The Duet Podcast

A final letter.

As homeschool moms...it is easy to get bogged down in the temporal side of our daily lives. We are buried in the homemaking chores of meals, laundry, and soccer games, in addition to language arts lessons, math problems, and sentence diagramming. But, the life of our souls, our home, and our school is made of more than just the temporal. It is composed of spiritual substance, too. How do we not only see, but embrace the spiritual side of ordinary life? How can we find purpose and deep, spiritual meaning in the seemingly menial tasks of our day to day? Author, and homeschool mama, Jessica Poe shares her insights, her thoughts, and her book, Everyday MOMents: Discovering Christ in the Details of Motherhood in a conversation that attempts to answer some of these pivotal questions. This episode will leave you looking for the moments in your Mom Life where the Savior resides, with the beautiful invitation to join Jessica in her MOMent mindset, “In the trivial trial...I look for treasure.”   @jessica_poepoe @ahomeoflearning @nativitiesathome   https://www.amazon.com/Everyday-MOMents-Discovering-Details-Motherhood-ebook/dp/B01BO8K8K8   https://deseretbook.com/p/everyday-moments-discovering-christ-in-the-details-of-motherhood-ppr?variant_id=132323-paperback   http://jessica-poe.com/

How can mothers of faith with special needs children nurture growth in their homeschools? How can they apply the message of the restored gospel and invite the savior into their personal story? How can the atonement help and heal both them and their children along our way? Today, Erin McWilliams and I will discuss the heartache paired with the balm of Gilead our Savior offers as we walk our children home to Him.

It takes trust in Christ, and His direction, to follow this homeschool path composed predominantly of your faith in God and His plan for you. You know intellectually that an education centered on Christ and His Gospel is a valuable gift to give a child of God; still you wonder, will my child turn out alright, will they launch into life as the person they are meant to be, will they be happy and look back fondly at their formative years?    It is impossible to know the end from the beginning, but it is possible to know our Savior and trust in His plan for us and our family. To help you see a little bit ahead I have invited Adelynn Eisenach, the daughter of a friend of mine, Ali Cannon Eisenach, Editor of The Juvenile Instructor, who you can hear in episode #24. She is the woman behind The Millennial Instructor and author of A Meeting with the Principal. Her daughter Addy has recently graduated from their homeschool and is here to answer a few questions and share her story from the perspective of having “crossed over,” and begun a life of her own with the foundation of her Gospel centered home education. Addy has experienced the fruit of a homeschool education centered on Christ and she has graciously agreed to share that with us today.

As we are all getting back to school I have been thinking a lot about structure, and the processes we establish in our homes as we begin a new year. I have learned that homeschooling is the art of implementing and perfecting processes. This is what I find myself doing most often; putting a routine or a habit in place and then tweaking it each time we return to it. The task I perform most frequently while teaching in my home is refining. I am also constantly guiding my children in this process of progress. So, today’s letter is about learning to trust God in our processes. To be still and know. It’s about showing up today, experiencing failure, and having the courage to show up tomorrow and try again. It’s about refinement in the process and giving our minds permission to grow. It’s about believing that because of Christ we can define success as moving forward and doing it better next time. If you are looking for good resources to know more about growth mindset and grit, I recommend the books:Grit - by Angela Duckworth & Mindset - by Carol Dweck

But, Meg, how did you know that homeschool was right for your family? I have been hearing this question a lot lately, and I want to take the time to really articulate my thoughts and present them to you formally here. This is a really hot topic right now and a question on the heart of a lot of Latter-day Saint mothers. I think the answer to this question is really not as complex as we tend to make it, and I hope my general response doesn’t sound cliche. I think when sisters ask me this they are hoping that I will provide them a list of pros and cons, allowing them to just check boxes and see if they somehow fit the mold or not. The reality is, that there is no homeschool mold. In fact, homeschool is typically for those who want absolutely nothing to do with a mold. In today's episode I share the process I went through, the things I have learned since crossing over, and the wonderful things I believe about mothers of Zion in these Latter Days.

Fall is here, school is starting, and if you are a mother in Zion there is a good chance you are wondering what homeschooling is all about, are curious if this path could be right for you, or are trying it out for the first time. Whether you are a homeschool newbie or a seasoned home educator, hearing the stories of how others arrived at this massive lifestyle decision can remind you of your own story, and motivate you to get going, or keep going, full speed ahead.  This is why we have spent the last few episodes, meeting some Latter-day Saint mamas and hearing their stories. “Why.” Why did they, and do they, take the leap of faith every day, year after year. What brought them, and more importantly, what keeps them on this journey with Christ, in the trenches with their children, doing the homeschool dance. Today, we are continuing the discussion of the homeschool decision from a Latter-day Saint perspective with one of my favorite people, Whitney Teuscher.

