The truth is,we are in the middle of a war. While its true that today there are men at arms who defend us against those who would destroy our country, and our freedoms, there are also other warriors who fight.
This war began long ago, even before the world began. When Lucifer, and his followers fought against the Plan of God, the war began. They were cast out of the presence of God. But that was just the first battle. The war for the souls of men continues, even today.
In the October conference of 1896, President Wilford Woodruff, said:
There are two powers on the earth and in the midst of the inhabitants of the earththe power of God and the power of the devil. In our history we have had some very peculiar experiences. When God has had a people on the earth,it matters not in what age, Lucifer, the son of the morning, and the millions of fallen spirits that were cast out of heaven, have warred against God, against Christ, against the work of God, and against the people of God. And they are not backward in doing it in our day and generation. Whenever the Lord set His hand to perform any work, those powers labored to overthrow it (Deseret Evening News, 17 Oct. 1896).
We know that ultimately Christ and his people will be victorious. Good, in the end, will triumph over evil. There can be no doubt that Christ will be the victor. For he has already won! He won in the Garden of Gethsemane! He won on the cross of Calvary! He won when he rose again on the third day, the Victor over both death and Hell! Now its only a matter of time before Satan, and those who follow him will be defeated and consigned to their place for ever more!
The Battle for the Souls of Men
The battle that yet remains in doubt, however, is the battle for the individual souls of men and women.
The efforts of the forces of evil are many. They will not hesitate to use any stratagem to defeat us.
Every effort is made to destroy faith, to belittle virtue and chastity, to demean those who strive to be the humble followers of Christ. Every effort is made to tempt, deceive,and allure our people to practices inconsistent with the teachings and standers of the Church. That in this, even the very elect might be deceived.
The Priesthood is a part of the Army of God
In His wisdom and mercy, the Lord has restored the fullness of His gospelto the earth. He has also restored His Priesthood power once again to mankind. The priesthood is part of the army of the Lord, in the battle for the souls of men. Through the Priesthood, we have living prophets and apostles and local leaders to help us understand the mind and will of the Lord, and to give us the guidance and direction we need to ward off the forces of evil in our day.
We have priesthood quorums, which when united in brotherhood and a spirit of love, can have a great influence for good in bringing souls to Christ, that they may be delivered from evil.
The Lord has also organized us into eternal family units. The family is the basic unit of the Kingdom of God. In time, the various organizations of the church will have fulfilled their purposes, but the organization of the family is eternal, and will remain throughout the eternities.
The Lord has placed a father at the head of the family, endowed with the power of the Priesthood, to help lead and guide and protect his own family in the battle of souls, even the souls that have been entrusted to him in his own home.
Responsibilities of Fathers
Fathers, and mothers too, are responsible for the teaching of their children.
We cannot leave this responsibility to others (primary, Sunday school, YM/YW.)
The auxiliaries of the church are meant to be a resource to help parents in fulfilling their own duty to teach their children.
What are the best opportunities we have to each our children?
Family home evening and family scripture study provide excellent teaching opportunities.
When children ask you a question is a perfect time to teach. When asking a question, children have already prepared themselves to listen, and to be taught.
One-on-one times such as: camping trips, rides to the store, or just an evening out with dad provide wonderful opportunities to teach and build relationships.
In order to be an effective teacher, we must first have a solid relationship with our children. If we dont see much of our children, because of our outside activities, how can we have a strong relationship with them?
On my mission, we had an adage that said: They wont care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
To be an effective teacher, our children must know of our love and concern for them. This is not only exemplified in what we say to our children but in our interactions with them.
Recently, I was talking with a member of my High Priests group, in my own ward. He had been suffering with the flu, and had sustained some damage to his voice box through it all. Half jokingly-he said my kids love it! -- The Dr. says I cant yell at them for another 3 weeks!
He was saying this in jest, but there is a kernel of truth there too. We need to examine what the balance of our communications are with our children. It is positive, or is it negative? Are we speaking with calm and kindly voices, or are we doing a lot of yelling?
Too many of us are like the father of the little boy who cried: You always tell me when youre disappointed in me. Why dont you ever tell me when youre appointed in me?
