Parenting & Father's Blessing

As I'm reading through the chapters in Alma where Alma (the younger who is now old) is talking to each of his sons individually, I have realized something for maybe the first time. Alma may be giving father's blessings to his sons before they go on their missions.

After 20-something times of reading the Book of Mormon, it all of a sudden seemed clear to me that he may be blessing his sons before they part ways again. I don't know if I'm right/wrong or just plain making it up. What do you think?

If he IS giving his children father's blessings, he is a wonderful example to us of how to parent adult children. He is trying to be a support to his children through giving a father's blessing. He also wants to provide guidance and remind his children of the principles they've been taught since they were young. He provides examples of his personal experiences to help encourage his sons on the path of righteousness.

Sure, he is a little harsher and more long-winded with Corianton because of Corianton's life choices. You have to admire the fact that he is trying to understand Corianton, "And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot understand..." (Alma 42:1). He is seeking to help a wayward son. It is evident that Alma is taking much more time with the wayward son who does not understand than he did with the other children. He loves all of his sons, but he sees the need to help this one who has fallen off the path. Maybe Alma understands Corianton so well because of Alma's own sinful history.

This suggests something to me: There are many ways to relate to our children. Not all children can or should be raised the same way. We should take time to follow the spirit to guide us how to raise each and every child.

No Time to Waste

Life is short. And there is much to do during our mortal sojourn in order to better ourselves so we can feel prepared to see our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, again. I was just reading this morning in Teaching of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith manual, the one that we’re studying this year in Relief Society and Priesthood. Chapter 21’s teaching focus on the second coming of the Lord and millennial reign of the Lord. After first when I was reading through it, I started feeling anxiety. Terrible things are going to happen to the earth and its inhabitants before the Lord comes again. That frightens me! It even mentions how even the righteous won’t be exempt from this. We are subject to the flesh just as any man, meaning we can get all manner or diseases or have any manner of afflictions happen to us. It’s scary!

However, as I continued reading, I felt a little more peace, but it still is scary to think about all that is going to happen to usher in the second coming of the Lord. We need to use our time wisely NOW for we don’t know when we will be called to action. Life is short. It could be over tomorrow or in 3,000 tomorrows. We don’t know when. But one thing is sure, it will be over at some point. And we don’t want to look back feeling as if we could have done more or should have done more to better ourselves and those around us. We don’t want to feel as if we weren’t prepared.

As I continued reading through the Joseph Smith manual, I prayed for peace about the frightening aspects of the second coming. Shortly afterwards, chapter 21 discussed wearing the Armor of God. I gained a lot of peace reading that section, because I know that I can and SHOULD be doing all I can now to be righteous and prepare for the future. That includes knowing what the signs of the times are. If I am not prepared, I won’t know what is coming. If I am prepared, I will have all tools necessary to do my best as a Latter-Day Saint of God to deal with what is thrown at me. I want to be able to stand without shame in front of Christ, knowing that I did all I could do to better myself and His kingdom. I need to be living that way now, starting this minute. There is no time to waste.

A Gospel of Positive Change

Life is about change, both positive and negative. However, it is how we deal with the changes that come our way that defines us as a human being. Some changes are in our control and some changes are not. In times when he cannot control something that happens to us, is when our actions are the most telling of our character. After surviving years in a concentration camp, Viktor E. Frankl said in his book Man's Search for Meaning, "When we cannot change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves."

I often refer to this quote and remind myself that the ONLY thing I have control over is myself. I am the only person I can change. I cannot change ANYONE else, no matter how hard I try. That is the power of the gospel plan: We are all given agency and cannot take agency away from those around us. They must choose and act for themselves as we choose and act for ourselves. We can and should, however, be a good example to those around us. The way we act can help influence others to change.



Alma chapters 24-25 is a prime example of this. It was not easy for these Lamanites to CHANGE their ways and accept the gospel. But once they did, they were converted. They knew that they'd do anything to keep themselves from committing those same sins again. In fact, they were so adamant about this, they buried their weapons so that they would never commit their sin (murder) again. They removed the temptation from their lives and buried it, signifying to themselves and to Heavenly Father of their positive change of heart. What would you and I bury to show Heavenly Father we want to turn our hearts to Him and away from our sinful natures? Here these people were, murderers and the vilest of sinners, but Heavenly Father forgave them and allowed them to repent. We would do good to learn from their examples.

Shortly after their conversion, their brethren, the Lamanites, came to fight against them. These converted Lamanites (now called Ant-Nephi-Lehis) did not take up arms to fight back, for they would rather DIE than to commit sin. (I wish I could do be at that point!) Because of their example of peace, of true repentance, and conversion, many of those fighting against them also decided to put down their weapons and be converted to the gospel.

This is why I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father loves every single one of us so much. He wants us to return to Him. He has prepared a way for us to turn to Him through His son, Jesus Christ. We can choose to progress and change ourselves for the better. No matter what we've done, we CAN change, we can progress. And, through the process of our own repentance and conversion, we can be examples to those around of us strength.

I'm eternally grateful for this gospel of positive change. Thank goodness I have the power to take control of my life to improve. I know that only I can make the changes needed to progress towards my eternal goals.

A Change of Heart = True Conversion

Whether you have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints your entire life, or whether you just became a member yesterday, each of us must go through a process of conversion in order to obtain a testimony.

While reading in Alma chapter 23 today about the conversion of the Lamanites by Alma and the sons of Mosiah, a verse stuck out to me that I'd like to share. Verse 5 says, "as many as the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away." The statement that the NEVER did fall away is a bold one. Many people in and out of our church have been converted to Christ. How many of those people have now fallen away from various Christian religions? How is it that some people can fall away from the teachings of Christ so easily while others persevere?

After considering this topic this morning, I know that there are a plethora of reasons why people fall away: family, disinterest in organized religion, the actions and choices of church members and leaders, disagreement on doctrine, to name a few. The list is seemingly endless. It's easy to give up one something rather than to try and understand it and to work through our faith. I think that we can all learn something from the Lamanites turned Christian. They had a true conversion, which I'm sure included prayer, searching, and seeking the confirmation of the Spirit to know that the teachings were true. I KNOW that their conversion included faith and withstanding trials. Do you think it was easy for them to make a choice to be put to death rather than to sin again? I don't think it was easy at all. But, they would rather DIE than to make their same mistakes again.

I want to learn from their example. I want to make sure that when I ask Heavenly Father for forgiveness that I also ask to have a true change of heart and courage to remain faithful even during times when it may not be easy so to do.