Father's Day!

I had the lucky opportunity to speak on Fathers Day and I wanted to remember my talk about the Fathers in my life and this is the best way to do it... me and my dad hiking, what we love to do...

Today is a special day of recognition, reflection, remembrance and grattitude for all beloved and honored Fathers. In a day of growing cultural confusion about the duties and roles of parents, we as Latter-day saints have been blessed with a blueprint for living and loving. Knowing the Book of Mormon was written for us we can turn to it for guidance and direction. It contains many fathers that are powerful examples.....In a talk by Kim Sorensen it discusses many fathers who through righteous traditions and teachings influenced their children and decendents to live righteously. -A righteous father who set a good example for his children through word and deed was King Benjamin. He reminded his sons and people that he had spent his days in their service, and he hoped that they had learned from his example. He showed how to walk with a “clear conscience before God,” inspiring others to charity, repentance, and covenants of obedience. -Lehi was an example of teaching with the spirit when rearing his children. Nephi recounts in the scriptures the great power behind his father’s admonitions to his wayward sons, Laman and Lemuel. We are told in the Doctorine and Covenants 42:14, “if ye recieve not the spirit ye shall not teach.” The spirit is essential to effective teaching especially in the home. -Some of the most moving and inspiring stories in the Book of Mormon tell of fathers who helped wayward sons. Alma, a great spiritual leader, founded the Church in his day and was loved by many. Despite Alma’s great influence among the people, one of his own sons, Alma the Younger, was “numbered among the unbelievers” and “became a very wicked and an idolatrous man” (Mosiah 27:8). He was responsible for leading away many of his father’s followers. One day, while Alma the Younger was “going about rebelling against God” (Mosiah 27:11), an angel of the Lord declared unto him, “Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God” (Mosiah 27:14). Alma never gave up on his son. He didn’t force him to do what is right, but he exercised faith in his behalf. Sometimes we may feel that the challenge of rearing children may be beyond our personal abilities, but we can always turn to our Father in Heaven for help. To give up on a wayward child is to doubt our Father’s ability to intervene and work miracles. -One of the most touching stories of fatherhood in the Book of Mormon is not about a biological father at all. Helaman was a great surrogate father to the two thousand Ammonite warriors. These young men agreed to go to battle if Helaman would lead them. We can only guess at the love and respect they had for him. In a letter to Moroni, Helaman told of a discussion he had with these stripling warriors before their first battle: “For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; …“And they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives” (Alma 56:46–47). The world is full of many modern-day Helamans who, as stepfathers, grandfathers, or uncles, as Scoutmasters, bishops, or home teachers, as neighbors and youth leaders, reach out and bless the lives of those in need of a father. With serving in primary i only saw it fitting to incorporate a primary song called “Fathers” it talks about three fathers in our lives.... -First Our Earthly Father: the song says...The father of our home, leads our family with wisdoms light in all thats right my fathers good to me... *The Proclamation of the Family says, “Fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.” -My father does lead my family in righteousness -He has taught me to always stand up for what is right and not be afraid to stand alone -My father has taught me to be willing and open to service through coutless times of him helping others without a second thought -I’m grateful that he exercises his preisthood righteously and can give me blessings in my times of need -My dad is a person of unconditional love, guidance and constant advice -Growing up I watched him as an example and still look to him in all aspects of my life -He has taught me to be acheivement oriented, to work hard and go for my goals -He is a role model for John and my brothers as they prepare to be future fathers -Most of all my dad is my friend, who makes me laugh and loves to tease me and I am so thankful for the quality time I get to spend with him -My righteous earthly father is important because by watching him I learn more about my Heavenly Father *A story called “teach a man to fish”....illistrates how a righteous father helps his son turn to his Father in Heaven. Ezra stopped paddling his small outrigger canoe and watched the sun sinking toward the Pacific on the other side of the bay. For years he had fished these waters with his father, but today he had trouble seeing the familiar sight through his tears. Today he was alone. As the canoe rocked gently on the water, he could hear the words his father had often spoken: “Watch carefully, Ezra. Someday when I am gone you will need to know how to support the family.” Today was the day his father had warned him about and tried to prepare him for. But it had come too soon. He was only 16. He wasn’t ready. Ezra idolized his father. He had waited impatiently for years until his father said that at age seven, Ezra was finally old enough to help him set and check the fishing nets. Fishing didn’t provide a lot of money, but it was enough to feed Ezra, his five sisters, and mother; support Ezra’s oldest sister on her mission; and help their neighbors. Ezra was even able to begin saving for his own mission. But now his father was gone. His death was unexpected, and it broke Ezra’s heart. Losing his father meant losing his hero, his bishop, his mentor. But added to the heartache was a terrible realization: the responsibility his father had tried to prepare him for was suddenly his. Ezra would have to support the family now. He couldn’t even consider fishing that first week after his father’s passing. His emotions were too raw. The thought of taking his father’s canoe, using his father’s nets, and doing his father’s work without him was unbearable. By the following week he knew his family needed him to go, but the burden was overwhelming. For as much as Ezra wanted to be like his father, he recognized more than ever just how far he was from achieving that goal. “I felt like there was no hope,” he says. “I found it difficult the first time to walk in the steps of my father. As I took the canoe out into the sea, I felt his absence. Those words my father had spoken came back to me, and I felt the weight of responsibility for my family.” Standing in the shallows of the Pacific, he turned to the only Person who could help him—the One his father had taught him to trust. “Show me where my father stood,” Ezra prayed. “Help me fulfill my father’s wish for me.” In the early evening silence after that prayer, Ezra felt something change. He felt led to his father’s fishing spot, and the things his father had taught him came to mind when needed. “After that prayer, I felt extra strength,” he says. “I knew Heavenly Father would help me.” Just as the Savior showed His ancient Apostles where to cast their nets, Ezra received help too. “I caught a lot of fish that day,” he says. Though he had doubted he could do what his father did, Ezra learned that he could do more than he thought. “It’s been a big change in my life—“I realized I can do what my father did.” Ezra has become more like his father than he believed he could. He has followed in his father’s footsteps as a fisherman—and as a teacher. The second week Ezra went fishing, his friend asked if he could come along and learn. Ezra has taught him how to fish, and in turn he helped Ezra with his work and kept him company. