The Sacrifice of Parents

I am sure you all have had those days when you don't want to get out of bed. You just want to tuck the covers under your chin, let your body meld to the bed, and go back to sleep. Everything can wait another day. But then you remind yourself that you have a job waiting or kids needing to be fed, dressed, and pushed out the door to school. You have people counting on you and so you can't just take a day off, no matter how tempting the idea.

I've been pondering this idea lately and how it applies to the sacrifices of parenthood. I'm not talking about the sacrifices mothers make to bring life into the world and raise those precious spirits or the great responsibility that rests on fathers to provide and preside in their families. Though crucial, and sometimes overwhelming, those haven't been the sacrifices on my mind. I'm talking about the sacrifices we parents make to teach our children the Gospel.

Let me explain. I know at least once in your life, more if you are honest, when those of you who have had small children in your home, the thought has crossed your mind about not looking forward to wrestling everyone for Family Home Evening, scripture study, or family prayer. Even Elder Bednar talked in this past conference about how often their family scripture study sessions were a little crazy and he often wondered what, if anything, his children learned. Or take Stake Conference. We had our's this weekend and enjoyed two hours of trying to keep our kids from going insane while we listened to the broadcast from Salt Lake. Would it have been easier to stay home and not undergo such torture? Yes. But we covenanted to raise our children in the Gospel so we went and endured the struggle.

It goes along with the idea of not wanting to get out of bed. You get up because you have to. You teach your kids the Gospel because you have been commanded to. Sometimes it would be easy to skip a family prayer or Family Home Evening. The kids are tired and have been fighting or maybe you're crabby and exhausted from a long day. But that is when we as parents need to step up and sacrifice. Time to say "Yeah, I really don't feel like doing this, but I am because I made a covenant to do so for my children". And then you do it because a big part of being a parent is sacrificing your own needs for those of your children.

Over the past few months I have watched a dear family member walk away from the church as she has gone through a divorce. It wouldn't be such a big deal if she did not have children watching her every move. I can understand that times are tough for their family, but now more than ever those children need the guidance of the Gospel. They are not getting it and some are having those seeds of doubt planted in their hearts. They're bitter or impartial towards the Gospel. The choices they make now will affect their future and they are lacking the direction they need and seek because their parents are not doing their jobs.

Whether we like it or not, our children are constantly bombarded by the world, a.k.a. Satan. His methods are more enticing, flashy, and cool. He can be found everywhere in the media, fashion, morals, and attitude of our day. The world is speaking to our children and it's voice is loud and very clear. That is why we as parents need to make sure our children are hearing the voice of the Lord in their lives. They need to learn to recognize and follow Him or else they will be led astray. We can't just leave them to their own devices and hope they turn out okay. You have as much chance as that happening as you do hitting a bulls eye on a dart board with your eyes closed. As parents it is our responsibility and duty to make sure they are taught the Gospel. Sometimes that means we have to sacrifice, whether it be patience, energy, or time, to make sure it is being done.

Our duty to our children does not end in their temporal well-being, but lies far deeper in their spiritual welfare. There can be no vacations or days off from the Gospel in the home. Satan never rests and neither can we.