Honoring Parents

It is an interesting fact of life what happens to the children of the rising generation. If the parents do all they can and the children are receptive, they grow to outshine their parents in righteousness. If the parents fail in their responsibilities and the children are not corrected then they are cursed.

As we grow older, we grow in knowledge too. We see things in our parents that we couldn't see when younger. This does not give us the right to insult nor demean our parents. We must be respectful and give them honor. Our good points are in large measure due to their efforts and our flaws often our own.

While studying the writings of Nephi, I began to see this truth behind the ancient prophet's words. Lehi was a good and noble man; a prophet of God. Yet, as we watch the growth of Nephi during his trip from Jerusalem to the promised land we see his progression blossoming well past his righteous father. After Lehi dies, Nephi assumed the role of prophet and was able to lead, preach and defend his people.

But despite his spiritual ascension, Nephi speaks no ill of his father or mother. Only once does he mention Lehi complaining and again only once Sariah. He reveres his parents and defers to the words of his father often in the 1st book he writes. Nephi paints his father in such a wholesome light that what we are left with is a masterpiece example of honoring parents. In contrast we can look to the behavior of Laman and Lemuel to see an ugly portrait of insults and backbiting towards their father.

Naturally we will do better than our own parents if we try. That is life. We take the good things they gave us and add to them. But we will forever be indebted to them for every ounce of goodness and love they gave; perhaps even for the ill that caused us to grow and learn. It would not only be foolish, but contrary to the command of God to speak negatively concerning their manner of raising us. For the Lord has said "honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee," (Mosiah 13:20).

By revering our parents for the growth they accomplished and for the strength they enabled within us we gain a foothold on the rocky trail of life and propel our generations further along. When the rising generation after us is grown, whatever progress we have obtained will be theirs and they will be even more righteous than we could ever hope to be in this life. Remembering that will empower us with the love and respect God demands of us for our earthly progenitors. We will know that we have been blessed infinitely by being raised in their homes and being taught in their ways for the Lord will use our experiences and acquired talents to bless the lives of many of his children.

Motes, Beams and the Spirit: A Thought

I was reflecting on the parable of the mote and beam and found myself drawn by its symbolism. We usually see the obvious picture: Don't try to help another overcome a small sin when we are suffering from a large one; but I think we often miss some of the more hidden context. For instance, a mote and a beam are both wood and both represent sin on some scale. Second, just as the two are different in nature, a mote is a random speck while a beam is a purposeful piece of building supply, so are our sins by nature. Some suffer from one sin, some from another. We are thereby counseled to not only take care of large sins before aiding others in their repentance, but all our sins.

Obviously this engenders another issue. We all sin all the time which makes a sinless state impossible to achieve. This is overcome by the Holy Spirit which cleanses us as we repent as well as in those moments when we are doing our best to follow the will of the Lord. In those brief periods of time we find ourselves full of power and wisdom beyond our own. This is the only time we have any hope of qualifying to assist our fellowmen in this area of life.

Naturally this should remove all of us, except priesthood leaders, from the path of correcting brothers and sisters. We just need to live our own lives and continue to cleanse ourselves from our own sins so we can prepare to meet God. This also enables us, should the opportunity arise and fall within our jurisdiction, to give that rare piece of help in love and kindness when required.

Personal Scripture Power

I was feeling a bit down and hadn't discovered any relief. The feelings of doubt, pain, and sorrow kept pouring into my soul and adding upon my already troubled mind. Though I knew truth and had faith I wasn't able to conquer the destroyer in this battle of wills and I saw myself succumbing soon if I did not find a source of strength.

In my hour of need I turned to scripture. First to the words of President Boyd K. Packer from our most recent general conference since I had missed that particular session. His voice on the power of the priesthood that we need to obtain was full of might and majesty as one comes to expect from the apostles of the Lord. One line I enjoyed in particular was, "It might seem hopeless; it is monumentally difficult; but it is not only possible, but certain that we will win the battle against Satan," (The Power of the Priesthood, April 2010 Conference).

Next I turned to my reading in the Book of Mormon. I opened to chapter 17 of first Nephi. The very first verse stopped me, "And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness," (1 Nephi 17:1). Wade through much affliction? Seemed like an interesting word choice. I looked down at the footnote and ended up turning to Psalm 69. I read, "Save me, O God: for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God," (Psalms 69:1-3).

This riveted me to the page and I read the whole thing absorbing it as I saw all my complaints and struggles manifest in the words of one from so long ago. When I finished I returned to Nephi and reading on discovered that this wading through the mire had gone on for eight years! Eight years of trials and tribulations. Eight years of Laman and Lemuel conspiring and plotting and "repenting" again and again, but never fully. What a difficult time that must have been.

It reminded me of a passage I had read for my lesson last Sunday in the Marriage and Family Relations Class I am teaching. Elder Neal A Maxwell said, speaking of raising children, "Do not, however unintentionally, make things worse by removing the requirement for reasonable work as part of their experience, thereby insulating your children from the very things that helped make you what you are!" (Ensign, May 1998, 38). Nephi and his righteous family were who they were in the end because of the experiences they went through - such as eight years of trial in the wilderness. Imagine how less powerful and faithful they would have been without those moments.

Using the footnotes again I went back to Psalm 69 and then to D&C 122 where the Lord tells the Prophet Joseph Smith to remember that he is suffering so greatly because, "All these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefor hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever," (D&C 122:7-9).

I went back and finished 1 Nephi 17 and saw reflected in his words all I was going through and how I should approach it. I saw my trials and subsequent triumphs. I saw power in the priesthood. I beheld a glimpse of the future for me and my family and knew that any struggle I was going through would "be but a small moment," (D&C 121:7) yet absolutely crucial in my development as a man of God.

My soul is alight now with the fire of faith and the flame of the Spirit of God. I know I am doing the right thing and holding out with patience for the Lord will bring his promised blessings and strengthen me and my family for eternity. May all of you, as well as I be granted the power to do so, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.