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to teach others as my father taught me,” says Ezra. “It makes me happy to know I am not only a fisherman like my father but also a teacher.” The saying goes that if you give a man a fish, you have fed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish, you have fed him for a lifetime. Ezra’s father certainly did the second. However, Ezra learned much more from his father than how to fish. He learned that he could rely on his Heavenly Father. This knowledge will serve him throughout his life even better than his ability to fish. Knowing how much he needs his Heavenly Father’s help, Ezra is careful to worthily fulfill his responsibilities as a priest, the office to which his father ordained him the week before he died. He also schedules his fishing so that it doesn’t conflict with school and seminary. What’s more, he is saving what money he can from fishing so that one day he can be a fisher of men (see Matthew 4:19). “During one family home evening, my father expressed his desire that we all serve missions,” Ezra says. “That is my utmost goal.” Ezra remembers that the Lord answered him when he called. “I want to be able to answer Him when He calls me.” -The Second Father the song talks about is....The father of our ward.... teaches loving care each members needs means kindly deeds a bishops always there....” In a talk Heavenly Homes, Forever Families by President Monson he said, Many years ago, as a bishop in a large and diverse ward of over a thousand members located in downtown Salt Lake City, I faced numerous challenges. One Sunday afternoon I received a phone call from the proprietor of a drugstore located within our ward boundaries. He indicated that earlier that morning, a young boy had come into his store and had purchased an ice-cream sundae from the soda fountain. He had paid for the purchase with money he took from an envelope, and then when he left, he had forgotten the envelope. When the proprietor had a chance to examine it, he found that it was a fast-offering envelope with the name and telephone number of our ward printed on it. As he described to me the boy who had been in his store, I immediately identified the individual—a young deacon from our ward who came from a less-active family. My first reaction was one of shock and disappointment to think that any of our deacons would take fast-offering funds intended for those in need and would go to a store on a Sunday and buy a treat with the money. I determined to visit the boy that afternoon in order to teach him about the sacred funds of the Church and his duty as a deacon to gather and to protect those funds. As I drove to the home, I offered a silent prayer for direction in what I should say to compose the situation. I arrived and knocked on the door. It was opened by the boy’s mother, and I was invited into the living room. Although the room was barely lighted, I could see how small and run-down it was. The few pieces of furniture were threadbare. The mother herself looked worn out. My indignation at her son’s actions that morning disappeared from my thoughts as I realized that here was a family in real need. I felt impressed to ask the mother if there was any food in the house. Tearfully she admitted that there was none. She told me that her husband had been out of work for some time and that they were in desperate need not only of food but also of money with which to pay the rent so that they wouldn’t be evicted from the tiny house. I never did bring up the matter of the fast-offering donations, for I realized that the boy had most likely been desperately hungry when he stopped at the drugstore. Rather, I immediately arranged for assistance for the family, that they might have food to eat and a roof over their heads. In addition, with the help of the priesthood leaders in the ward, we were able to arrange employment for the husband so that he could provide for his family in the future. As priesthood and auxiliary leaders, we are entitled to the Lord’s assistance in magnifying our callings and fulfilling our responsibilities. Seek His help, and when the inspiration comes to you, move on that inspiration concerning where to go, whom to see, what to say, and how to say it. We can think a thought to death, but only when we move upon the thought do we bless human lives. May we be true shepherds of those for whom we have responsibility. Ours is the responsibility to care for the flock, for the precious sheep, these tender lambs, are everywhere to be found—at home in our own families, in the homes of our extended families, and waiting for us in our Church callings. Jesus is our Exemplar. Said He, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep” (John 10:14). We have a shepherding responsibility. May we each step up to serve. -The song finishes with the Last Father ....The Holy one who gave his son The Father of us all... ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland entitiled “The Hands of the Fathers” he said, “I am a father, inadequate to be sure, but I cannot comprehend the burden it must have been for God in His heaven to witness the deep suffering and Crucifixion of His Beloved Son in such a manner. His every impulse and instinct must have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene-- but he did not intervene. He endured what he saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious payment could be made for the sins of all His other children from Adam and Eve to the end of the world. I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and His perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who often miss the mark. At the end of his agony, he whispered, “it is finished:...Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Finally it was over. Finally he could go home. I confess that I have reflected at length upon that moment and the resurrection which was shortly to follow it. I have wondered what that reunion must have been like: the Father that loved this Son so much, the Son that honored and revered His Father in every word and deed. For two who were one as these two were one, what must that embrace have been like? What must that divine companionship be yet? We can only wonder and admire”. We too must pray to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and live our lives to emulate our Savior Jesus Christ. And in turn Heavenly Father will be there to help and guide us with his arms outstreched in Fatherly love.