Choices

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2009 conference.

One quote stood out to me as an answer to a question that I didn't even know I had.

Elder José A. Teixeira said, "Our Father in Heaven respects our freedom to choose and will never force us to do what is right, nor will He impede us from making mediocre choices."

I guess that is the mark of a mature and perfect parent: letting their (adult) children choose and then allowing them to face the consequences of their choices. Fortunately for us He is also merciful and doesn't punish us instantly. Rather, He gives us time and opportunity to repent and be restored. He also has the magnificent ability to make something good out of our foolishness. And for that I'm so grateful.

"You Can't Pet a Rattlesnake"

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Priesthood session of the April 2001 conference.

For the past three weeks my prayers have been intense, and filled with gratitude. One time, into my head, and out of my mouth came, "I'm so thankful for the commandments!" I guess my thoughts were that if only our son had obeyed the Word of Wisdom he would still be with us. The commandments keep us safe and out of Satan's power.

Elder David E. Sorensen of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke of sin (specifically pornography) as a deeply poisonous, deceptive snake that lies coiled up [everywhere]. "Often the world makes these dangers look harmless--even exciting and interesting. But petting such snakes fills the mind with poison--poison that drives away the Holy Spirit." Some sins also can literally poison the body and allow evil in.

Whenever we sin, in whatever way, we drive away the Holy Spirit. And the more we continue in sin the harder it is to get back to worthiness to have the Spirit with us.

Our son was trying to come back, he was working with his bishop and attending AA meetings, sometimes. But the hold alcohol had on him was stronger than he could resist, and each wrong choice led to more wrong choices. He hid so much from us, and then it was too late.

Elder John H. Groberg said, "Remember, the sand castles we build on the beaches of mortality, no matter how elaborate, will eventually be washed away by the tide. Only purity of hand, heart, and mind will allow us to tap into the ultimate power of the priesthood to truly bless others and eventually be able to build eternal mansions more beautiful and lasting than we can presently imagine."

My heart is filled with gratitude for the Savior and His great plan of mercy to allow us to repent and be cleansed from sin, and rescued from death. We each are on a trek from Babylon to the Promised Land with dangers on every side. There are casualties and hardships all along the way, but we must never give up or give in. We must press forward with steadfastness in Christ, relying wholly on Him to guide and succor us along the way.

Families

First, a little PSA: Please remember the lessons we learned during the pandemic and do not bring sick children to church! Thank you!

(I've been sick three times since September from the children in my Primary class. NO MORE!!)

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday morning session of the October 1999 conference.

Each year I choose a "word of the year", something that I want to work on in my life. This year's word was contentment. But I decided that has been the wrong word. In one sense I need to be more content with the things that I can not change, but in another sense I can't be content to remain as I am. So the part of me that wants to be and do better is more active in my brain, and it spills over into everything; hence, the tendency to complain, murmur, criticize, etc. 

What does this have to do with Elder Neil L. Andersen's talk, Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets? Glad you asked. I was surprised to find this talk in this week's reading because I remember this talk and didn't realize it was so long ago. My how the years fly swiftly by.

This talk was about listening to and acting upon the counsel from the prophets and apostles. He relates an experience when a neighbor warned him of mole crickets in his lawn, but when he looked around he couldn't see any evidence. What he didn't know was that they were underground, and only active at night. By the time he noticed the results of the infestation it was too late to do anything about it, except through the huge expense of replacing all the sod.

Elder Andersen, then of the Seventy, told of a letter from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve sent to every member of the church, earlier that year, regarding families. 

We counsel parents and children to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform.

Perhaps we need another reminder for the current generation of parents of young children. Of the seven families represented in my Primary class, only two families study the scriptures daily with Come Follow Me. A few more have Family Home Evening, and some pray at least once a day. All of the children are sent to public schools, which I think is the scariest part of the whole situation. But that's another topic. 

How can parents send their precious children out the door without the spiritual armor and inoculation that comes from daily feasting on the word of God, without a prayer for protection and guidance, without making family time the highest priority? 

Of course, there are no guarantees to parents, because our children have agency too and when they are old enough they exercise it. But the promised blessings are real. He quotes the First Presidency from 107 years ago (84 at the time of the conference):

"If the Saints obey this counsel, we promise that great blessings will result. Love at home and obedience to parents will increase. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of Israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which beset them."

I recently asked our oldest, a daughter what she remembers about Family Home Evening. She said she couldn't remember any specifics, just that we had it and we enjoyed it. I asked if she remembered it being, as others have described it "the only family fights that open and close with prayer"? No, she didn't remember it that way at all. Neither do I, but I wanted to check that my memory wasn't selective. I remember having good times and it being rather enjoyable with lots of laughter. 

All of our five children are adults. Two chose not to be active in the church after they left home. They are not antagonistic, they just leave it alone. I hope that someday the teachings of their childhood will be brought to their remembrance and their hearts will be changed. In the meantime, we do have the blessing of increased love. It is a joy to get together. My boys all call me with their good news, engagements, promotions, awards, etc. They call me for help with recipes or household questions, or just to talk. 

It is my firm belief that the more time a family spends together, especially in spiritual pursuits, the closer the family will be no matter what. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We have most of those in spades!

 

Another Notebook Entry

24 May 2015   I keep hearing "The Lord has His own timeline for us." Today I remembered what President [LeGrand R.] Curtis taught us. "Heavenly Father's goal for us can be brought about only with our full cooperation." Perhaps His timeline would move more quickly [and smoothly] if we were more closely living in harmony with His will.

I served in the Florida Tallahassee Mission under President Curtis from February 1979 to July 1980.