Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Responsibility

There is an awesome talk in the March 2011 Ensign by Sister Julie B. Beck, General Relief Society President entitled, Teaching the Doctrine of the Family.  It's well worth your time to read if you haven't already done so.  I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't think about the huge responsibility I have as a mother to teach my children correct principles so that they can withstand all the raging temptations that are coming at them from every direction.  I know it can be done, I just need to focus on the things that are most important and make every minute count.  Some of my favorite quotes from this talk were:
"Live in your home so that you're brilliant in the basics, so that you're intentional about your roles and responsibilities in the family.  Think in terms of precision not perfection."
"This generation will be called upon to defend the doctrine of the family as never before.  If they don't know it, they can't defend it.  They need to understand temples and priesthood.
"In our day we have the responsibility to send "Isaac" and "Rebekah" forth from our homes and classrooms.  Every young man and young woman should understand his or her role in this great partnership--that they are each an "Isaac" or a "Rebekah."  Then they will know with clarity what they have to do.
"Parents, teachers, and leaders:  live in your homes, in your families, in your marriages so that youth will develop hope for eternal life from watching you.  Live and teach with so much clarity that what you teach will cut through all the noise youth are hearing and so that it will pierce their hearts and touch them.
The last statement was an eye opener for me.  I need to be so much better. I need to be a better example in every aspect of my life.  I'm overwhelmed in a good way, if that's possible.  Heavenly Father blessed D.J. and I with 6 of his beautiful children to take care of and teach them correct principles so we can be an eternal family.  He's given us all of the necessary tools to accomplish this, now it's up to us as parents to make this happen.  
If you don't take the Ensign, go to LDS.org and select menu, study, and then magazines and you'll be able to view the whole talk!

4 comments:

Lori Wilson said...

Best. Talk. Ever!!!! Loved it! The full version that she originally? gave to the seminary and institute teachers in August 2009 is amazing as well. Let me know if you want the link. I used it as the bulk of my YW lesson on Sunday. She is spectacular!

Brooke said...

Thanks for sharing that! I think that you and DJ do an awesome job, but we (but that I mean I) always have room for lots of improvement!

Greg and Wendy said...

The full 9-page talk gives much more clarity to what she is teaching--the doctrine of the family. I will email the link to you, Cindy, Julie, and Sara because it is one of those "water-shed" talks that can change our lives for the better if we will incorporate what we read. Love you all so much!

Seth and Natalie said...

That is an amazing article. I went to the women's conference a few weeks back and Julie Beck is such a realist with an incredible spirit. Sure it's hard, but it's important. Are we going to be selfish? Are we going to shirk our responsibilities? Heck no, we can do it!