Fall is almost here, School is about to begin, and if you are a mother of Zion there is a good chance you are at least wondering what homeschooling is all about, and are curious if this path could be right for you. Whether you are a homeschool newbie or a seasoned mama, hearing the stories of how others arrived at this massive lifestyle decision can remind you of your own story, and motivate you to get going, or keep going, full speed ahead.    Join me, as Cassie Shepherd from Home Centered Learning shares her conversion to homeschooling.   www.homecenteredlearning.com https://homecenteredlearning.com/entrywaysofchrist https://www.instagram.com/homecenteredlearning/  

Fall is almost here, School is about to begin, and if you are a mother of Zion there is a good chance you are at least wondering what homeschooling is all about, and are curious if this path could be right for you. Whether you are a homeschool newbie or a seasoned mama, hearing the stories of how others arrived at this massive lifestyle decision can remind you of your own story, and motivate you to get going, or keep going, full speed ahead.  Join me, and my guest, Shannon Reid as we discuss her homeschool conversion. 

Today we are speaking to the mothers of Zion who are standing on the precipice of school this fall wondering what to do. Many public school mom’s are evaluating the landscape of their children spending their school day in a public institution inundated by health protocols. They are pondering the potential of an education stripped of its extracurriculars and entertaining the possibility that even when school does return, another surge in COVID cases could find them emergency homeschooling once more.   I have heard from friends expressing concerns that they don’t want to be caught off guard, or be left unprepared in the event that emergency homeschooling should happen again. I have had friends express that online Zoom classes, or other screen learning solutions have either not worked or are just not desirable due to the absence of the in person teaching and learning experience. I have had an increasing interest in my sisters asking me what I do, and how I do it.   In response to that, I have invited my friend, Jessica Smith from Simple Wonders back to the podcast to discuss a recent article that she wrote entitled; HOME-CENTERED EDUCATION. While I have personally posted past episodes, YouTube videos, and content on both my website and Instagram that outline much of what I do and how I do it. The values, methods, and ideas presented here in many ways define my WHY. And to my sisters struggling right now, to you who are researching, praying, counselling, and considering; after more than a decade of homeschooling; I can with confidence assure you that you will easily discover your own what and how if you are inspired to move forward on the homeschool path, but it is the WHY that is most important. It is the WHY you might not see when you are coming at this homeschool option backwards. Any faith based, pre-COVID, homeschooling mother was rarely coerced by an outside situation to consider homeschooling as an option as a last resort. Most of us began with a powerful and motivating WHY that brought us to this lifestyle. Every families’s WHY is personal and powerful. It is the WHY that will motivate you and help you persist on hard days. It is the WHY that has been lost in our culture, and it is the WHY I want to be sure you see clearly now. . . . As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints, we believe that God has ordained the educational decisions in a family as the right and duty of the parents. Parents are accountable to Him for this mandate. Children are spirit sons and daughters of God and are an heritage to the Lord. It is to God that we will answer to for the training and teaching of our children. As Americans we acknowledge that it is not the government's job to educate children. It is their responsibility to protect parents ability to do so. And while we all need to be cognizant of homeschooling laws in our area and obey them, the job to determine the process and provide the education of each child is ours. Education decisions should be taken seriously, approached prayerfully, and every option should be scrutinized. In the event that any educational program offered to the public does not settle with our hearts we can and should strongly pursue something different.   Only parents can determine what that something different should be, but if you think your different might be homeschool, Jessica’s words will provide you with a lot of faith based evidence, history, and reasoning for considering this course of action. Homeschooling will not be easy, but it will be worth it. We know that through Christ all things are possible. The homeschool path is the one less taken, but it is one where beautiful flowers grow and thrive. In this difficult day of uncertainty and evaluation, as you take inventory of your household and the way forward in educating your children, I hope you will choose to make Christ the center of your education equation. I have learned that He is the sum of all things in life.   I hope this episode empowers you to know that what you ultimately decide will be what is needed for you, your children, and your unique situation. It will be your choice, your great responsibility, and your power. It will be the beautiful fruit of the liberties and freedoms many of us enjoy in the United States. The freedom to choose and obey the voice of your own conscience is the way God intended for ALL of His children to live. If something you hear today in my conversation with Jessica resonates, or rings true, and you want to learn more I invite you to please read her full article below, and you can reach both of us on Instagram or through email if you have additional questions.   To any pre-COVID homeschoolers I encourage you to use this episode as a tool for addressing the questions of other public school mothers who might likewise be approaching you.   If you do choose to homeschool, as always, it is my hope that you will homeschool with Christ.   https://simplewonders.org/introduction-to-education/

