Nothing really strengthens an
appreciation for the gospel in families like being in a community where there
is no such influence present. Growing up in the middle of Utah I took it all
for granted, parents and responsible adults have jobs and for the most part are
married and happy, kids are fed and taken care of, we are safe and have laws
that protect us, and for the most part everyone has the gospel and does their
best to live it. When I stepped off the plane, I barely had a
testimony of the gospel in families, I knew that my parents were happily married and we have a happy enough family, so what. I started teaching people about what "I Knew" and they would always give me this look (when they even understood what I said haha) like this dumb white
kid doesn’t know anything, he’s never had the problems to face we do.
testimony of the gospel in families, I knew that my parents were happily married and we have a happy enough family, so what. I started teaching people about what "I Knew" and they would always give me this look (when they even understood what I said haha) like this dumb white
kid doesn’t know anything, he’s never had the problems to face we do.
Problems like men with a couple girlfriends and a couple kids, wives without
husbands, kids without parents, alcohol and drugs are everywhere, so accessible that 10 year old kids we are teaching are getting high and just an overall attitude of “who cares? Well I guess that’s where the testimony has to start, it has to be torn up to see if you’ll really say what you gotta say to support it. Is what I’m saying really gonna help people? Am I just wasting my time?
It’s in these times when you don’t
have mom and dad whispering the answers in your ear that you gotta finally
think about it for yourself. So I did. What has the gospel really done for the
family? I started with asking my companions what the gospel had done for their
families, I’m with these guys 24-7 might as well put them to use. What they
told me amazed me. They were
here on the mission because their parents were abusive, alcoholic, or barely present in their lives, and they told me as they and their families learned the gospel together something changed. The Word of Wisdom ensured that the bad habits that were destroying their lives and relationships were cut out, the law of chastity strengthened the family relationship and made it so these kids could count on mom and dad to stay together, and above all the principles of repentance and
forgiveness started to make the lasting changes not just in their actions but in who they were as people. Once the parents of these missionaries really started to understand Christ’s teachings and
Sacrifice for them they decided that maybe the burden of the gospel really was better than the burden of the world. As I have taught families I have seen the relationships within the family strengthen. I have seen that change not just in action but in character as people start taking steps toward God and realizing that maybe they are worth something, that maybe there is something better.
here on the mission because their parents were abusive, alcoholic, or barely present in their lives, and they told me as they and their families learned the gospel together something changed. The Word of Wisdom ensured that the bad habits that were destroying their lives and relationships were cut out, the law of chastity strengthened the family relationship and made it so these kids could count on mom and dad to stay together, and above all the principles of repentance and
forgiveness started to make the lasting changes not just in their actions but in who they were as people. Once the parents of these missionaries really started to understand Christ’s teachings and
Sacrifice for them they decided that maybe the burden of the gospel really was better than the burden of the world. As I have taught families I have seen the relationships within the family strengthen. I have seen that change not just in action but in character as people start taking steps toward God and realizing that maybe they are worth something, that maybe there is something better.
The highlight of my mission was
baptizing a man and his family. In other baptisms I have had they have had the
support of the ward and the missionaries to help them as they made their first
covenant with God, but when it’s a family the feeling of support and love is a
million times stronger. I have seen for myself how the laws of God and the
teachings of the gospel really do change individuals and families as a whole.
The more I teach it, the more I understand it’s the whole point of the gospel,
I have only been told this for 20 freaking years and it took 6 months in
Mexico to really realize it.
Mexico to really realize it.
Now I get that local laws and whatnot help protect us a lot. I realize that social stability is a huge factor in our happy safe lives as well. But what is every great nation founded on? The same principle that Christ taught, the principles that keep the peace and social stability are the same ones Christ went about sharing. I have seen changes in the lives of my investigators, I have seen changes in the lives of my companions, I have seen changes in the lives of my family, and mostly I have felt and seen the changes in myself. To have that stability really permanent and eternal, it has to be on the same permanent and eternal principles that Christ lived and taught. Families are forever, but only if we want them to be and do what is required to make it so.
Elder Paul H Roberts July 21, 2014
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