Generally I would start by quoting a passage that is pertinent to our day and age, or the interaction between you and your brothers and sisters throughout the world. This day I wish you to look at the present around us all. I would like you to see the news of what is happening, and tell me: When did people stop teaching to be respectful of others? When were the children taught to be destructive of property and even life itself? When did fathers teach their children to be unfaithful? When did mothers teach their daughters to despise the fruit of their wombs? These types of questions can go on and on. Somewhere in the near past something went horribly wrong with the training of children. It is not that difficult to look into the near past and find the error which was committed by almost the entire world over. You see how I removed most of things that are commonly blamed in that last statement. It is not the fault of a party, an institution, a program, or a person. It was much simpler than any of those things. I guess now would be the time to insert scripture.
[Mos. 2:2527] “And ye will not suffer your children, that they go hungry, or naked; Neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, which is the master of sin, or which is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our
fathers; he being an enemy to all righteousness; But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another;”
Simply put, mankind in general has stopped fulfilling this simple commandment. It is not only the USA but the whole world over. That is why the whole world over suffers these plagues that have come upon us all, which are of course sent by God to call men unto repentance. Yet how do men as a whole repent, if they do not understand what they did wrong? How can you understand what you did wrong if you do not examine the past to see the error?
The passage I quoted above leads me to the following questions. Which of the responsibilities of the parents listed above is more important? The passage starts out by acknowledging the needs of the carnal body and food and clothing. It’s interesting that housing is not mentioned or a myriad of other things which we today have in life that we feel are a necessity. The rest of this passage is talking about the spirit within the child. Have you fulfilled these to the degree of the first? When do you stop being a parent? I have heard people say they can do nothing because their child is an adult and has to make his own decisions. I say, if I am still breathing I am still a parent of my children which I brought into this world and therefor I am responsible to the previous passage. On my deathbed I would want my children to come so that I may impart some last words to help them stay on the righteous path.
Why do I say these things? Is this an attempt to place blame upon you? No! This is in fact an attempt to persuade you to continue in this path you have chosen. This is an opportunity to take up this mantel even in your times of hardships. This is your chance to show you are a good parent to the children who have been given to your care.
[2 Ne. 7:1518] “Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; Wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can dispute? But behold, this land, saith God, shall be a land of thine inheritance; and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land. And this land shall be a
land of liberty unto the Gentiles; and there shall be no kings upon the land, which shall raise up unto the Gentiles.”
Who are the Kings and Queens of the Gentiles if not the Sons and Daughters of the most High God called forth from the Gentiles in these last days. You, my brothers and sisters, are these kings and queens spoken of in scripture. To all of us, the Gentiles, has been given this task of nurturing these lost children of the house of Israel. I commend your long suffering up to this day. I pray that strength be given from above that ye may continue in your labor. We who are parents know that the strength to continue can only come from above for we are but only human without the spirit of our Savior within us. Without His spirit within us we would surely fail.
The darkness is coming in from all sides in this day we live in. The only way we can continue is, if each and everyone of us trim our candles, as did those five wise virgins, and make sure your light shines brightly. Our enemy is at the gate, but our Savior comes! Let the world hear our cries, “PRAISE BE TO THE KING ON HIGH!” Let the world see that we will not abandon the children of Israel! Let the world see our light will shine on for our Lord is with us in spirit and in deed!
I know this may sound strange, like a sermon or a call to arms. I feel that we are living during the overtime of this world and everyone in overtime needs to be animated. The end is near, push even a little harder than before and continue pushing even unto the end. That we may all come before our Lord and Saviour as our brother Moroni wrote;
[Mrni. 10:31] “And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet
you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen”
Would not it be wonderful for all of us to be able to repeat those words on the day we leave this world behind? Trim your lamps, stand and light the way. This is our task in this day of darkness. Let the upcoming generation see that you were undismayed in your determination to serve one another even as the darkness encroaches.
God bless you all. May the Lord watch over and protect you.
