Stand Strong against the Wiles of the World

I think this talks gonna prove a little long I invite you to stay with me as long as you can and a few young women have dates after this meeting and you're late blame it on me I'm greatly honored the invitation to participate with you my beloved companion Marjorie would be better in addressing the Relief Society than I I honor her as the Relief Society member of our family and because of her and her activities my appreciation for this great organization is enhanced this has been a wonderful meeting I come into each of you all that we've heard from these very able leaders in whom we have total confidence what a mighty congregation of women you are there are three and a half million of you you live in many lands and you speak with a variety of tongues but you understand with a single heart each of you is a daughter of God reflect on all the wondrous meaning of that one paramount fact he who is our Eternal Father has blessed you with miraculous powers of mind and body he never intended that you should be less than the crowning glory of his creations I remind you of words spoken by the Prophet Joseph to the women of the Relief Society in April of 1842 said he if you live up to your privilege the Angels cannot be restrained from being your associates what marvelous potential lies within you this evening I look into the eyes of beautiful young women who dream of lives of accomplishment and happiness I look into the eyes of mothers who carry in their hearts anxieties concerning their homes and their children I look into the eyes of single parents whose burdens are so very heavy and who in their loneliness plead and pray for strength and companion ship I look into the eyes of grandmothers and great-grandmother's whose years are many who have weathered the storms that are beat upon them and who have drunk deeply from the waters of life some of them brackish some of them sweet I am grateful for the presence of each one of you I'm grateful for the strength that you have and for your loyalty your faith your love I'm thankful for the resolution which you carry in your hearts to walk in faith to keep the commandments to do what is right at all times and in all circumstances I believe this is the best season for women in all the history of the world in opportunities for education for the training of your hands and minds there has never before been a time when doors were so widely open to you as they are today but neither has there been a time at least in recent history when you have been confronted with more challenging problems I need not remind you that the world we are in is a world of turmoil of shifting values shrill voices call out for one thing or another in betrayal of time-tested standards of behavior the moral moorings our our society have been badly shaken so many of the youth of the world and likewise so many of their elders listen only to the seductive voice of self-gratification you single young women face tremendous challenges and we know it is not easy for you I cannot say enough of appreciation for your determination to live by the standards of the church to walk with the strength of virtue to keep your minds above the slow filth which seems to be moving like a flood across the world thank you for knowing there is a better way thank you for the will to say no thank you for the strength to deny temptation and look beyond and above to the shining light of your eternal potential how bitter are the fruits of casting aside standards of virtue the statistics are appalling more than one-fourth of all children born in the United States are born out of wedlock and the situation grows more serious of the teens who give birth 46 percent will go on welfare within four years of unmarried teens who give birth seventy three percent will be on welfare within four years I believe that it should be the blessing of every child to be born into a home where that child is welcomed nurtured loved and blessed with parents a father and a mother who live with loyalty to one another and to their children I am sure that none of you younger women want less than this stands strong against the wilds of the world the creators of our entertainment the purveyors of much of our literature but have you believed otherwise the accumulated wisdom of centuries declares with clarity and certainty that the greater happiness the greater security the greater peace of mind the deeper reservoirs of love are expressed only by those who walk according to time-tested standards of virtue before marriage and total fidelity within marriage we pray that as you walk the paths of life you will walk in ways that are straight with the strength to conform even though those paths be narrow there are those who would have us believe in the validity of what they choose to call same sex marriage our hearts reach out to those who struggle with feelings of affinity for the same gender we remember you before the Lord we sympathize with you or regards you as our brothers and our sisters however we cannot condone immoral practices on your part any more than we can condone immoral practices on the part of others to you wives and mothers who work to maintain stable homes where there is an environment of love and respect and appreciation I say the Lord bless you regardless of your circumstances walk with faith rare your children in light and truth teach them to pray while they're young read to them from the Scriptures even though they may not understand all that you read teach them to pay their tithes and offerings on the first money they ever receive let this practice become a habit in their lives teach your sons to honor womanhood teach your daughters to walk in virtue accept responsibility in the church and trust in the Lord to make you equal to any call you may receive your example will set a pattern for your children reach out in love to those in distress and need encourage your children to read more and watch television less a study by the American Psychological Association figures