ASIA LOCAL PAGES ASIA LOCAL PAGES ASIA AREA PRESIDENCY MESSAGE Raising Christ- Centered Children By Elder Wisit Khanakham Elder Wisit Of the Seventy Khanakham sustain the First Presidency and the of those around us at the center of our I respect and honor individuals who I Quorum of the Twelve Apostles concern.”1 come from different backgrounds, as prophets, seers, and revelators. I I encourage all priesthood holders environments, and life conditions. bear witness that they are called of to understand that “every priesthood With the same faith in our Lord Jesus God. Teaching in the Savior’s Way effort and every priesthood ordi- Christ, we are taught to raise children was revealed to them to help prepare nance is intended to help Heavenly in our home with faith—by teaching parents and guardians of individual Father’s children be changed through them in the Savior’s way. families to learn how to raise Christ- the Atonement of Jesus Christ to centered children in their respective become members of perfected fam- • Love our children whom we raise: homes. ily units. It follows that ‘the great There may be times that our chil- President Henry B. Eyring, First work of every man is to believe the dren are disobedient to, have no Counselor in the First Presidency, gospel, to keep the commandments, desire to follow, or even ignore the said, “Our priesthood obligation is and to create and perfect an eternal teachings of Christ. We as parents to put our families and the families family unit.’”2 and guardians are to fill our hearts with Christlike love and seek every possible way to help them learn of Christ and come unto Him. Love should be the cause and incentive for our teaching.3 We can learn this from the prophet Lehi teaching his children in the Book of Mormon (see 1 Nephi 8:11–38) and also the parable of the prodigal son in the New Testament (see Luke 15:11–32). • Teach our children by the Spirit: “Only through the Holy Ghost can we accomplish the ultimate goal of gospel teaching—to build faith in Jesus Christ and help [our children] become more like Him. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the truth, He testifies of Christ, and He changes hearts.”4 We as parents and guard- ians can be instruments in God’s January 2017 A1 hands to help our children learn by learn by doing them.”6 I know that NOTES 1. Henry B. Eyring, “Eternal Families,” the Spirit and help invite the influ- all of us are working toward per- Liahona, May 2016, 82. ence of the Spirit into their lives. The sonal salvation and being together 2. Henry B. Eyring, “Eternal Families,” Liahona, May 2016, 81. best practice is to lead our children forever as eternal families. We 3. See Teaching in the Savior’s Way (2016), 6, lds.org/manual/teaching- in- the- saviors in daily prayer and scripture study, continue to teach our children to - way/part- 1- love- those- you- teach/love including the Liahona magazine. diligently learn, as “a lifelong learn- - those- you- teach. 4. Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10, lds.org/ • Teach our children the doctrine of er is a lifelong winner.”7 manual/teaching- in- the- saviors- way/part - 2- teach- by- the- spirit/teach- by- the- spirit. Christ: We encourage our children to 5. See Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 29, learn about Christ and His doctrine. Parents and guardians should always lds.org/manual/teaching- in- the- saviors - way/part- 4- invite- diligent- learning/ We teach them that men must follow remember that we teach what we are invite- diligent- learning. 6. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, trans. Christ, be baptized, receive the gift as we teach by example. As long as W. D. Ross (2005), 15. of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the we live the gospel and follow in the 7. Attributed to Matshona Dhliwayo. 8. John Holt, Learning All the Time (1989), 162. end to be saved (see 2 Nephi 32). footsteps of Jesus Christ, our children 9. David A. Bednar, in Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 29, lds.org/manual/teaching- in- the Parents and guardians also help their will learn from us. “Children learn from - saviors- way/part- 4- invite- diligent- learning/ children be able to say in their hearts anything and everything they see. They invite- diligent- learning; see also “Watching with All Perseverance,” Liahona, May 2010, silently as Nephi told in the Book learn wherever they are, not just in spe- 42–43. of Mormon, “For my soul delighteth cial learning places.”8 “Elder David A. in plainness; for after this manner Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve doth the Lord God work among Apostles shared this familiar saying, the children of men” (2 Nephi 31:3). ‘Giving a man a fish feeds him for one LOCAL NEWS They also inspire them to know meal. Teaching a man to fish feeds him that eternal life will come to all who for a lifetime.’ He then taught, ‘As par- keep the Lord’s commandments after ents and gospel instructors, you and I My Mission receiving baptism. are not in the business of distributing Changed • Invite our children to diligently fish; rather, our work is to help our learn: It’s been true in my personal children learn “to fish” and to become My Nature life that “learning by doing is the spiritually steadfast.’”9 best teacher.” Truly engaged par- My beloved brothers and sisters, herefore, O ye that embark in the ents and guardians are not satisfied I testify that the best way to keep Tservice of God, see that ye serve him when their children simply listen our children on the straight and with all your heart, might, mind and to what they have to say but when narrow path is by raising them as strength, that ye may stand blameless they act in faith with diligence. Christ- centered children. We help by before God at the last day (D&C 4:2). When we teach our children, we inspiring and inviting them to put all I’m really happy to share a wonder- ask ourselves “What will our chil- they have learned into action for life- ful incident that happened recently. I dren do to learn?” and “How shall long continuous improvement. In this have witnessed a miracle in my life. I we inspire them to act?”5 Aristotle regard, I leave my blessing and tes- could literally feel the Spirit, and the once said, “For the things we have timony with you in the sacred name joy that I had could not be described to learn before we can do them, we of our Savior Jesus Christ, amen. ◼ merely by words. A2 Liahona ASIA LOCAL PAGES “Choosing to live the commandments free us from the shackles of sin and allows us to experience true happiness.” For the past seven to eight years, her baptism. I was in tears hearing Sarikonda who helped, encouraged, many missionaries have been teach- this. I felt the love of Jesus Christ and and followed up with her to make this ing my mother. I had no hope that Heavenly Father overwhelm me. Now wonderful decision. my mother would get baptized, but I I understood the plan of our Heavenly “I would like to tell you . a true could really feel the Spirit asking me Father. He wanted me to be on a mis- story about a man named Abinadi. to be obedient on my mission and to sion and then baptize my mother. On Abinadi was a prophet who preached regularly pray that she would have a the day of her baptism, tears flowed repentance to a wicked people and a change of heart and come to church. down my cheeks as I hugged her, wicked king. He preached boldly and My prayer was answered. I received a knowing that it had taken eight years courageously. call from Elders Prasad and Sarikonda, to get to this moment. I am grateful to “Wicked King Noah angrily ordered who were teaching my mother, and God for giving me this opportunity to his priests to kill Abinadi. they gave me the happiest news—my baptize my mother. “. [But Abinadi] withstood them, mother was going to be baptized I want to thank all the missionar- saying: “Touch me not, for God and they got permission from the ies who have taught my mother and shall smite you if ye lay your hands mission president for me to perform especially thank Elder Prasad and Elder upon me, for I have not delivered January 2017 A3 Abinadi declared that he would finish the life to come” (Robert D. Hales, the message that God had sent him to “If Thou Wilt Enter into Life, Keep deliver—and then it wouldn’t matter the Commandments,” Ensign, May what King Noah and the people did 1996, 35, 36, 37). to him. (See Mosiah 13:1–9.) I’m so happy to be serving a mission “When Abinadi concluded his and following the commandments, message, King Noah demanded that which have helped me and are help- he deny the words he had spoken— ing me always be obedient. At this or he would be put to death. But time, I want to thank Heavenly Father Abinadi refused. and Jesus Christ for giving me this life “. What a powerful example and also for helping me be obedient Abinadi should be to all of us! He and making my life bright through the courageously obeyed the Lord’s com- gospel.