2.176 Parents Have a Role in Zion

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends, it's great to have you with me.

Today let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. Parents have a role to play in Zion and it is a very important role. That's what we're going to take a look at today inside of our reading.

We're reading this week Doctrine and Covenants sections 67 through 70 as well as Alma chapters 16 through 19. Our verse for today comes inside of Doctrine and Covenants sections 67 through 70. Doctrine and Covenants section 68.

There were several inside of here that I wanted to pick from, but I settled on the parenting one. It's a fairly common one. In fact, I've talked about using Citation Index as an app on my phone where I like to cross-reference my scriptures with general conference talks and whatnot.

And if you look at our verse for today, which is Doctrine and Covenants 68:25, you're going to see that that verse specifically has 89 or so references. And then when you add in all of the other, you know, multiple verse references to 68:25, you're going to see that it's been referred to in over a hundred general conference talks over the years. And then another fascinating thing inside of Citation Index is when you look at this verse you're going to see that, gosh, almost all of the presidents of the church, prophets of the church, at some point have spoken on it.

You've got President Nelson's in here, President Benson's in here, President Lee's in here, right? Like, you've just got President Kimball's in here. I mean, I think some of the other multiple verses have President Hinckley and President Monson.

It's a common verse. It's a verse that perhaps we should pay attention to. Let's take a look at it and then let's talk about it a little bit some more.

Doctrine and Covenants 68:25 says, And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. Moms and dads, this one's straight at you guys. Maybe even grandmas and grandpas a little bit, right?

As we look at this, this one lets us know the role that we have as parents to be teaching our children repentance, faith in Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is a reminder, and perhaps it's just because I've been reflecting recently on my own parents and their role in my life. I recently, just in fact, just barely here.

My dad, my mom and dad have both passed, but my dad's birthday just happened here recently. And I've been reflecting a lot on the role that they played in my life. I can remember my parents teaching me the gospel.

I can remember my parents teaching me from the scriptures. I can remember my parents encouraging me in preparation for the. I'm so grateful to them for the role that they play and have played in my life in helping me build a testimony of this gospel and especially a testimony of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

My friends, this is an opportunity for each one of us as we serve, for those of us that are in parenting roles, to teach the children in Zion, in any of her stakes which are organized, to teach them repentance, faith, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am grateful to my parents for the role that they played in my life. I miss them, but I'm grateful that they have, in helping my daughters develop their testimonies as well.

And I know they're still in development, but I'm going to do everything I can. I know my wife certainly does everything she can to help instill in them a belief and a testimony of a living Jesus Christ, a Savior that is there for them to help them every step of the way through their own repentance and faith. My friends, I'm grateful to my parents and many of the other parents that I've had through friendships and family members.

And I hope today that you can take an opportunity to reflect on the role that you either play or parents have played in your lives in helping you develop your testimony of Jesus Christ as well. That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice.

Cleave unto the covenants you have made and together we will be savory salt. For more information, visit us at www.savorysaltpodcast.org.