I have Righteous Children

Today I gave a talk in church.

These are the thoughts I shared. I was going to only print part of it, but I'm too lazy to go through and edit so just read what you want.

I have struggled with the topic that we were given to speak on today because at first I felt that it was a reflection on me and my parenting ability.

Look at me.

Now it might surprise some of you to learn that I am not perfect. I haven’t always done what I believe and know I should do, I worry and feel guilty that, where raising my children is concerned, I have not done enough.

I could point out at least half of this congregation that I believe are more qualified to address the topic of raising righteous children than I am and the other half probably think they could do a better job because they are teenagers and think they know everything. Personally, I would be happy to let any one who would like to to come and take my place right now.

Raising Righteous Children – as I have presented this topic to family and friends, As in – “Guess what I have been asked to speak about on Sunday?” I have repeatedly heard the response “You have Righteous Children”.

How and when do we know that we have Righteous Children?

Is it when they say their first prayer without any help,

is it when they give their first talk in primary,

when they choose to be baptized,

when that receive the priesthood,

or serve in a young women presidency,

is it when they attend church every Sunday for a year

or graduate from Seminary,

is it when they go to the temple for the first time
to participate in Baptisms for the Dead,

or when they go to receive their own endowments
and go on a mission,

or when they are sealed there to an eternal companion?

Is it when we see them actually enjoying a service project,

or “catch” them reading their scriptures without being forced,

maybe when they give a family home evening lesson
that is better than we could have given,

or when they share the gospel with one of their friends
or baptize someone.

Do these milestones prove that we have Righteous Children?

Yes and no.

My belief and understanding is that all parents have Righteous Children.

Now, I’m sure some of you are thinking I know some of so and so’s children and they are not Righteous or she hasn’t met that kid that lives next door to me or what about my son …, but wait.

In this month’s visiting teaching message there is a quote from Julie B. Beck the Relief Society General President, she says

“ You are literally spirit daughters (and I add sons) of Deity, offspring of exalted parents with a divine nature and an eternal destiny. You received your first lessons in the world of spirits from your heavenly parents. You have been sent to earth to prove yourselves…”

There it is – we all have Righteous Children,

literal offspring of exalted parents,

every day, all day, from the day they are born
until the day they die,

they will always be Righteous Children.

It is their noble birthright.

It is because of who they were and are.

Even if they don’t want to be Righteous Children
and they choose to not make Righteous choices
this doesn’t change who they are.

A Righteous Child of Heavenly Parents.

Sometimes I forget this most important truth.

I, and you, do not need to produce Righteous Children –

they already exist-

we just have to help raise them
back up to their Heavenly parents.

We just need to help them remember who they are
and why they are here
and what they already know.

An LDS mother, Patty Witt, when asked by a reporter for tips on raising righteous children replied

“ I think they just came that way. However, I do believe it has a lot to do with eating dinner together every day, and going to bed by 9 or 10 -- there's no substitute for that."
Maybe that doesn’t make a big difference to any of you, but it does to me, it helps me to know that I don’t have to start from scratch and create a Righteous Child. The Righteous Child is already there.

I just have to polish it and protect it,
feed it and take care of it
teach it and remind it who it is.

I need to treat it as something of great value,
which it is
and let it fulfill the responsibilities
for which it was created.

Still not an easy responsibility,
but more doable in my way of thinking.

When we look at our children, the children in the ward, the teenager that lives next door, or any other child as Righteous Children regardless of whether or not they are making righteous choices at this given moment in their lives I think it makes a world of difference.

Now I could probably teach a yearlong class, meeting once a week for 2 hours, on Raising Righteous Children, not because I’m qualified, but because there are that many ideas and thoughts and skills that could be taught on this topic. Lucky for you I only have 15 minutes and I have already used 5 of those so I have narrowed down my 45 page talk to a few less pages.

I want to focus on one thing that has given me much help and the much hope in raising my Righteous Children (remember, I’m not boasting, we all have them).