that air that the typical child watching 27 hours of TV a week will view 8,000 murders and a hundred thousand acts of violence from ages three to twelve seek to establish an environment conducive to study in the whole an editorial in The Wall Street Journal reports on the scholastic superiority of ethnic Asians at the University of California speaking of the extraordinary accomplishments of these people it says the most important factor in the rise of this new American elite is the intense and devoted family relationships that typify the Asian home they include respect for elders and high standards for children including hard work at school and off-hours responsibilities that many times still include chores at a relative's business it is the home which produces the nursery stock of new generations I hope that you mothers will realize that when all is said and done you have no more compelling responsibilities nor any laden with greater rewards then the nurture you give your children in an environment of security peace companionship love and motivation to grow and do well now to use single mothers whatever the cause of your present situation our hearts reach out to you we know that many of you live in loneliness insecurity worry and fear for most of you there is never enough money your constant brooding worry is anxiety for your children and their futures many of you find yourselves in circumstances where you have to work and leave your children largely to their own devices but if when they are very small there is much of affection there is shown much of love there is prayer together then there will more likely be peace in the hearts and strength in the character of your children teach them the ways of the Lord to declared Isaiah all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children the more surely you rear your children in the ways of the gospel of Jesus Christ with love and high expectation the more likely that there will be peace in their lives set an example for them that will mean more than all the teaching you can give them do not over indulge them let them grow up with respect for an understanding of the meaning of labor of working and contributing to the home and its surroundings with some way of earning some of their own expense money lets your sons save for missions and encourage them to prepare themselves not only financially but spiritually and in an attitude to go out to serve the Lord without selfishness of any kind I do not hesitate to promise that if you will do so you will have reason to count your blessings I received a letter only this past Monday from which I read to you this woman writes 20 years ago last June I was expecting a new baby and had five other little children nine years and under my husband chose to leave our family and walk another path I wish I could say I was a noble pioneer but rather I was a naive frightened insecure young mother who did not know what to do and who daily made foolish mistakes nevertheless I sought counsel from my leaders and obeyed even when I knew their advice would make my life more complicated I decided it was not for me to question and that if some advice caused temporary pain for me it must be something I should experience I remember reading present Kimball's monthly message in the inside or in he promised that if we would read the scriptures daily that every problem we face during the day would be answered within those holy pages I thought okay president Kimball you're on I have lots of problems and they sure do need answers I gathered my children around me and we studied daily we prayed we fasted for our daddy and ourselves we held family home evening and attended our meetings we forgave our daddy and I literally gave my agency back to my Heavenly Father I told him if I was not to have my husband for each eternity as I had originally thought I would be pleased if he would change the love I had for him as a wife into a christ-like love because I would rather die than go another minute hating or resenting the father of my children I did not want to teach anger hate or bitterness to them I knew my husband was basically a good man full full of potential and talent he had made a terrible mistake and I knew he would reap his own heartaches and he has but my personal task at hand was to care for these soon-to-be six children and to teach them in such a way that they could not miss heaven understand the gospel of Jesus Christ I felt I had borne the heartbreak of losing my husband but I could not bear it if I lost one precious child of God who had been entrusted to my care I am humbly touched to report the Lord both heard and answered my prayers the youngest of my four sons is presently serving a mission he joins his other three brothers and his sister who have seen fit to share their testimonies literally all over the world my oldest daughter married a returned missionary and temple the three oldest boys have been elders quorum president sand Lord mission leaders the two daughters have served in a primary presidency and Relief Society presence II four of those beautiful children have found wonderful eternal companions and have married in the temple they are on the right track and have tasted the joy of service to a small degree President Hinckley she continues this is a miracle if ever there was a miracle the Lord protected and nurtured those children he answered their prayers the Lord saw fit to provide me with a second husband and we were sealed in the temple we have been a family was the way easy know there were a million troubles to iron out but with the scriptures as our iron rod resource prayer as our foundation and obedience is our determined pathway my children are learning to trust in the Lord with all their hearts and lean not upon their own understanding I do not share our story with you she writes to brag of myself but I certainly can boast in the Lord the atonement is very real for us wounded hearts have been healed confidence has been restored peace has been tasted in a most delicious way