In this episode I walk you through a way I am gathering Israel at home by preserving my own story with pictures and narrative. I also share the story of a close friend and the profound impact listening to the spirit had on both of us.     https://homeschoolduet.wixsite.com/mysite/letters  

I want to acknowledge The mother of us all, The Matriarch of Heaven, our heavenly mother.There is very little doctrine that we have of Her within the church and of that little revealed truth none of it fully illustrates the depth of my feeling. I have often pondered on this divine feminine being and my relationship with Her. Recently, as I was exploring the words of our leaders about Her and the records of Her mentioned in the early days of the church, I was awoken one morning with an impression from The Spirit.He invited me to sit, be tutored by Him, and use my spiritual gift of poetry. What should I write about? I inquired. Heavenly Mother was the reply. Today, I will share with you the revelation that followed. I want to remind you that these are my personal feelings and implications of knowledge that I have gained for myself. Nothing should be received as doctrine or representative of official gospel teaching, But rather, view this poem as the spiritual stirrings of my own heart and a reflection of the connection I personally feel to my mother in heaven.To you, sweet sister, wherever this finds you, and whatever is on your heart in this moment - Happy Mother’s Day.

In a letter, written as episode #32 I discussed the topic of abundance and the reality that as Christ-centered homeschooling mothers we are uniquely blessed with the capacities and opportunities to immerse our children in gospel living and to partake of the goodness Christ offers us. Until recently, this abundance of homeschooling was out of the reach of many mothers around the world. Today, with the threat of COVID-19 many have found themselves unexpectedly homeschooling temporarily.  During this quarantine season in our global history, I have felt impressed to provide this discussion today. I hope it will be one of hope and help. I pray it will provide solace and inspiration. Ultimately, as the Savior is the source of all the goodness we receive in this life, I hope it points you to Him. Today, we will reflect on the positive possibilities available to the mothers of Zion right now. The abundance that can be found in this moment. Today is a gift of time. You can bless it and make it holy by intentionally approaching it with care. You can consecrate it and make it sacred if you choose. You will do this by not only teaching academic subjects in the home from the perspective of restored truth, but by integrating your gospel learning study into it.In this moment, almost every mother has the potential to walk this road for a season, and view the landscape of family life from this perspective. For me, the view is breathtaking. Walking away from the world, sanctifying the home, purifying hearts, and honoring God in this way fills my heart with joy. Regardless of your personal feelings about homeschooling as a full time profession, or familial lifestyle, I invite you to consider the magnificent possibilities available beyond what initially may meet the eye.Personally, I feel privileged every day that I get to do this homeschool gig. It fills me with purpose, fuels me with the sense of living up to my privilege, and beckons me to the divine call of my personal motherhood ministry.In today’s episode we visit with Kristie and delve into the practice of seeing God’s providence, being grateful for every moment we have with our children, and making the most of them.

In this episode I take a moment to address COVID-19 in a letter to my children. Times are uncertain, as is the future, but Christ is certain, and our future with Him is sure. In light of recent events and considering who we are as Latter-Day Saint, covenant keeping women living through these latter day events, I have searched my heart for words to express the feelings I have about our present struggle to my children. President Nelson has said, “We have great cause for concern. But we do not need to let our fears displace our faith. We can combat those fears by strengthening our faith.” I have labored spiritually to know, for our family, what vital Gospel teachings will strengthen our faith now. As a product of that I have been compiling a Gathering Israel Unit for my children. In conjunction with today’s letter I invite you to join me and my family in our study of Gathering Israel. Walk with us as we learn more about what the gathering is, how we can play a part in family history and missionary work, as well as how to keep our own records. In the expectation of this unit, my daughter, and I compiled a copywork and activity handbook that we initially designed to fill her current handwriting needs. I have decided to make it available as a download for free on my website for you and your family to use as well. The workbook was designed to be a companion to the current issue of The Millennial Instructor, Volume 3 - The True Olive Tree, which you can purchase separately, but you can use the workbook without it. This workbook and unit ideas is a free resource that could bless both full time and emergency homeschoolers. I hope it will be a valuable tool as you seek the spirit to guide you and your family as you learn together. Our family’s goal is to start this unit right after Easter, and you can join us. I will share on Instagram and YouTube as we do it. Please share with us using the hashtag #MyStoryTheirStory. Now more than ever, it is vital that our children know and understand who they are, and what they are here to do. Teaching them, I believe, is a part of our life’s mission and purpose.   Published Letter & Study Guide   Workbook   The Millennial Instructor Volume III  