It is something that I read when I was having a difficult time feeling adequate for the task that was placed before me. You see, each of these Righteous Children we have been blessed with have the right and the ability to make their own choices. Sometimes those choices don’t coincide with their righteous nature, they are not righteous choices, and as parents we often don’t have and shouldn’t have the power to stop them from making these choices. Sometimes we feel powerless in knowing how to help them remember who they are and why they are here.

It was during one these times in my life when I first read about it in a book entitled House of Glory by S. Michael Wilcox.

Bro. Wilcox related the following story,“When I moved to Utah ten years ago, my children were entering their teenage years. Having taught teenagers n seminary, I knew how critical the next years would be, for during these years we win or lose so many battles for the souls of men. The more I thought about the world my children were growing up in and the pressures and opposition arrayed against them, the more anxious I felt.
I went to the temple one afternoon to seek guidance about my children. The calm, loving spirit of the temple seemed to magnify my natural love for my family, and I found myself offering a deeply sincere prayer filled with desire for my children. I told the Lord I was willing to offer any sacrifice if he would protect my children from Satan’s power and bless them with his Spirit until they could come to his house and receive their own endowment. I do not think I offered a unique prayer. It is the uttered and unuttered prayer of every true Latter-day Saint parent, and I think most parents would give the Lord the sacrifice he required.
As I sat in the temple, an answer was given in which the required sacrifice was revealed to me. I thought the Lord would demand some great thing for the blessing I was asking, and had it been some great thing I believe I would have been willing to fulfill it. Often we are more willing to do the great things than the small, everyday acts of obedience of sacrifice that comprise living the gospel.
However, the spirit simply whispered: “This is the sacrifice I ask of you. Be in this house frequently, constantly, and consistently and the promised protection you seek, which this house has the power to bestow, will be extended to those you love.”
At first I thought this counsel was unique to me, but I came to realize as I read and studied the scriptures that it is a promise with much broader application. I found this promise again and again in both the scriptures and in the words of our living prophets and apostles. It was not a special request and promise to me, but one that was extended to all the saints in behalf of those they love. “

Frequently, constantly and consistently attend the temple.

Why?

What good will that do?

One of the reasons I love the temple the most is because there I am reminded of the eternal nature of life. Birth is not the beginning and Death is not the end. In the temple I can see better who I am and who my children are. Inside the temple I see myself as a Righteous Daughter of a Loving Heavenly Father and I see my children that way too.

Also I think in the temple we are reminded of the role that Jesus Christ plays in each of our lives. How important our relationship with him and our children's relationship with him is.

In 2 Nephi 25:26 we read,
"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our child may know to what source thy may look for a remission of their sins."

President Ezra Taft Benson counseled us to make the temple a “sacred home away from our eternal home.” He then explained the power the temple can generate in a morally deteriorating world:
“This temple will be a standing witness that the power of God can stay the powers of evil in our midst. Many parents, in and out of the church, are concerned about protection against a cascading avalanche of wickedness that threatens to engulf Christian principles… There is power associated with the ordinances of Heaven – even the power of Godliness – which can and will thwart the forces of evil if we will be worthy of those sacred blessings. This community will be protected, our families will be protected, our children will be safeguarded as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord.”
Elder Boyd K. Packer has said,
"Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.”
Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone promised that all who faithfully attend to temple work will have unseen angels watch over their loved ones when Satanic forces tempt them. Everytime a temple is built Satan's power is deminished.

I then shared the story of my son and his mistake that he "fixed" with the picture of the temple. If you don't know what I'm talking about you can read about it here.

The look on the face of one of the deacons sitting in the audience as I told that story was priceless. He is an only child and I don't think he could grasp the dynamics that exist between brothers that could escalate to that kind of experience.

In closing I testified that the temple can fix things. I have experienced that blessing in my life many times. The temple is here to bind our families together and to help us Raise Righteous Children.

I don't have perfect children,
but I do have Righteous Children,
and if you are a parent,
you do to.