Not long I held my 9-year-old daughter on my knee. I asked her, "Do you think I love you?"
She said, "yes."
I said, "How do you know that I love you?" Here is what her answer was:
You compliment me
- You do nice things for me
- You ask me questions
- The way you wake me up in the morning
I tell her that I love her, at least once everyday. But notice that it was through the everyday associations, and my interactions with her that she knew of my love for her, more than even saying the" I love You's."
Thats not to shortchange the importance of the words I love You.
In a survey, 10,000 high school students in Kansas were asked what question they would like to ask their parents and get a straight answer on. Eighty percent replied: Do you love me?
The next most asked question: If you had to do it all over again, would you still have me?
It is vital for us as fathers to make sure that our children know that they are loved and wanted. Take time to pay them compliments. Let them know that you are proud of their accomplishments. Make every effort to attend special events that they participate in, such as: musical programs, recitals, athletic events, or talks that they may give. Make sure that they know you are interested in them, and in their lives.
Our effectiveness as a teacher will be limited if they dont know that we love them and care for them, and that we truly have their best interests at heart.
The power of example
Just as your power as a teach will be limited, if your children to not know that you love them, the impact of your teaching will also be limited if your actions are not consistent with your words.
The more powerful lessons that we will teach our children may well come from the example we have set even more so than our words.
While they may (occasionally) remember our words, they will always be able to recall our actions. Our actions have a bigger impact upon them, and will replay in their minds, over and over again, and likely will be remembered throughout their lives.Think back on your interactions with your own father. You may remember some of his words, but you can probably more easily remember what he did more than you can remember what he said.
How Are you treating your wife?
Your role as the priesthood leader in the home not only involves how you treat your children, but also the way you treat your wife.
Your children are very observant. They see how you treat their mother. If you treat your wife with love, and kindness, with gentleness and respect, your children will in turn have respect for you.
However, if you speak unkindly, or are abusive to your wife in any way, your children will resent you.
Whats worse, the same cycle of abuse may well continue on to the next generation when your sons becomes husbands as well.
President David O McKay said: The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
The amount of peace and security that comes to a child from a loving relationship between husband and wife cannot be underestimated.
This is one of the great gifts that I received from my father. He was always a peaceable man. Rarely did I ever hear any sharp words between my mother and father.
I never realized what a great blessing this was, until after I left home. Many of my roommates in college, and missionary companions were not blessed with such homes. This had a great impact on their spiritual development, and upon their own feelings of self-worth and self confidence.
Honoring the Priesthood
When we honor our wives, we honorour priesthood.
When we teach our children, with love and respect, we honor our priesthood.
When we set a proper example for our families, and those around us, we honor our priesthood.
When we teach our sons the values and objectives of the Aaronic Priesthood, we honor our priesthood.
When we magnify our church callings and other priesthood responsibilities, we honor our priesthood.
When do our home teaching, and truly watch over those to whom weve been assigned, we honor our priesthood.
When we share the gospel with our neighbors, we honor our priesthood.
When we seek out our dead, and ensure that their work has been done for them in the temples, we honor our priesthood.
As we honor our priesthood, we also honor the Lord.
As we honor our priesthood, we parry the sword of righteousness in the defeat of evil and souls will be brought to Christ.
The wounds suffered in the battle for the souls of men will healed by the Power of Jesus Christ. Not only the wounds of otherswho we may serve, but also our own wounds, too, will be healed as we serve the Master.
The calling of the Priesthood is to serve, to reach out. When we exercise the power of the Priesthood, it is always for the benefit of others. In this, we follow the example of the Savior. All that he did, all that he suffered, was in behalf of others in behalf of us. But in so doing, he overcame all things and triumphed.
Likewise, as we serve the Lord with all diligence, losing ourselves in his work, we too, will find our own salvation in the Lord. And through Him, we too shall triumph!
President Gordon B. Hinckley said:
We are engaged in a great eternal struggle that concerns the very souls of the sons and daughters of God. We are not losing. We are winning. We will continue to win if we will be faithful and true. We can do it. We must do it. We willdo it. There is nothing the Lord has asked of us that in faith we cannot accomplish.
As we selflessly serve others, the saving power of the Saviors healing power will also be extended toward us. For he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it.