President Russell M. Nelson told us in 2015 that, “Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation. We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms. We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers and who express their beliefs with confidence and charity. We need women who have the courage and vision of our Mother Eve.”   Join me and homeschooling mother in Zion, Lyndsi Bennion as we discuss and apply the message of Mother Eve and its application to the decision to homeschool. How do you, and I, have courage and vision in this great work of salvation? The Light Lab Eve and The Choice Made in Eden  

As mothers in Zion one of the most powerful teaching resources we have is music. If you do not consider yourself to be musical it can feel intimidating to incorporate music into your homeschooling or home gospel instruction with your children. But, the Lord has said, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." —Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 This scripture reminds us that heart is all that is needed to worship God through song. Regardless of our musical exposure, experience, or skill God invites us to use this universal language to invite the influence of The Holy Ghost into our homes and teach our children spirit to spirit.  Today, Bethany Struthers, a mother and integrated art and music instructor joins me in a conversation about the power of music and the simple ways we can incorporate it into our mother ministry of teaching the gospel to our children. Bethany is the musical heart behind “The Songs of the Heart” Instagram Feed dedicated to helping mothers find connection with their children through music. Bethany helps us understand the power of music and how to use it to teach the gospel, inspire our children, and find the savior through song. Homeschool Duet Website https://scriptures.byu.edu/ www.thesongsoftheheart.com Arts integration Kamie Jacobs Bolen  Shawna Edwards  Primary Music Videos

As society shifts further and further from the laws of God, it is the mothers of Zion who must rise to defend the faith, protect the family, and raise the next generation and truth. This letter explores a handful of inspired ensigns raised throughout history and the effect they had on the hearts of the people and parallels them to a modern day title of liberty raised by a living prophet today. https://www.comeuntochrist.org/ https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world/the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

I recently read a book by author, speaker, and fellow podcaster Brooke Snow. Brooke has written a book entitled “Living in Your True Identity,” the premise of her message is that in this life we have a divine identity that God has placed in us, and a competing false identity that is the fallen, corruptible, natural man or woman within us. The False Identity is easily influenced by Satan and the lusts of the world; it is our ability to choose that lets us determine which one of these identifies will determine who we are. In her book, she maps out this human condition and the struggle we all face, each day, as we strive to be true to the identity that our Heavenly Father created in each of us. In her book she presents clear tools, exercises, and journal prompts to guide the reader through a clarifying understanding of the two identities and how to feed the one you want to flourish. As mothers of faith Brooke’s book provides a resource for each of us to apply in our journey with the savior in educating our children in light and truth in the home. As we make an effort to leave the world behind, create sanctuaries of faith, and embrace the call we feel Christ has placed in our hearts we are each faced with the inner conflict of our two identities. Join me in a conversation with Brooke Snow, the author who will help us discern between the two and instruct us in intentionally nurturing our true, divine selves. Brooke brings us a message of freedom and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. www.brookesnow.com Brooke Snow Podcast Book

In July 2019 a group of Christ centered, home focused women of faith gathered at the This is the Place Monument for a Conference. The event was organized by A Home of Learning and at that conference I had the opportunity to host a panel discussion. All the questions were pooled from the audience and with only an hour of discussion time, I brought home a small pile of unanswered, little, white cards.    Because I believe in synergy, in community, and in the import of each individual I have not forgotten these little white cards, or the women who wrote them. I have kept them by my bed and used them as inspiration in addressing you here on the podcast.   Today, I am bringing back Becky and Graceanne from a previous episode and in the spirit of the panel we will discuss some of the questions from the stack that correlate well with the mission of Seek Learning.   www.homeoflearning.com www.seeklearninghome.com  

Mother members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have been invited, in companionship with their husbands and in coordination with the collective, worldwide membership of the church to remodel their homes into sanctuaries of faith. The prophet has counseled us to shift our paradigm from a church centered gospel to a home centered system of spiritual education and practice. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states that, “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.” In this charge, the women of Zion are heeding the call and advancing to the front lines of their motherhood. For all of us, this can seem a daunting task. If we are wise however, we will see that this prophetic instruction to realign priorities and more fully convert our hearts and homes is a blessing granting us increased spiritual power, courage, and conversion. If, like me, you feel there is a steep learning curve that you are still grasping to climb, and you are seeking a little structure or hand holding to inspire and encourage you, this episode will hopefully provide some possibilities. We will meet Becky Pitcher, and Graceanne Oswald, two Christ-centered homeschooling women who are on a mission to provide a resource for other mothers to provide hands on support and tactile steps of applying this higher and holier ministry in your home. Join us as we learn about their exciting project and continue our discussion on the great mandate, that as mothers we are given by God.  www.seeklearninghome.com