I wish to let you know in writing how I feel about my children having
children. I have been sufficiently instructed in the gospel to know that
children are a heritage to the Lord. The world would be concerned about having
children, but I am not.
We had eight children and would have more if we could have, but we were not
blessed with the opportunity.
Because the world looks down on having children many of the members of the
church have adopted the ways of the world and do not understand the
Commandments of God.The gospel of Jesus Christ is not understood by the world. Nor are the
principles of it by those who seek after the world and its ways. The principles
of the Gospel indicate that the patriarchal order is the order that will
prevail in the celestial kingdom.
I think that the teachings of the gospel should really come by and through
the family. The father is responsible for the teaching of the gospel to his
wife and children and they are to listen to his counsel and follow it as long
as it is righteous and in accordance with the teachings of The Lord and His
prophets. We should follow the words of the Scriptures and of the
prophets.
The first commandment given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was to
multiply and replenish the earth and to have joy and rejoicing in their
posterity. We learn later that this joy is to come in the day of The Lord Jesus
Christ.
When Alice and I were first married, President David O. McKay was asked
a question about limiting our families. His response was that those couples that
practiced birth control would reap disappointment bye and bye. When I was
asked about this matter as a stake president, I would say that the covenant was
between the individual and The Lord. I would then say that they were
responsible not to me, but to The Lord.
Some individuals cannot have children in this life. The Lord does not
require us to run faster than we are able. However there are saints
that limit the number of children that they bring into the world because of
reasons that have nothing to do with raising a righteous posterity, but fear.
They want to send their children to college. They want to provide them with a
car. They feel like they cannot provide for the luxuries if they have more
children. In the end we cannot take our money or our degrees or our
worldly possessions into heaven, but if we are fortunate our children will be
there.
Love
Grandpa
I received a letter in the mail yesterday and was quite shocked to see what
was on the front of the envelope; A four-letter word!
I would never want to even write those words in that context. They came
from the office of a United States Senator and on the back was an indication
that this was sent out by the Republican national committee.
The letter was addressed to my father who used to contribute to the
Republican National Committee and I continue to get letters asking for
donations. I have repeatedly sent those letters back with the statement that
the addressee is deceased but I continue to get them and they probably will
continue to send them even after I die.
The use of vulgarity and vulgar speech has become too commonplace and I
am sick and tired of it. I grew up in a household where I did not hear any
swearing from my parents nor did they use vulgar terms.
The closest thing that I ever heard my father utter as an expletive was “Sam
Hill”. When I was living in Pocatello, Idaho we went outside the city to
dispose of some trash and dumped it on a vacant area up in the hills.
Apparently the owner saw us, came up and asked us why we were dumping our trash
there. My father replied, “How in the Sam Hill was I supposed to know I was not
to dump trash here.” From that time to this I have never heard him use that
expression.
I did not hear any vulgar language in my home while I was growing up. As far
as I can remember it was never spoken in our own home when we had
children. That is not to say that I did not hear it. The people I went to
school with used that sort of language. When I was working for my uncle Howard
the hay hands used those kind of terms. I heard it in the workplace almost
everyplace that I worked outside of the church. I hear it every once in a
while on television and most recently from the former speaker of the house
of representatives of the United States.
I have written before about how your speech is an indication of who you are.
Click
here for the link.
We must realize that we are children of our Father in Heaven. We will never
get back into his presence by using vulgar or profane language. This is
one of the tasks that we are to accomplish while we are here on the earth. Our
language and speech should be above reproach. If we want to feel
comfortable in the presence of our Father in Heaven everything that we do must
reflect refined elegance.
A few years ago there was a talk given by a general authority at Brigham
Young University. It is fairly lengthy but is well worth reading more than
once.
Here
is the link.
Now, if swearing and swearwords are part of your vocabulary, I would urge
you, my grandchildren, to never use them again. You will want to be comfortable
in your Heavenly Father's presence.
Love,
Grandpa
