President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994): “Success in righteousness, the power to avoid deception and resist temptation, guidance in our daily lives, healing of the soul—these are but a few of the promises the Lord has given to those who will come to His word. … Certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it. …
“… Recommit yourselves to a study of the scriptures.Immerse yourselves in them daily so you will have the power of the Spirit to attend you in your callings.Read them in your families and teach your children to love and treasure them” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign, May 1986, 82). “Search the Scriptures Diligently,” Ensign, Apr 2009, 63
Obviously, this blog focuses a lot on mothers. But where would we be without fathers?
“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” The Family: A Proclamation to the World
“In order to strengthen the father in the home, I make two simple suggestions: first, sustain and respect the father in his position; second, give him love, understanding, and some appreciation for his efforts. . . .
“In terms of giving fathers love and understanding, it should be remembered that fathers also have times of insecurity and doubt. Everyone knows fathers make mistakes–especially they themselves. Fathers need all the help they can get; mostly they need love, support, and understanding from their own.” James E. Faust, “The Father Who Cares,” Ensign, Sep 2006, 2–6
“We encourage you, brethren, to remember that priesthood is a righteous authority only. Earn the respect and confidence of your children through your loving relationship with them. A righteous father protects his children with his time and presence in their social, educational, and spiritual activities and responsibilities. Tender expressions of love and affection toward children are as much the responsibility of the father as the mother. Tell your children you love them” Howard W. Hunter, “Being a Righteous Husband and Father,” Ensign, Nov 1994, 49
“Fathers, yours is an eternal calling from which you are never released. Callings in the Church, as important as they are, by their very nature are only for a period of time, and then an appropriate release takes place. But a father’s calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity”. Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Fathers in Israel,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 48
“The sacred title of ‘father’ is shared with the Almighty. In the Church men are called and released. Did you ever hear of a mortal father being released?
“God bless you, dear fathers. May He bless you with wisdom and judgment, with understanding, with self-discipline and self-control, with faith and kindness and love. And may He bless the sons and daughters who have come into your homes, that yours may be a fortifying, strengthening, guiding hand as they walk the treacherous path of life. As the years pass—and they will pass ever so quickly—may you know that “peace… which passeth all understanding” (Philip. 4:7) as you look upon your sons and daughters, who likewise have known that sacred and wonderful peace.” Gordon B. Hinckley, “‘Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children’,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 50–53
I am grateful to be married to a man who fulfills his calling as a father so lovingly, balancing well the many demands on his time. You can visit his thought-provoking gospel blog here. Thank you, Jared, for walking by my side as we travel on this journey as parents.
To my dad, thanks for spending time with me. I remember riding with you in the big truck to haul water. We would sing lots of songs–I especially remember shouting loudly at the top of our lungs “FIRE, FIRE, FIRE!” at the end of Mrs. Ol’ Leary.
You’re a great person to share a birthday with! I love you!
Happy Father’s Day
This video is a great example of a father who knows what’s most important. Watch it, you’ll be touched.
“One of the most difficult parental challenges is to appropriately discipline children. Child rearing is so individualistic. Every child is different and unique. What works with one may not work with another. I do not know who is wise enough to say what discipline is too harsh or what is too lenient except the parents of the children themselves, who love them most. It is a matter of prayerful discernment for the parents. Certainly the overarching and undergirding principle is that the discipline of children must be motivated more by love than by punishment. Brigham Young counseled, “If you are ever called upon to chasten a person, never chasten beyond the balm you have within you to bind up.” (In Journal of Discourses, 9:124–25.) Direction and discipline are, however, certainly an indispensable part of child rearing. If parents do not discipline their children, then the public will discipline them in a way the parents do not like. Without discipline, children will not respect either the rules of the home or of society.
“I am impressed by countless mothers who have learned how important it is to focus on the things that can only be done in a particular season of life. If a child lives with parents for 18 or 19 years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent’s life. And the most formative time of all, the early years in a child’s life, represents less than one-tenth of a parent’s normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes. This eternally important work falls to mothers and fathers as equal partners. I am grateful that today many fathers are more involved in the lives of their children. But I believe that the instincts and the intense nurturing involvement of mothers with their children will always be a major key to their well-being. In the words of the proclamation on the family, “Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).”
“Find joy in your children. Don’t over schedule them or yourself. You may not be able to take them on exotic vacations. It doesn’t matter. When the day dawns bright and sunny, take an excursion to the canyon or the park. When it’s cloudy and wet, read a book together or make something good to eat. Give them time to explore and learn about the feel of grass and wiggliness of worms.” (p. 36)
Marjorie Pay Hinckley, Small and Simple Things (2003), 31.
