A big-time favorite activity around our house is treasure hunts. The idea of these treasure hunts started when all the kids were small and my husband Regan came up with it as an idea to get the kids involved in a family night activity. The treasure at the end was a small treat and that was all it took to hook the kids to the idea of treasure finding.
There were poem style clues that took them all over the house, looking in the freezer and mom and dad’s bedroom. There was lots of excitement in their voices when they figured out the clue and would race from spot to spot. Some of our kids were quite small still in the beginning and they could not understand the meaning behind the rhyming words. We had to encourage the older kids to be patient and wait and let the smaller kids find the next clue – even if they couldn’t read it.
Since they have gotten a little bit older, they now plan them for each other and still get just as excited about finding whatever is at the end. The little trinket or even notes they hide and then seek bring lots of excitement.
Each morning in our home we gather our children around us to study the scriptures. Our kids range from age 17 to 7. And it rarely goes smoothly. Someone is tired and grumpy, someone is in a hurry to rush off to early morning band, someone is already reading a novel and doesn’t want to stop what they are doing.
One especially frustrating morning we were trying to get through some verses and one of our kids cried loudly “why do we have to do this all the time?”
Many times in the standard works the invitation is given by Jesus Christ to seek Him.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
Luke 11:9
But before ye seek riches, seek ye the kingdom of God.”
Jacob 2:18
Over and over again He invites us to seek and find Him in our lives and all around us. Cheryl C. Lant said “Christ’s invitation to seek Him is an invitation to know who He is, what He has done for us, and what He has asked us to do.” Why would God send us this invitation over and over again?
A deeper understanding of Jesus Christ will give us greater hope for the future and, despite our imperfections, more confidence in achieving our righteous goals. This will also grant us a greater desire to serve our fellowman.”
Elder José A. Teixeira
Elder Teixeira tells us some of the things we can receive if we seek Him. We can have greater hope, more confidence and a greater desire to serve others. Three things that sound pretty awesome to have in our lives.
1. Greater Hope.
The biggest source of hope in our lives comes from an awareness and knowledge of Jesus Christ. That hope comes when we understand who He is and what He makes possible. Joy and hope are mixed together. When we have hope in Jesus Christ that comes from understanding Him and His purposes and goals, we feel true joy.
The more we understand the extraordinary role of Christ in our lives, the more conscious we become of our purpose here in mortality, which is to have joy. That joy, however, does not preclude us from experiencing trials and difficulties, even some so great and complex that they may lead us to think that happiness is not possible in such circumstances.”
Elder José A. Teixeira
2. More confidence.
I don’t think Elder José A. Teixeira means more confidence in the way the world sees it. But in the way God sees it – that we will have confidence that God will make things work out; Not that we are the best thing that ever happened. Instead, we will have confidence that God has our back and that in the end we can be saved and that we will be rewarded when we seek Him.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
3. Greater Desire to Serve Others
Seeking Jesus Christ will purify our intentions and desires into who He is. We can’t seek Him and not become more like who we find. When we see that His “work and (His) glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) That process of looking and finding our role in His work and Glory will change us into who He needs us to be.
Later that day I pulled that child aside and talked to him alone about the why of trying in our imperfect way over and over to read the scriptures together. We talked about why we try again and again to find Jesus Christ in our lives by reading the words of the prophets. This treasure hunt is the most important one we’ll ever do. And it’ll help us find real treasure every time we embark on the search.
Featured image from Rhonda Steed
Rhonda, I love this so much! There truly is such joy when we seek Jesus Christ. It has brought me joy, purpose and peace, even in a tumultuous world. What more could we ask for?! Thank you for sharing your very poignant testimony!