The Priesthood Can Strengthen Our Families in Trials
Brent 50. Top and Bruce A. Chadwick, "A Business firm of Faith: How Family unit Religiosity Strengthens Our Children," inPast Divine Pattern: Best Practices for Family Success and Happiness, ed. Brent Fifty. Pinnacle and Michael A. Goodman (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2014), 223–255.
The Apostle Paul warned that "in the terminal days perilous times shall come" (2 Timothy 3:one–4). His prophecies of the wicked weather condition that will prevail in the last days are being realized before our very eyes. All mode of sin—including violence, crime, fraud, drug and alcohol abuse, pornography, and sexual immorality—tin be seen in society. The Savior also prophesied concerning the conditions of the world that will precede his Second Coming when he stated "iniquity [does] abound" (Joseph Smith—Matthew one:thirty). The "fiery darts of the wicked" are especially aimed at families (Ephesians 6:16). Parents discover themselves in the midst of the battle against sin and often worry that their children, who are surrounded by it, may exist yielding to temptations. They wonder what they can do to protect their families from this onslaught of wickedness.
It is non merely the parents who worry and wonder. Youth on the front lines in this battle against the growing wickedness of the world also are troubled by the temptations and challenges they face every day. "My parents really have no idea how hard it is to exist a teenager today," one LDS loftier school student despaired. Another lamented the force per unit area he feels from his friends. He reported, "Almost all of my friends utilise booze and drugs and go to parties almost every weekend. Many are immoral and tell me how fun it is. When I tell them these things are against my organized religion, they make fun of me and telephone call me names." LDS youth realize they are in the thick of perilous things.
Although parents cannot isolate their children from every evil influence, opposition, or peer pressure, they can insulate them. What can we, as parents, do to provide such insulation? What must occur within the walls of our own homes to help our children gain the spiritual and emotional force to be righteous and responsible in these challenging times? Prophets of God continually raise their warning voices and lovingly give the states counsel on how to strengthen our families. In addition, social science research confirms such counsel and gives farther insight into how nosotros tin can be ameliorate parents. This chapter reports many of the results of a big study (perhaps the largest e'er done among LDS youth and families) on the influence of faith in the lives of LDS youth, and offers practical suggestions on how parents can strengthen the religiosity of their children.
The Power of Faith in the Lives of LDS Youth
In the landmark book Soul Searching, authors Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton (2005) reported the finds of the National Report of Youth and Organized religion (NSYR), the largest and most detailed study of faith in the lives of teenagers in the United States e'er conducted. [1] In contrast to earlier scholars who argued that religion has little or no influence on the beliefs of adolescents (Stark, 1984 [2] ; Hirschi & Stark, 1969 [3]), Smith and Denton (2005) found that "the empirical evidence suggests that religious organized religion and practice themselves exert pregnant, positive, straight and indirect influence on the lives of teenagers, helping to foster healthier, more engaged adolescents who live more effective and promising lives" (p. 263). [4] The NSYR study as well reports that religiosity is positively correlated with academic achievement, moral development, and community volunteerism and is negatively linked to malversation, alcohol, tobacco, and drug employ, likewise as illicit sex activity among youth. Princeton professor Kenda Creasy Dean (2010) in her volume, Virtually Christian, analyzed the NSYR study and ended:
Teenagers who say faith is important to them are doing "much better in life" than less religious teenagers, by a number of measures. Those who participate in religious communities are more likely to practise well in school, accept positive relationships with their families, have a positive outlook on life, and vesture their seatbelts— the listing goes on, enumerating an assortment of outcomes that parents pray for. . . .
