- Serious consequences result whenever we miss important messages, especially if these messages are from God.
- Messages are more commonly manifested by the still, small voice, which speaks to all of us through the scriptures, modern prophets, and personal revelation.
- We must attune ourselves to the inspiration from God and tune out the scratchy static. We have to work at being tuned in. Most of us need a long time to become tuned in.
- The still, small voice, though still and small, is very powerful. It "whispereth through and pierceth all things."
- The message may be there but we fail to pick it up. Perhaps something in our lives prevents us from hearing the message because we are "past feeling." We often put ourselves in spiritual dead spots--places and situations that block out divine messages.
- God gives us messages of instruction or encouragement to enable us to do His will. Often this is to prepare us for a specific task.
- As we take a long, hard look at the world today, it is becoming increasingly evident that Satan is working overtime to enslave the souls of men. His main target is the fundamental unit of society--the family.
- It appears to me that the crosshairs of Satan's scope are centered on husbands and fathers. Today's media, for example, have been relentless in their attacks--ridiculing and demanding husbands and fathers in their God-given roles.
- A family needs a father to anchor it.
- Surely we have learned by now, from the experience over centuries, that the basic family provides the most stable and secure foundation for society and is fundamental to the preparation of young people for their future responsibilities. We should have learned by now that alternate styles of family formations have not worked and never will work.
- 1. The father is the head in his family.
- "Fatherhood is leadership, the most important kind of leadership. It has always been so; it always will be so. Father, with the assistance and counsel and encouragement of your eternal companion, you preside in the home. It is not a matter of whether you are most worthy or best qualified, but it is a matter of [divine] appointment."
- God has instructed mankind that marriage should unite husband and wife together in unity. Therefore, there is not a president or a voice president in a family. The couple works together eternally for the good of the family. They are united together in word, in deed, and in action as they lead, guide, an direct their family unit. They are on equal footing. They plan and organize the affairs of the family jointly and unanimously as they move forward.
- 2. The father is a teacher.
- "Do not let your children out to specialists ... , but teach them by your own precept and example, by your own fireside. Be a specialist yourself in the truth."
- You cannot be one thing and effectively teach another.
- 3. The father is the temporal provider.
- Faith is not bravado, not just a wish, not just a hope. True faith is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ--confidence and trust in Jesus Christ that leads a person to follow Him.
- Trust God--even if things didn't turn out the way they hoped. They knew that faith is more than mental assent, more than an acknowledgment that God lives. Faith is total trust in Him.
- He has the power, but it's our test.
- Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. ... He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. ... We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, ... we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has.
- To be "primarily responsible for the nurture of [her] children" is a vital, dignified, and "sacred responsibilit[y]."
- Female roles did not being on earth, and they do not end here. A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come, and "where [here] treasure is, there will [her] heart be also." By developing a mother heart, each girl and woman prepares for her divine, eternal mission of motherhood. "Whatever principle of intelligence [she] attain[s] unto in this life, it will rise with [her] in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through [her] diligence and obedience than another, [she] will have so much the advantage in the world to come."
- She knows that "children are an heritage of the Lord" and "happy is the [woman] that hath [a] quiver full of them." She knows that the influence of righteous, conscientious, persistent, daily mothering is far more lasting, far more powerful, far more influential than any earthly position or institution invented by man.
- "The Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him ... doing all things for the welfare and happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One--yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.
- One thing is very clear: the safest place and the best protection against the moral and spiritual diseases is a stable home and family. This has always been true; it will be true forever. We must keep that foremost in our minds.
- Our young people in many ways are much stronger and better than we were. They and we should not be afraid of what is ahead.
- Encourage our young people. They need not live in fear. Fear is the opposite of faith.
- Find happiness in ordinary things, and keep your sense of humor.
- I think our Father must weep because so many of His children through the ages have exercised the agency He gave them and have chosen to walk the road of evil rather than good.
- WE must cat out self-righteousness and rise above petty self-interest.
- Without surrendering any element of our doctrine we can be neighborly, we can be helpful, we can be kind and generous.
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!
-Sarnic Dirchi
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