Mondays are usually my days to stay home and work hard (laundry, recover from the weekend, etc). I had a pretty good list of things to do today. But this morning the “day dawn(ed) bright and sunny”. I realized that my laundry would wait, but my little girls are growing up quickly before my eyes. So we packed a picnic lunch, slathered on the sun screen and headed out to enjoy the water and the sunshine together.
“Women for the most part see their greatest fulfillment, their greatest happiness in home and family. God planted within women something divine that expresses itself in quiet strength, in refinement, in peace, in goodness, in virtue, in truth, in love. And all of these remarkable qualities find their truest and most satisfying expression in motherhood.
“Said Thomas Wolfe: “There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful women in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” Or, to which I might add, cuddling a baby, or leading a child in prayer, or counseling a strong young son or daughter, or comforting a tired companion.
God bless you, mothers. When all the victories and defeats of men’s efforts are tallied, when the dust of life’s battles begins to settle, when all for which we labor so hard in this world of conquest fades before our eyes, you will be there, you must be there, as the strength for a new generation, the ever-improving onward movement of the race.”
“While women live in homes under many different circumstances—married, single, widowed, or divorced, some with children and some without—all are beloved of God, and He has a plan for His righteous daughters to receive the highest blessings of eternity.
This afternoon I want to focus my remarks primarily on mothers, particularly on young mothers.
As a young father, I learned the demanding role of motherhood. I served as a counselor and then as bishop for a period of 10 years. During that time we were blessed with six of our seven children. Barbara was often worn-out by the time I got home Sunday evening. She tried to explain what it was like to sit on the back row in sacrament meeting with our young family. Then the day came that I was released. After sitting on the stand for 10 years, I was now sitting with my family on the back row.
The ward’s singing mothers’ chorus was providing the music, and I found myself sitting alone with our six children. I have never been so busy in my whole life. I had the hand puppets going on both hands, and that wasn’t working too well. The Cheerios got away from me, and that was embarrassing. The coloring books didn’t seem to entertain as well as they should.
As I struggled with the children through the meeting, I looked up at Barbara, and she was watching me and smiling. I learned for myself to more fully appreciate what all of you dear mothers do so well and so faithfully!
A generation later, as a grandfather, I have watched the sacrifices my daughters have made in rearing their children. And now, still another generation later, I am watching with awe the pressures on my granddaughters as they guide their children in this busy and demanding world.
After observing and empathizing with three generations of mothers and thinking of my own dear mother, I surely know that there is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood.
There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.”
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a multi-stake women’s conference meeting. The speakers were Sister Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President, Sister Mary N. Cook, First Counselor in the Young Woman General Presidency, and Elder John S. Anderson of the Seventy. What a blessing to hear them speak near my home in Florida! The talks were uplifting (of course!) and I thought I would share the highlights from my notes.
Sister Beck The purpose of Relief Society and our responsibility as women is to: 1) Increase in faith and personal righteousness 2) Strengthen families and home 3) Seek out those who are in need
“A mother is the most influential and powerful force in the life of a child.”
Create happy memories and happy times. Enjoy it! This life is meant to be the experience in preparation for the dream of eternal life.
Sister Cook Virtue is a pattern of thought and behavior of high moral standards. It includes chastity and purity.
Proverbs 31:10 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”
How do we become virtuous? Accept the challenge that has been given to all of the youth: 1) Read the Book of Mormon 5 minutes every day 2) Pray night and morning every day 3) Smile every day Elder Anderson We need to be more happy. Elder Perry always says “Be of good cheer. In the end–we win!
Sometime past my mother-in-law sent me this great card for Mother’s Day. I loved it and held on to it to remind myself that being a mother requires an extraordinary set of skills.
I also loved this latest sweet Mormon Message.
To my own mother, thank you for being my mom! I love you!
To the many mothers I know, thank you for magnifying your role as a mother. You are truly magnificent and I learn so much from you.
“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.” (First Presidency Statement in Conference Report, Oct 1942, 761.)
“The place to cure most of the ills of society is in the homes of the people. Building our homes as fortresses of righteousness for protection from the world takes constant labor and diligence. Membership in the Church is no guarantee of a strong, happy family. Often parents feel overwhelmed. Many must accomplish the whole job single-handedly while bearing all of the emotional pain of divorce. The Lord has provided a plan that will help us to be successful in meeting every challenge that may confront us.
“In the plan of salvation, all families are precious instruments in the Lord’s hands to help direct His children toward a celestial destination. The righteous molding of an immortal soul is the highest work we can do, and the home is the place to do it. To accomplish this eternal work, we should make our homes gospel centered. When peace and harmony abound, the Holy Spirit will ever be present. The storms of the evil one can be stopped at the very entrance of our homes.
“Let us be sure the spiritual foundation of each home is the rock of our Redeemer, as Helaman taught his sons: “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” (Hel. 5:12.)