Highly devoted immature people are much more compassionate, significantly more than probable to care about things like racial equality and justice, far less likely to exist moral relativists, to prevarication, cheat, or do things "they hoped their parents would never observe out about." They are not just doing "okay" in life; they are doing significantly amend than their peers, at least in terms of happiness and forms of success approved past the cultural mainstream. . . . So it comes every bit no surprise that young people who reported positive relationships with parents and peers, success in school, hope for the time to come, and healthy lifestyle choices were likewise more likely to be highly committed to faith as well. (pp. twenty, 47) [5]
The findings reported in the National Study of Youth and Religion are particularly interesting to Latter-day Saint parents. Although the number of LDS teens who were included in the NYSR sample was quite minor, the researchers were clearly impressed with their devotion and beliefs. In a chapter entitled "Mormon Envy," Professor Dean wrote:
Mormon teenagers attach the most importance to faith and are most likely to fall in the category of highly devoted youth. . . . In nearly every area, using a variety of measures, Mormon teenagers showed the highest levels of religious understanding, vitality, and congruence betwixt religious belief and practiced religion; they were the least likely to engage in high-risk beliefs and consistently were the most positive, healthy, hopeful, and cocky-aware teenagers in the interviews. (p. 20) [6]
The results of this national study and the observations of these researchers ostend what nosotros have establish from studying Latter-twenty-four hours Saint youth and families for the past quarter of a century (Chadwick, Meridian, & McClendon, 2010; Peak, Chadwick, & Garrett, 1999; Chadwick & Elevation, 1993). [7] , [8] , [9] Our studies accept clearly established that faith is a significant factor directly affecting the attitudes and deportment of LDS adolescents. Importantly, we discovered that the religiosity of their parents and the spiritual environs of the dwelling house were pregnant influences in the religious development of the youth. Just as religion matters in shaping the grapheme and beliefs of youth, parents matter in shaping the faith and devotion of their children. "The best way to become virtually youth more involved in and serious about their religion communities," Smith and Denton (2005) wrote, "is to get their parents more involved in and serious near their religion communities" (p. 267). [ten]
A Study of Organized religion and Family among LDS Youth
With the cooperation of the Church Educational System, over a xx twelvemonth period we surveyed over 5,000 LDS high school students, ages 14 to 18, living in unlike regions of the United States, United kingdom, and Mexico to test the relationship of religion and family unit with delinquency, academic accomplishment, and feelings of self-esteem. The study focused on these three behaviors because of their importance in the lives of teenagers. To ascertain the influence of faith and family on these behaviors, nosotros included other important factors in a model of malversation, including academic achievement and self-esteem. The theoretical model tested is shown in Figure one. Equally can be seen, the model required religiosity and family to compete with peer influences, personality traits, and schoolhouse involvement to explicate delinquency. Structural equation analysis was used to exam the model since it identifies the relative strengths of each of the factors in explaining delinquency, bookish achievement, or feelings of cocky-esteem.
Obviously, we cannot written report all of the results of these extensive studies in the express pages of this chapter. Rather, we volition share only a few of the major findings and discuss their implications for us equally parents. Detailed theoretical, methodological, statistical information, and conclusions from these studies have been published in a diverseness of other venues over the past several years (run across Chadwick, Top, & McClendon, 2010; Summit & Chadwick, 2006; Top & Chadwick, 2004; Summit, Chadwick, & McClendon, 2003; Top & Chadwick, 1999; Tiptop & Chadwick, 1998; Pinnacle & Chadwick, 1993). [11] , [12] , [thirteen] , [xiv] , [15] , [16] , [17]
Faith, Family and Malversation
The influence of organized religion and family on malversation amongst LDS youth was ascertained utilizing the theoretical model shown in Figure 1. The model immune peers, organized religion, personality traits, schoolhouse activities and family characteristics to compete in explaining delinquency.
Delinquent behavior included offenses against others, such every bit beating up other kids; belongings offenses, such equally shoplifting and vandalism; and status offenses, including underage drinking, drug use, and premarital sex.
The results of the exam of the model for young men living in Utah County are presented in Figure 2. Similar results were obtained for young men and young women residing in different regions of the United States, Great Great britain, and United mexican states.
In the figure we see that peer influences are the strongest predictor of whether an LDS teenager will engage in runaway behaviors. We were certainly not surprised by this effect. At that place is a big literature that has identified peer force per unit area as the single nigh significant factor predicting delinquency. What is important to note, all the same, is that religiosity is also statistically significant. The beta coefficient is -.21, which means that the greater the religiosity of the teenagers, the less they were involved in activities that are immoral, illegal, or improper. The model accounted for two-thirds of the variation in the delinquency among LDS young men.
At first we were disappointed to discover that only i family feature, parental connection—a combination of both a mom and a dad'southward connection—was a significant predictor of delinquency in the multivariate model. Some social scientists have repeatedly contended that parents are largely irrelevant in accounting for the runaway activities of their children (Harris, 2009). [xviii] The problem with these previous studies is that they examined only the direct furnishings of family on malversation and neglected the indirect effects. As noted in Figure ii, parental connection (love and support), parental regulation (rules, obedience and discipline) and parental autonomy (parents' acceptance of child'due south feelings, opinions, and ideas) have strong impacts on their teens' religiosity, resistance to peer pressures, and peer example. What these findings make articulate is that parents who honey and are concerned about their children; who ready family unit rules, define compliance, and bailiwick inappropriate behavior; and who let their teens to develop their own sense of cocky have children with rather low delinquency.
Faith, Family, and Bookish Aspirations and Accomplishment
Loving parents want to assistance their children exist happy, confident, responsible, and successful in life. Sometimes they go to great lengths to accomplish that—buying the latest product that claims to aid children become an "edge" in schoolhouse or involving them in activities that "build" young people. These things are adept, merely as shown in Figure 3, which focuses on academic aspirations, we constitute one thing that is ameliorate—religiosity. Social science research has long noted that the educational level of a teen's male parent is the strongest predictor of educational aspirations and accomplishments of adolescents.
The structural equation model presented in Effigy 3 accounts for virtually 50% of the educational aspirations of the immature men living in Utah County. As mentioned earlier, space constraints forbid presenting the diverse models predicting academic achievement and aspirations for LDS youth living in the different geographical areas. For our purposes in this affiliate, we selected the model for Utah County young men considering it is highly representative of the findings from the dissimilar populations.
