*If you are not a citizen of the U.S., your country is a promised land to you. Celebrate your country's heritage and teach your children to be proud of and thankful for their country.

Unlike addition and subtraction, there is no test to measure a child's patriotism because it isn't something of the mind; it's something in the heart. Even though it may be difficult to determine a child's level of patriotism, there are important reasons why parents should try to increase their child's love for their country.

Learning about the great men and women who built their nation can give children a sense of who they are and who they can become. Studying their nation's history can give them a sense of belonging as they feel connected to something big and important. Understanding their country's past can influence their choices in the future and strengthen their resolve not to repeat history's mistakes. Loving their country can produce a desire to be an informed voter, to be involved in their communities, and even to run for public office.

Analyzing how I became patriotic has led me to conclude that each of us has our own testimony, so to speak, about this land. My husband's uncle, Chester Boss, loved to tell the story of how his father, Peter Boss, my children's great-grandfather, became a citizen. With tears in his eyes, he described what it was like to help his father study for the exam and the great anticipation and pride he felt the day his father, dressed in Sunday best, walked to the courthouse to become a citizen of the United States.

The details and tears revealed Uncle Chester's and Great-Grandfather's patriotism and boosted mine. I hope my children keep this and other precious stories like it alive so that future generations will remember their ancestors' sacrifices and great love for this country.

At the end of World War II, I was born in an army hospital on Governors Island in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty. Just a few weeks later, my father was deployed to the Philippine Islands. My father loved this country and felt honored to fight for its freedom.

After the war he stayed in the army reserves until he retired. As a child, I loved to see him in uniform as he went to camp every summer, and I often went with him to do his work on Saturdays at Fort Douglas. In every prayer I ever heard him say, he thanked Heavenly Father for this free land and prayed for her leaders. He retired a full colonel.

A few years before his death, when my out-of-state grandchildren were visiting my parents, a grandson asked if my father still had his uniform. Eighty-five years old, my father left the room and returned wearing his uniform. I hope my grandchildren remember seeing their great-grandfather standing straight and tall, proud to wear the uniform of the United States of America.

When my father died in 2004, a graveside honor guard fired a 3-volley salute and “Taps” was played. An American flag draping his coffin was folded with great dignity and given to my mother. But the most touching moment occurred in the morning, when we pulled up to the ward building for the funeral. The bishop, a man who grew up in my home ward, a man who had had my father as his bishop, a man who knew my father's history, had lined the street in front of the church with large American flags. It was a fitting tribute from a man who personally understood my father's dedication to this country. I hope my children remember their grandfather's love for his country.

In 1971, my husband's employer transferred him to England, where we lived for three years. We traveled extensively to Scotland and Wales, Bath, Plymouth, Manchester, Brighton, Preston, Ipswich, Avon, and many other towns and villages. London was only twenty-three miles away, and we visited there often. We had a jolly good time. At the end of the three years, I loved the country of Great Britain.

As we were leaving England, I wrote in my journal, “I know why they call Great Britain great. It is a great country.” However, as we were in the plane getting closer and closer to New York City—my birthplace—my heart was pounding out of my chest. When we landed and were going through customs, I handed my passport to the officer at the port of New York. He was ready to send me through but paused to glance at my passport to see how long I'd been gone. Looking at me warmly he said, “Welcome home.” How good it felt to be back in my native land. I still cry when I retell my sentiments of  being back home. I hope I've shared my love for this country with my children.

The divine purpose of the United States is integrally linked to the Restoration of the gospel. The fertile soil of this “nation under God” is evidenced in the Book of Mormon. In 1 Nephi 13:10–19 we learn that God inspired Christopher Columbus to set sail to the west, that the Pilgrims would arrive, and that the settlers would fight a war to gain independence. It's amazing and wonderful that the Revolutionary War was seen in vision two thousand years before it happened! This is a land of promise. “Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). “God Bless America ” is not a cliché. As a nation, we need the God of this land. I hope my children internalize this truth.

As prophets have admonished us to have a photo or painting of a temple hanging in our homes, it seems prudent to also have something patriotic in our homes. It seems wise to take our children to patriotic events and to pray for our country and her leaders. Family home evenings can be used to teach about the Founding Fathers or about the first American in your family. You could read or even memorize the opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or the Gettysburg Address and sing, listen to, or play patriotic songs together. You can travel to historic sites and protect the environment.

You can become involved in the political process and show your enthusiasm for particular candidates before the election and then lend support for those who win after the election, teaching your children that your love for this country remains constant as candidates come and go. You can honor and obey the laws of the land, fly the flag, sustain the armed forces, and show respect for local law enforcement. Teach your children that if freedom is lost, it is costly to regain it by using examples from the Book of Mormon and from world and U.S. history. I want to be a mother who prizes freedom and knows it is worth fighting for even when it's my own son or grandson who may be called upon to follow my father's example and defend the United States of America.