indeed as you've said every principle God has revealed carries its own conviction of its truth I think of my first husband if he could only realize he has already paid the price for his mistake he missed the joy of seeing his talented children grow up in the Lord he missed their school and church achievements and their mission farewells and reports all that makes life beautiful how thankful I am that I was privileged to be by their sides she concludes I know there are many single parents in the world today how I wish I could help them see that they must never waste time reliving their own tender injuries I have found if you cast your burden at the Savior's feet he will carry it for you and replace anguish with love may the Lord bless you and your family always with deepest love and appreciation and she signs the letter how do you grandmothers and great-grandmother's may I say just a word tremendous has been your experience tremendous is your understanding you can be as an anchor in a world of shifting values you have lived long buffered and polished by the adversities of life through which you passed quieter your ways deliberate your counsel you dearly beloved women are such treasures in this topsy-turvy society god bless you may your waiting years be filled with sunshine with a love of those whom you love and with love for the Lord I've touched lightly on some of the serious problems which confront many of you sisters with so much of sophistry that has passed off as truth with so much of deception concerning standards and values we're so much of a lore Montand enticement to take on the slow stain of the world we have felt to warn and forward in furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards doctrines and practices relative to the family which the prophets seers and Revelator's of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history I now take the opportunity of reading to you this proclamation we the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints solemnly proclaim that marries between a man and a women woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the creator's plan for the eternal destiny of his children all human beings male and female are created in the image of God if each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents and as such each has a divine nature and destiny gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal mortal and eternal identity and purpose in the premortal realm spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their eternal father and accepted his plan by which his children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny has an air of eternal life the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave sacred ordinances and Covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally the first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for Parenthood as husband and wife we declare that God's commandments for his children commandment for his children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force we further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman lawfully wedded as husband and wife we declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed we affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children children are in heritage of the Lord parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness to provide for their physical and spiritual needs to teach them to love and serve one another to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live husbands and wives mothers and fathers will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations the family is ordained of God merit ease between man and woman is essential to his eternal plan children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith prayer repentance forgiveness respect love compassion work and wholesome recreational activity by divine design 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 mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children in these sacred responsibilities fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners disability death or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation extended family should lend support when needed we warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity who abuse spouse or offspring or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God further we warned that the distance that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals communities and Nations Kalama the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets we call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society clothes of statement we commend to all a careful thoughtful and prayerful reading of this Proclamation the strength of any nation is rooted within the walls of its homes we urge our people everywhere to strengthen their families in conformity with these time-honored values may the Lord bless you my beloved sisters you are the guardians of the heart you are the bearers of the children you are they who nerded nurture them and establish within them the habits of their lives no other work reaches so close to divinity as does the nurturing of the as of the sons and daughters of God may you be strengthened for the challenges of the day may you be endowed with wisdom beyond your own in dealing with the problems you constantly face may your prayers and your pleadings be answered with blessings upon your heads and upon the heads of your loved ones we leave with you our love and our blessing that your lives may be filled with peace and gladness it can be so many of you can testify that it has been so the Lord bless you now and through the years to come I humbly pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen

Channel: General Conference

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Keywords: 1674918670001, General Relief Society Meeting, eng

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Length: 27min 50sec (1670 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 12 2015