Tom Sawyer, Joseph in Egypt and the Case of the Split Personality Disorder

During the administration of the sacrament Master I turned to me and said, "The bread tastes terrible."  I didn't respond so he repeated himself, "The bread is gross."

I whisper to him, "It doesn't matter the flavor of the bread. We are just supposed to remember that Jesus gave his life for us. Did you know that the during the time of Joseph Smith there was a time that the members of the Church were so poor that they didn't even have bread?  They used potato peels instead.  Doesn't that sound gross?"

With an expression indicating that there was a simple solution to all of this, if people would just see the world as he does, he said totally seriously, "I think we should just get Jolly Ranchers instead of bread.  I mean then you could really focus!" He said that last part emphatically, with out a smile.

Sundays and showers.  These are the two hardest things in my boy's life.  Every week it is the same when Sunday morning rolls around.  He complains about it being Sunday and complains that he hates it.  He puts off getting ready to the last minute and then fights us when we ask him to take a shower.  He has always hated Church and he has always dreaded showers.  I am ashamed to admit that I don't even have him take a shower everyday anymore.  I have been worn down.  Ever since we moved from Utah I can only work up the motivation to make him do it once a week.  Even then he still fights me and protests in total exasperation about the injustice that he has to shower.

Here was last Saturday night's conversation:

Master I:   "Mom, can I take a bath?"

Mom:  "Yes, but you have to finish your chores first."

We finished our chores and then I asked Master I if he would like to take his bath.

Master I: "No, I was just saying that to get out of doing chores."

Mom:  "Well, you have to take a shower.   You haven't had one all week!  You can either take one tonight or you can take it in the morning.  I think it would be better to take it tonight."

Master I:  "Why would it be better tonight?"

Mom:  "Because you get mad at me every time that I ask you to take a shower and I think it will make tomorrow go smoother if you do it right now."

Master I: "I am going to take one in the morning."

So, this is how it went this morning:

Mom: "Get in the shower please."

Master I: "What?!!  A shower!"

But to only remember and record these experiences with my boy would be an incomplete picture of him.  Juxtaposed with all of this typical, boyish,  Tom Sawyer type of behavior we also have wonderful spiritual experiences.

On Friday night I was by myself reading in the Book of Mormon.  I am reading the last chapters in Alma, typically referred to as the "war chapters."  I am reading with the intent that I might learn how to protect my family from the battle against them.  I believe the prophets when they say that Satan is waging a war against families.  I am learning great things.  In Friday's reading I contemplated how when the war began Moroni or Heleman didn't even consider using the rising generation that would later be known as the stripling warriors.   The idea didn't even occur to them.  And yet, I think that the Nephites might have lost if it weren't for their contribution.  I just let my mind sit on that for a while.
Then I wondered, "Maybe I haven't fully realized the contribution that my 9 year old son can make in our family."

I determined that I would have a conversation with him the next day sharing the feeling that I had.  Saturday morning he woke me up by coming on to my bed and saying"Mom, I had the most interesting dreams last night."  He then shared with me his dreams.  I was fascinated.  I wish that I could record all of the details because I know that I will forget it, but he is very private and has insisted that I not share with anyone these things that he tells me.   Anyway, after his sharing I said, "How interesting!  That fits right in with these feelings I had last night..."

It was a wonderful conversation.  I was sure it was going to be a wonderful day, but it felt much more like I was raising Calvin and Hobbs rather than Joseph in Egypt.  So, who am I raising?  Both, I think.  I love to write about my experiences as a mother, because in the writing I begin to see life more clearly.   Saturday I felt oppressed about him trying to get out of cleaning, fighting taking a shower, etc.  Today, as I write, I feel blessed.  I feel like I am living the dream.  I get to raise a  typical, adventure-loving boy as well as a very special spirit.