know in my heart He hears me.