Raising Christ Centered Children

I sustain the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers and revelators. I bear witness that they are called of God. “Teaching in the Savior’s Way” was revealed to them to help prepare parents and guardians of individual families to learn how to raise Christ centered children in their respective homes.  

President Henry B. Eyring said “Our priesthood obligation is to put our families and the families of those around us at the center of our concern.” 1

“Our priesthood obligation is to put our families and the families of those around us at the center of our concern.”

I encourage all priesthood holders to understand “Every priesthood effort and every priesthood ordinance is intended to help Heavenly Father’s children be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become members of perfected family units. It follows that “the great work of every man is to believe the gospel, to keep the commandments, and to create and perfect an eternal family unit.” 2   

Every priesthood effort and every priesthood ordinance is intended to help Heavenly Father’s children be changed through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to become members of perfected family units. It follows that “the great work of every man is to believe the gospel, to keep the commandments, and to create and perfect an eternal family unit.”

I respect and honor individuals who come from different backgrounds, environments, and life conditions.  With the same faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are taught to raise children in our home with faith - by teaching them in the Savior’s Way.

      Love our children whom we raise: There may be times that our children are disobedient and have no desire to follow or even ignore the teachings of Christ. We as parents and guardians, are to fill our hearts with Christlike love and seek every possible way to help them learn of Christ and come unto Him. Love should be the cause and incentive for our teaching.3 We can learn this from the prophet Lehi teaching his children in the Book of Mormon4 and also the parable of the prodigal son in the New Testament. 5   

    Teach our children by the Spirit: “Only through the Holy Ghost can we accomplish the ultimate goal of gospel teaching - to build faith in Jesus Christ and help [our children] become more like Him. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth, He testifies of Christ, and He changes hearts.” 6 We as parents and guardians can be instruments in God’s hands to help our children learn by the Spirit and help invite the influence of the Spirit into their lives. The best practice is to lead our children in daily prayer and scripture study including the Liahona magazine.

    Teach our children the doctrine of Christ: We encourage our children to learn about Christ and His doctrine. We teach them that “Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost and endure to the end to be saved.” 7 Parents and guardians also help their children to be able to say in their hearts silently as Nephi told in the Book of Mormon “For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.” 8 They also inspire them to know that eternal life will come to all who keep the Lord’s commandments after receiving baptism.

      Invite our children to diligently learn: It becomes true in my personal life that “learning by doing is the best teacher.” Truly engaged parents and guardians are not satisfied when their children simply listen to what they have to say, but that they will act in faith with diligence. When we teach our children, we ask ourselves “What will our children do to learn?” And “how shall we inspire them to act?” 9 Aristotle once said, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” 10 I know that all of us are working towards personal salvation and be together forever as eternal families. We continue to teach our children to diligently learn as “A lifelong learner is a lifelong winner.” 11

Parents and guardians should always remember that we teach what we are as we teach by example. As long as we live the gospel and follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, our children will learn from us. “Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places.” 12 Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared this familiar saying, “Giving a man a fish feeds him for one meal. Teaching a man to fish feeds him for a life time.” He then taught, “As parents and … you and I are not in the business of distributing fish, rather, our work is to help [our children] learn ‘to fish’ and to become spiritually steadfast.” 13

My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify that the best way to keep our children on the straight and narrow path is by raising them as Christ centered children. We help by inspiring and inviting them to put all they have learned into action for lifelong continuous improvement. In this regard, I leave my blessing and testimony with you in the sacred name of Our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. ■

Caption: Elder Wisit Khanakham

NOTES

1 Henry B. Eyring,  “Eternal Families,” Ensign, May 2016, 82; emphasis added.

Ensign

2 Henry B. Eyring,  “Eternal Families,” Ensign, May 2016, 81; emphasis added.

Ensign

3 See Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 6; see also https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-in-the-saviors-way/part-1-love-those-you-teach/love-those-you-teach?lang=eng.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

4 See 1 Nephi 8:11-38.

5 See Luke 15:1-32.

6 Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 10; see also https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-in-the-saviors-way/part-2-teach-by-the-spirit/teach-by-the-spirit?lang=eng.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

7 See 2 Nephi 32.

8 2 Nephi 31:3.

9 See Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 29; see also https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-in-the-saviors-way/part-4-invite-diligent-learning/invite-diligent-learning?lang=eng.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

10 See for example, Aristotle / Quotes, https://www.google.com.hk/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=OcfWV5bEAYWomQXw1IqoAw#q=aristotle+quotes; see also http://www.ranker.com/list/a-list-of-famous-aristotle-quotes/reference?&var=7.

11 See https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/7978664.Matshona_Dhliwayo.

12 See John Holt, Learning All The Time (A1989/SP90), ; see also https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1x32m7Z7rncQ3JiNVRaVmNaLVk/view.

13 Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 29; see also https://www.lds.org/manual/teaching-in-the-saviors-way/part-4-invite-diligent-learning/invite-diligent-learning?lang=eng.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way