In a world of sin and chaos what a wonderful blessing it is to have a living prophet’s seers and revelators to guide and direct this church through the turmoil and hardships of this world we live in. Not only do they speak the truth but they apply the gospel to their lives, living and loving the gospel. What amazing examples these men are for us to follow and admire.
We say “Home can be a Heaven of Earth”, or “Home is where the heart is”, it is where our families grow, support each other, play together, build eternal bonds, listen to each other, love one another, the home provides opportunities that the world can’t even imagine. It is important that your children know that they are loved and appreciated and that they are a special child of God who has a purpose in this life and with our Heavenly Father’s help they can fulfill their mission. Families are the basic fundamental unit in this gospel.
However sometimes families encounter hardships, loved ones can pass away, sins can be made, loved ones fall away from the gospel. When my younger brother was in high school, four months before graduation he decided that he didn’t want to follow the family rules anymore and willingly moved out. This was not an easy time for my family to see my brother who was raised in the gospel turn away and fight the gospel. Lehi was an amazing prophet, seer, revelator, husband, father, he kept all the commandments, he raised his children in righteousness, Sariah was a loving wife and mother. Her love is portrayed for her family when she becomes at angry at Lehi for sending her boys to get the golden plates from Laban and she is sure they are dead, the joy she has when they return home. Despite their efforts their children have their own agency, the ability to choose for themselves, son Nephi used his agency to become a great prophet, Laman choose to use his agency to rebel against God. “Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God...” Deuteronomy 11: 26-27.
Elder M. Russell Ballard in the 2010 spring conference spoke to mothers and daughters on their relationship and loving and caring and being a good example for one another. “Love your mother, my young sisters. Respect her. Listen to her. Trust her. She has your best interests at heart. She cares about your eternal safety and happiness. So be kind to her. Be patient with her imperfections, for she has them. We all do.” Young women need to learn from their mothers in the home, how to be a mother, they need to be prepared for their future role in the home; and what better way to learn, then through an example of a mother. Elder Ballard in the conference before, October 2009, spoke to fathers and sons and the importance of their relationship also. “Fathers who listen more than they talk find that their sons share more about what is really going on in their lives. Dads, listen to your sons.” Elder Ballard is the Great Great Grandson of Hyrum Smith, who is brother to Joseph Smith. I am sure Elder Ballard gained a testimony and truthfulness of families through the example of his own family. “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” 2 Nephi 2:25. Robert D Hales in April 2006 stated that “Sometimes we forget that our Heavenly Father desires that each of us have this joy. Only by yielding to temptation and sin can we be kept from that joy. And yielding is exactly what Satan wants us to do.”
Take time to listen to your children, hear what they have to say, and be patient. Know your child’s concerns and problems, beware of what’s going on in their life. Children, talk to your parent’s, they love you, they want what’s best for you and for you to be happy. Try to find the best in your parent’s and make them a role model in your life. Pray to understand them and to see the good in them. Parents same thing look at the accomplishments your child has made, learn from them, become submissive like a child. Show each other you love them, show it in your actions, through family service, playing and spending quality time together, attend family home evening and set a good example, tell them verbally how much you love, care and appreciate them.
Prophets live what they teach, if a prophet speaks on eternal families that prophet is personally trying to build a family that will last throughout eternity, they have a firm steadfast testimony of this gospel and that their Heavenly Father loves them and talks to them, they are great examples to look to and heed their council because they speak the words of Christ “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken,... whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same” D&C 1:38. Our Heavenly Father loves each of His children and has given us several tools to conquer our trials.
There are several gifts our Heavenly Father has given us including, baptism, the Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, the priesthood, scriptures, living prophets, the light of Christ, prayer, temples, joy, hope, love, families, agency and many many more. These are all very important and vital to the gospel. With my brothers choices he choose to give up these gifts, he had been baptized, but he wasn’t keeping his baptismal covenants. Instead he felt he only disappointed his family, he felt lonely and abandoned. As his sister I didn’t know what to do, we all loved him and we told him and showed our love for him frequently. The first thing I had to do was accept his agency. “Agency allows us to be tested and tried to see whether or not we will endure to the end and return to our Heavenly Father with honor. ... Agency permits us to make faithful, obedient choices that strengthen us that that we can lift and strengthen others” Robert D Hales May Ensign 2006. Forcing someone to obey the gospel is against the plan of salvation, through agency Heavenly Fathers children can decide to return home.
After recognizing agency someone must next realize that they can’t help this person on their own “Be thou humble in thy weakness and the Lord thy God shall lead thee, shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers. Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee, shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares” Hymn 130. Pray for them, fast for them, Heavenly Father can help place them in circumstances that make them grow that we can’t understand. Pray that they will find the spirit and that they will heed its council. “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for everything which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye man know with a perfect knowledge it is of God” Moroni 7:16. Have faith in God your father that he can help, have faith that your loved one will soften their heart and come back to the light. Last of all love.
The best and only thing you can really do is to love them and accept them with their challenges, we can preach and lecture and point out all the mistakes they are making but that just allows them to build up higher and deeper walls, which we can’t cross. Love is the vital key that will not allow them to build the walls too high or too deep because that love won’t let them. “... let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” 1 John 4:7. One of the longest relationships you will have in this life is with your siblings, invite them to lunch, just you and them, a place where you can talk. Then ask them open ended questions, and really listen to what they say, don’t try to correct them, don’t try to justify the gospel, just listen and let them know that you are listening. Ask for clarification and when it is all over make sure you express your love and support for them. That doesn’t mean that you support their choices, but that you support them as a person.
“All youth will be more likely to make and keep covenants if they learn how to recognize the presence and the voice of the Spirit.” Elder M. Russell Ballard April 2010. Teach children while they are in thy youth principles and build them on a sure foundation, then let them build their castle. Agency is essential to the plan of salvation, we choose to keep our agency in the premortal existence, let us choose to keep our agency through this life by not giving it up to Satan. Remember to love one another and have faith in Jesus Christ that he can do anything. Love your family, you are sealed to them for eternity and you don’t want to lose them.
I have a family here on earth
They are so good to me
For all Eternity
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