Temple Covenants Save Families
Covenants and Family
Never has the topic of the divine influence and power of
our temple covenants can have on our children ever been so poignant to me than
now. I am in the throes of teenage life. The awareness that I have
just a hand full of years left with them and the overwhelming concern if I've
taught them enough stays on the fore front of my thoughts.
The power of my covenants has given me
comfort and resolved to do better for my children, so they may draw upon the
power I receive from them to help them become stronger. The adversary has much more access to our teenagers than
ever before, and their testimonies are still so young. Prophetic counsel
given by Elder Bednar has given my heart comfort. "Parents who honor
temple covenants are in a position to exert great spiritual influence over time
on their children. Faithful members of the Church can find comfort in
knowing that they can lay claim to the promises of divine guidance and power,
through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and the privileges of the priesthood,
in their effort to help family members receive the blessings of salvation and
exaltation."1
Two
words in Elder Bednar's quote can be so easily overlooked, but have great
significance, over time. Over time means patience and long
suffering. As I pray for and love my children now, I will need to continue to
pray and love them if they go astray, not chastise or call them to
repentance. Just as the Savior
admonished us to repent with love and mercy, we are asked to do the same. “As parents are patient and persistent in
loving their children and in becoming living examples of disciples of Jesus
Christ, they most effectively teach the Father’s plan of happiness. The
steadfastness of such parents bears powerful witness of the redeeming and
strengthening powers
of the Savior’s Atonement and invites wayward children to see with new eyes
and to hear with new ears.” Mathew 13:43 2
“The Shepherd will find his sheep. They were his before they were yours-long
before he entrusted them to your care; and you cannot begin to love them as he
loves them.” 3 Orsen F Whitney. There is nothing more powerful than
the knowledge that we are each his children and He has not relinquished that.
When we are obedient to our covenants, we can receive His divine help and all
the help he see fit to send. Elder Faust stated “Perhaps
in this life we are not given to fully understand how enduring the sealing
cords of righteous parents are to their children. It may very well be that
there are more helpful sources at work than we know. I believe there is a strong familial pull as
the influence of beloved ancestors continues with us from the other side of the
veil.” 4 Our covenants tie us to our ancestor and they do
not stop loving and helping. They want
to us to return to them. I have a great
gratitude for the love I have for my ancestors and the work they are performing
on the side of the veil.
We cannot comprehend the full power our covenants hold; but
we can have faith in the knowledge that God our Father is over all. He wants us to return to Him. He has given us the Priesthood Power here on
earth and endowed us with the strength we need to love and endure.
1. Bednar, D.A. (2014, March) Faithful Parents and Wayward Children. Ensign, p.33
3. Hawkins, J.H., Dollahite, D.C., Draper, T.H., Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspective. 16, p.169
4. Hawkins, J.H., Dollahite, D.C., Draper, T.H., Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspective. 16, p.174
Comments
Post a Comment