Sunday Report

The lesson for this week was the TFOT selection from the May Conference issue of the Ensign.  Sister Peggy Campbell presented the talk given by Elder Lynn G Robbins of the Seventy entitled What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?.  The Savior, in answer to that question, invited His followers to take upon them His name and His nature by saying "Verily I say unto you, even as I am."  To become as He is, we must also do the things that He did.  Elder Robbins discussed the concept that to do and to be, are related doctrines that reinforce and promote each other. If we do without being we are hypocrites, as the Lord called the Pharisees, who went through the motions of being holy and righteous, but for the wrong reasons, and lacked the goodness that comes with real commitment.  Just as empty is being, without the actions that should come from that quality.  If we believe we are Christlike, but fail to love one another and forgive as the Savior forgave, we are deceiving ourselves.  Being is more than good intentions, it is also good works, and doing must refine us and make us more like the Savior.  Each without the other is incomplete.

We all have experienced making to do lists to help us be more efficient and motivated.  Perhaps equally useful might be a to be list of those attributes and attitudes that will help to refine and perfect us so that we will be worthy of living again with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Being motivates doing, so if as parents we seek to help our children develop Christ like attributes, it will improve behavior more effectively than merely trying to convince them of what they should and should not do  They will best learn those attributes from us, especially from the way we treat them and discipline them.  We should seek to discipline by the Spirit, emphasizing what has been learned from the experience and allowing the Spirit to touch and teach the child, helping him or her to gradually be changed in their very nature over time. 

The most important way to teach being is by being the kind of parents to our children that our Father in Heaven is to us.  If we can strive to become as Christ and the Father are, one step at a time, our behavior can be a great influence in reminding our children and all we interact with,  of the Savior and will draw them to Him.

Next week will be the Presidency message given by Sister Vach.

Have a great week!
The Relief Society Presidency