AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Australia Local Pages Teaching Our Children True Doctrine By Elder Kevin W. Pearson he words to a popular and to observe the command- Primary song read: “Teach ments of God, warning that they T me to walk in the light of will be held accountable before His love; Teach me to pray to God for the discharge of these my Father above; Teach me to obligations (“The Family: A know of the things that are right; Proclamation to the World”). Teach me, teach me to walk in In the Doctrine and the light” (“Teach Me to Walk in Covenants the Lord makes more the Light,” Children’s Songbook, specific what we are to teach 177). Prophetic counsel to our children so that they under- parents throughout the ages has stand doctrine:. “And again, in- Elder Kevin W. been to love and care for their asmuch as parents have children Pearson children (see, for example, “The in Zion, or in any of her stakes familiar with or grasp the signifi- Family: A Proclamation to the which are organized, that teach cance of; to learn or to accept as World,” Ensign, Nov. 2010, 129) them not to understand the true; to believe. Understanding because “children are an herit- doctrine of repentance, faith in is more than knowing the age of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Christ the Son of the living God, “what”; it is also knowing “why”. We often think of our chil- and of baptism and the gift of Doctrine refers to principles dren as being our children, the Holy Ghost by the laying on or teachings—in this context, when, in fact, they are the very of the hands, when eight years of Jesus Christ and His gospel. children of God our Eternal old, the sin be upon the heads Our task is to help our children Father. They were in the begin- of the parents” (D&C 68:25); acquire a personal knowledge ning His children. It is easy to “And they shall also teach their of the Savior, His teachings forget they still belong to Him. children to pray, and to walk and gospel principles, and the He knows and understands uprightly before the Lord” (D&C desire and ability to use those them infinitely better than do 68:28). What does it mean to principles to follow Him and to we. His love for them is perfect, teach our children to under- become His disciples. and each one has infinite worth stand doctrine? Let me provide a simple ex- to Him. It is, therefore, not To teach is to impart knowl- ample. Young children can be surprising He has commanded edge of, or skill in. Teaching is taught to give a simple prayer that “parents have a sacred duty not the same as telling. It re- and be told they are supposed to rear their children in love and quires a transfer of knowledge to pray. But to keep the com- righteousness,” to teach them and skill. To understand is to mandment to pray always to love and serve one another, comprehend; be thoroughly unto the Father in His name, January 2012 A1 children need to personally unless we help them develop understands how we learn, and come to know Heavenly Father personal faith in Jesus Christ and what we need to know and feel. and His Son Jesus Christ. This a commitment to follow Him, The influence of the Holy Ghost includes understanding their it will not matter what else we will remind us of all things and, divine nature and relationship have given them. That is a very “by the power of the Holy Ghost to God and understanding who sobering reality. ye may know the truth of all the Holy Ghost is and how it Teaching our children to things” (Moroni 10:5); “the Holy feels to have the influence of understand the doctrines is one Ghost, it will show unto you the Holy Ghost as we teach of our single most important all things what ye should do” them to pray. responsibilities in life. It can (2 Nephi 32:5). Prayer is an appointed means also be one of our most chal- The scriptures contain a for us all to receive personal rev- lenging. Without the scriptures fullness of the gospel and key elation from God, which requires and the Holy Ghost this would doctrines that we need to under- us to align our will with His. simply not be possible. President stand. They provide a witness Praying in the name of Christ Boyd K. Packer, President of the through the Holy Ghost that means that we have the mind Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Jesus is the Christ and that His and words of Christ in our hearts. has often taught: “true doctrine, teachings are true. The children will need to un- understood, changes attitudes Our Heavenly Father always derstand the importance of being and behaviors” (“Little Children,” answers the righteous prayers of virtuous; in feeling comfortable Ensign, Nov. 1986, 17). So, what His children, especially prayers in the presence of our Heavenly doctrine or principles, if better of humble parents pleading for Father. They will need to learn understood, would help us to be direction in teaching and rearing the importance of studying and the powerful teachers of doc- His children in righteousness. pondering the scriptures; to have trine we need to be? I suggest Heavenly Father loves each of the influence of the Holy Ghost five principles that might help. His children and has promised in their thoughts and prayers. In our premortal existence to bless us as we keep His com- They will need to learn to recog- each of us knew and wor- mandments and exercise faith in nize the Holy Ghost and how an- shipped God as our Eternal His Son. swers to prayers come. They will Father and accepted His plan. These principles help us need daily examples to show There each of us learned the understand that we have divine them how and daily personal essential principles and ordi- resources available to help us experience to know and un- nances of the gospel. Our spirits rear our children in truth and derstand the power of personal still have perfect knowledge of righteousness, and a compelling prayer, to develop their personal these things. Because mortality truth becomes evident. Spiritual ability to pray in faith. by divine design introduces us truths must be taught and As parents we can provide into a state of forgetfulness, we learned according to a divine our children with experiences need the Holy Ghost to remind pattern—through the influence to grow and learn, to develop us of things we have always of the Holy Ghost. Our respon- talents and abilities physically, known to be true. sibility to teach our children to socially and academically; all of The Holy Ghost is the per- understand doctrine goes well which are important. However, fect teacher. He knows us and beyond merely telling them, or A2 Liahona exposing them to the truth. We Shared spiritual feelings and responsibility to teach our chil- are under sacred obligation to experiences create strong lasting dren to understand and embrace help them feel the truthfulness bonds in marriages and families. true doctrine. As we do, we have of these doctrines and principles As we share our personal tes- the promise that the Holy Ghost by the power of the Holy Ghost. timonies about sacred spiritual will become the true teacher and As we prayerfully seek divine truths with our children and will, with power, teach them the help nd learn to listen for direc- spouses, we will draw closer to truth of all things. I bear witness tion, the Holy Ghost will help one another, and they will feel of the power of true doctrine to us to know which doctrines our conviction. Faith is kindled change and bless our lives. We and principles our children by hearing the testimony of are not alone in raising our chil- need most and how to reach those who have faith. dren. It is never too late to begin. their hearts with the same con- May we more deeply and We always have the promise of viction we feel in our hearts. fully understand our divine heaven’s help. ◼ LOCAL PAGES Muslim and Interfaith Members Share a Visit Latter-day Saint youth shared ne of the many benefits of an interfaith Pakenham, Victoria, have hosted the women of their beliefs at a community is sharing with and learning the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association on two recent recent activity. O from one an- other. Over the years of interacting through the Casey Multifaith Network, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association have developed a friendship that goes beyond the con- finements of meetings and activities. Visits to each other’s places of worship, sharing meals together, and visiting one another’s homes are all part of this extension of friendship. Sisters from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in OF SHARON KLOESTER IMAGE COURTESY January 2012 A3 occasions. On 26 February 2011, six youth mem- Ahmadiyya Muslim Association were invited bers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association by Latter-day Saint sisters to visit. This occasion along with the president of the ladies auxiliary of once again provided the unique opportunity of the association, Mrs. Kaukab Nasir, visited with sharing their beliefs with one another and real- two youth members and their mentor from the izing that the similarities far exceed the differ- Church.