Sunday I attended a Regional Conference at church with my family. I don't generally attend these conferences because the buildings are so full of people and I am not a fan of large crowds. I was there so I could sustain Dakota as he received the Melchizidek Priesthood on Sunday. Had it not been for Dakota, I would not have heard from the Prophet on Sunday. The conference was broadcast from Salt Lake City. There were four speakers. I felt like the entire conference was directed at our family. The subject of the conference was family in general, the responsibilities of parents and of children.
Elder Grow was the first speaker. He is the reason I am writing this blog. He encouraged all who were listening to write in their journals about what we felt or received from this conference as President Monson was one of the speakers. He stressed the importance of heeding the council that would be given.
Elder Hales was one of the speakers as well. He spoke of some of the responsibilities of parents and of children. He noted how it is the parents responsibility to raise children in "love and righteousness". We are to teach children the importance of faith, responsibility, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion and prayer. He stressed that brothers and sisters are supposed to build each other up and not to focus on selfishness. I know that many parents I know, no matter their religious affiliation, find teaching these principles to the "now generation" very difficult. Selfishness is a great reason for so much unhappiness. I found it interesting how he stressed that there should not be selfishness. How can there be compassion, forgiveness, repentance or love when there is selfishness? Those are selfless acts.
One of the speakers also stressed the importance of finding the time for family prayer and scripture study, as well as personal prayer and scripture study. This was the parents responsibility to teach our children and in so doing will help us be better parents. I know that on the days that we miss family prayer/scripture study, the change in spirit is definitely felt in our home.
I was personally touched by President Monson's talk. He told a story of a young man named "Jack". Jack became upset with his parents and said that he was leaving and never coming back. When the son did this, the father turned to the boy and told him that he was sorry for his part in the situation and that when the boy decided to return he would be there for him. The father told the son that through the differences he still loved him. The boy bought his bus ticket and left. He thought of what the father had said to him and thought of the love his father offered. The young man later returned home and his father welcomed him with a hug and open arms.
President Monson stressed the importance of our parental responsibilities. Not one thing was mentioned about providing cars, phones, clothes, or the latest gadgets for the children. The focus was on the values that we are teaching our children. He reminded us that we as parents will stand accountable before God for the things which we teach our children.
There have been many conversations of what is required by parents and children in our home over the past few months. There are many different opinions/expectations. The one thing that our children do know is that through any of the heart ache, arguments, laughter and love; Jeff and I love our children. We do not always agree with their decisions in life but we love them anyways. We will be there for any of them with open arms when they are ready.
The younger kids and I were talking about this a little the other day. Ana stated it simply to Ronnie when she said; "Parents always like us, they may not like what we do but they always love us. It's in the mom handbook, they hand it out in Relief Society, it's top secret." There is no special "mom Handbook" as Ana called it, there is however, the scriptures. We were reminded on Sunday of just how important a guide they are while raising our families.
I know that I am not a perfect mom. I certainly hope that the children would learn from our mistakes in life instead of recreating them. Listening to the prophets/scriptures have helped me to rectify some of my mistakes in life. I know why the apostles and prophet stressed this on Sunday- I needed to be reminded that those values I hold dear are correct and true principles and to work harder and do better. I need to crack open that "handbook" more often!
