A SACRED RESPONSIBILITY

 

Often in the Church we talk about the importance of missionary work. I don’t know if we all realise that the greatest missionary work we will ever do is within the walls of our homes, with our children.

Section 29 of the Doctrine and Covenants speaks of little children being redeemed by the Atonement of Jesus Christ as they are not accountable until they are eight years of age. And then a mandate that their preparation for accountability rests upon the shoulders of their fathers ‘that great things may be required at their hands’ (v 46-48).

I believe that bringing up our children within the light of the Gospel and teaching them to walk in the paths of righteousness is a responsibility we will be judged on the most. If we fail in this, the sins of our children will be upon our own heads (D&C 68:25-28).

Sometimes we might doubt the ideals of the gospel that we teach and believe in, such as ‘a family that prays together, stays together’ and ‘train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it’ (Proverbs 22:6). Obviously, this does not always work as many of us have children who have rejected the gospel despite the best efforts of us, their parents. I have pondered on this as my own daughter has walked away from the teachings of her youth.

I have come to understand this: 1. If we had no ideal, there would be no striving for salvation; 2. We don’t know which of our children will get hold of our teachings, therefore, all need to be taught. I have one daughter who is very active in the Church and bringing up her children in the Gospel; 3. If we, as parents, don’t do our part, our children would have the right to blame us for their choices; 4. We don’t know when the fruit of our efforts will come to fruition. It might be in this life or the next.

Section 68 is specific that we need to teach our children “faith in Christ, the Son of the living God” (v 25)……because this is where salvation lies. What we pass onto our children, gets passed onto generations of our posterity, the bad and the good.

I look at my daughter and see the spiritual guidance and teachings she is giving to her children that I never received in my childhood from my parents and I think, I have done a bit better and she is doing better still.

The covenant of obedience that I made with the Saviour when I was baptised stands as an example of hope to my daughter who has followed in my footsteps and my grandchildren who are following in hers. That hope is in Christ, who has overcome the effects of sin for all human family. It is because of Him that our hearts can be turned to our fathers with forgiveness and love that endures forever.

I give you my patience

That you might follow your path;

I give you my understanding

That you might love you more;

I give you my forgiveness

That you might learn to love;

I give you my tolerance

That you might grow;

I give you my wisdom

That you might have courage.

I give you my witness

Of the fountain of it all

In whom if you believe,

You will never fall.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: A Mother In Zion by Greg Sargent)