Raising a Righteous Posterity

As parents, protecting our family is the most critical function we serve. We protect our families from physical danger or neglect by providing the essentials of life, food, shelter and clothing. We teach our children to be safe in their behavior and attitudes. We also protect our families from spiritual danger. We teach our children the standards our Father in Heaven has taught us.

We are blessed to live at a time when prophets live on the earth. They teach, counsel, love and correct, according to the Word of God. If we follow their counsel and accept our role as parents with soberness and dedication, we will be successful in truly protecting our children and raising a righteous posterity.


Finding Safety in Counsel (Henry B. Eyring- May ’97 Ensign)

“We are blessed to live in a time when the priesthood keys are on the earth. We are blessed to know where to look and how to listen for the voice that will fulfill the promise of the Lord that he will gather us to safety.”

“Sometimes we will receive counsel that we cannot understand or that seems not to apply to us, even after careful prayer and thought. Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close.”

“When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. If it does not, they consider it either faulty advice or they see their circumstances as justifying their being an exception to the counsel.”

“Having listening ears requires humility.”

Worldwide Leadership Training: Building Up A Righteous Posterity
Thomas S. Monson –A Sanctuary from the World (Feb 9, 2008)
Jeffrey R. Holland- General Patterns and Specific Lives (Feb 9, 2008)

Elder Holland, quoting a 1999 First Presidency Letter, said- “We call upon parents to devote their best efforts to the teaching and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church… However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform”

“As more and more families are in disarray and as many cultural forces devalue marriage, children, and traditional family life, the General Authorities and general officers of the Church feel increased urgency to speak of the ideals and gospel-centered principles.” These are “divine expectations in marriage and eternal family standards”.

“We talk about the pattern, the ideal, of marriage and family when we know full well that not everyone now lives in that ideal circumstance. It is precisely because many don’t have, or perhaps have never even seen, that ideal and because some cultural forces steadily move us away from that ideal, that when we speak about what our Father in Heaven wishes for us in His eternal plan for His children”.

President Monson, quoting President McKay, “the home is the basis of a righteous life and no other instrumentality can take its place nor fulfill its essential functions”

President Monson continues, “When our families are united in purpose, and an atmosphere of peace and love prevails, home becomes a sanctuary from the world.”

“Whatever the makeup of our particular family, if we follow the guidelines which have been set before us… we will draw closer to the Lord and bring more of heaven into our homes.”

Good, Better, Best (Dallin H. Oaks, Nov ’07 Ensign)

President Gordon B Hinckley has said that we “work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it”.

Elder Oaks- “Some of our most important choices concern family activities.” … Super family activities may be good for children, but they are not always better than one-on-one time with a loving parent”.

“In choosing how we spend time as a family, we should be careful not to exhaust our available time on things that are merely good and leave little time for that which is better, or best.”

“Just because something is good, is not a sufficient reason for doing it.”

“The amount of children-and-parent time absorbed in the good activities of private lessons, team sports, and other school and club activities also needs to be carefully regulated. Otherwise, children will be overscheduled, and parents will be frazzled and frustrated. Parents should act to preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and the other precious togetherness and individual one-on-one time that binds a family together and fixes children’s values on things of eternal worth.”

“But here is a caution for families. Suppose Church leaders reduce the time required by Church meetings and activities in order to increase the time available for families to be together. This will not achieve its intended purpose unless individual family members- especial parents- vigorously act to increase family togetherness and one-on-one time.”

President Monson- (WWLT 2/9/08)

"3 guidelines to help ensure that our homes will be havens of happiness"

1- “Establish a pattern of prayer. As we pray with our families each day, we will help to provide the protection we all so desperately need in today’s world.”
2- “May our homes be a library of learning” …’Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith’ (D&C 88:118) “An essential part of our learning library will be good books. The standard works offer the ultimate library of learning”
3- “May we enjoy a legacy of love. May our families and homes be filled with love: love of each other, love of the gospel, love of our fellowman, and love of our Savior. As a result, heaven will be a little closer here on earth. Let us make certain that our examples are worthy of emulation.