Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. SmithSmith, Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding)
Religion
Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith
Smith, Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding)
Latter Day Saint churches
WE SHOULD BE EXAMPLES TO OUR FAMILIES. When I think of our mothers,
the mothers of our children, and realize that under the inspiration
of the gospel they live virtuous, pure honorable lives, true to their
husbands, true to their children, true to their convictions of the
gospel, oh, how my soul goes out in pure love for them how noble and
how God-given, how choice, how desirable and how indispensable they
are to the accomplishment of God's purposes and the fulfilment of his
decrees! My brethren, can you mistreat your wives, the mothers of your
children? Can you help treating them with love and kindness? Can you
help trying to make their lives as comfortable and happy as possible,
lightening their burdens to the utmost of your ability, making life
pleasant for them and for their children in their homes? How can you
help it? How can any one help feeling an intense interest in the mother
of his children, and also in his children? If we possess the Spirit of
God, we can not do otherwise. It is only when men depart from the right
spirit, when they digress from their duty, that they will neglect or
dishonor any soul that is committed to their care. They are bound to
honor their wives and children. Intelligent men, men of business, men
of affairs, men who are involved constantly in the labors of life, and
have to devote their energies and thought to their labors and duties,
may not enjoy as many comforts with their families as they would like,
but if they have the Spirit of the Lord with them in the performance
of their temporal duties, they will never neglect the mothers of
their children, nor their children. They will not fail to teach them
the principles of life and set before them a proper example. Don't
do anything yourselves that you would have {358} to say to your boy,
"Don't do it." Live so that you can say, "My son, do as I do, follow
me, emulate my example." That is the way fathers should live, every one
of us; and it is a shame, a weakening, shameful thing for any member of
the Church to pursue a course that he knows is not right, and that he
would rather his children should not follow.--_Apr. C. R.,_ 1915, pp.
6-7.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account