She is finally getting it- I hope!

Having a teenager is tough! Last week we celebrated Vai's 15th Birthday with family and had a great time. We love Vai and are very thankful to have her as part of our family. Teenagers sometime do some things that make you ask what were you thinking? Well Taylor and I have been working on building trust with Vai. Vai had a difficult past with her biological family and most of them live out of state now so she doesn't see them often. She has one biological brother that is here in Salt Lake and is married. Although they didn't really grow up together the blood runs deep and and she lovers her brother but does not see him often either he still parties and hangs out so it's not his first priority. Just before Christmas we found out he had been arrested by INS and is being deported back to Tonga since he is here illegally. The news was heartbreaking to Vai it is really the only family she has here. Although she doesn't see him ofter it is just knowing he is here and he is her brother. We invited his wife to her party last weekend and she came. She asked us if she could take Vai up to Ogden to see her brother today since Sunday is the only day they allow visitors. We told her she could go so she got up and ready this morning since she was supposed to be picked up at 9. Her ride called about 10:30 and said she was on her way. Taylor and me and the kids left for church at 11. We were sitting in sacrament when about 11:40 Vai walks in with puffy eyes. Pala had called to tell her she wasn't coming anymore because she couldn't find her ID. Vai was devastated. Vai decided to get dressed and walked to church. When she walked in to sacrament and sat down next to me and she told me what happened I was devastated for her. After sacrament I gave Vai a hug and told her how proud I was of her for getting dressed and coming to church. She is 15 and could have easily chose to stay home and take a nap or listen to the radio or watch a movie but she came to church. In Relief Society our lesson was about our leaders and the qualities that make them leaders and about Zion's Camp. Sister Melville put a quote on the board that went something like this, " To teach them correct principles that they may learn and lead that they may govern themselves. " I read that quote and was overcome with Spirit and felt that this lesson was just pertaining to our leaders in the church which is what our lesson focused on today but that it pertained to us as parents as leaders of our children. We are here to teach them correct principles that may learn and lead and be able to govern themselves. With my experience with Vai today I realized how powerful just the example of going to church every Sunday, and especially today, we are teaching our children. When she had a choice today she made a very good one. After church we got in our car to drive home and again told her how proud I was of her and it choices like this today that build our trust her so that she can govern herself. See had I not gone to church today I would have missed this also!