Surprisingly, the strongest predictor of educational plans was the youths' religiosity. Among LDS youth, religious beliefs, practices, and spiritual experiences combined into a measure of religiosity that was the strongest cistron to sally in the multivariate model. The father's education was the but other factor to enter the equation. It should exist noted that parental regulation made a strong indirect affect on educational aspirations through religiosity. The results for young women in Utah County and both immature men and women in the other regions were very like. There is no doubt that fostering their religiosity enhances LDS youths' academic operation and desire for higher education.
Faith, Family unit, and Feelings of Self-Esteem
The terminal several years have witnessed smashing attending directed to studying the importance of self-esteem or feelings of cocky-worth amidst adolescents. Pop enthusiasm for self-esteem swelled to the point that many parents, schoolhouse administers, and government officials came to believe that it was a social vaccine that increases desirable behaviors and decreases negative ones (Rosenthal & Jacobson, 1992; Rosenthal, 1973; Hansford & Hattie, 1982). [19] , [20] ,[21] Mary Pipher (1994), a clinical psychologist who works with young women, detailed the negative impacts of the eroding self-conviction of young women in American society. [22]
Although fostering self-esteem seems to increase appropriate beliefs among teenagers, some researchers have raised a serious business organisation. After conducting a thorough review of the self-esteem research, Baumeister, Campbell, Krueger, and Vohs (2003) cautioned that parents, teachers, and others who take endeavored to raise cocky-esteem in young people may accept unintentionally fostered narcissism in their children. [23] Young people thought to have high self-esteem may actually be self-absorbed and complacent. Narcissistic youth feel that they are so special they deserve special treatment past others and that the rules of club practise not apply to them.
Nosotros were somewhat surprised to discover that LDS loftier school seniors have slightly lower cocky-esteem than a large national sample of high school seniors. In that location are two plausible possible explanations for these lower feelings of self-worth. One caption is that the gospel and the Church building place very high expectations and demands on its youth, which are difficult to achieve, and failure to do so contributes to feelings of inadequacy. This lack of perfection is then expressed in response to the questions measuring self-esteem. The alternative caption is that LDS youth are taught to exist humble and avoid pride, so they are more modest praising themselves. We do not have the information necessary to test these two alternative explanations, just we hope LDS youths' lower feelings of self-esteem are explained by the humility hypothesis rather than the perfectionism/
The results of the structural equation model predicting the self-esteem of LDS immature men in the United states of america is presented in Figure 4. Acceptance at church produced by far the strongest impact on self-esteem for young men.
Information technology is not surprising to find that feeling accepted is closely linked to how adolescents value themselves. What is unique to these LDS teens is where and with whom they experience comfortable. It is non acceptance by friends at school, merely rather, it is inside their wards and branches with leaders, teachers, and fellow members that acceptance had such a powerful human relationship to feelings of self-worth.
Non surprisingly, grades earned in school also made a significant contribution to cocky-esteem. Success in school gives youths' feelings of self-worth a boost.
Mothers' connexion also produced a weak straight consequence on feelings of cocky-worth. We included only the teens' mothers' behavior in the model because the behaviors of mothers and fathers were so highly correlated that including both created major statistical problems. Thus, fifty-fifty though the model identifies mothers' beliefs, information technology represents the beliefs of both parents. In improver, the indirect influence of mothers' connection, regulation, and granting of psychological autonomy on cocky-esteem through the two directly factors should be noted.
The results of this complex analysis brand information technology articulate that parents and Church leaders really exercise matter in how teens feel virtually themselves. What leaps out from this assay is that parents and leaders need to make certain teens feel a spirit of love, acceptance, and warmth in the home and in the community of Saints. Parents and leaders must work together to brand sure youth feel welcome in seminary, constitute, priesthood quorum meetings, Scout groups, young women classes, Sunday Schoolhouse, sacrament meetings, and other Church-sponsored activities. Such acceptance is of import in helping young people develop positive feelings nearly themselves.
Religious Ecology versus Personal Religiosity
When we published the good news that religiosity was a powerful influence for skillful in the lives of LDS teenagers, some critics responded that we had misinterpreted our findings. Stark (1984) argued that the LDS youth we had studied living in Utah, Idaho, and Southern California were surrounded by a powerful LDS religious ecology. [24] Thus the theory was that youth had lower rates of delinquency and higher academic achievement because of the social pressures from their peers and from their unabridged community and not considering of the religious principles they held.
In club to test the ability of internalized religious principles against a religious environmental, we obtained data from samples of youth living in several regions of this country and Smashing United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland with differing religious ecologies. The communities ranged from a powerful religious ecology in Utah County to a depression ecology in the Pacific Northwest and an extremely low ecology in Slap-up Uk. We started with a sample of LDS loftier school students living forth the Due east Coast considering these teens were the only LDS students in their individual high schools. The results were near identical with those obtained in the Utah-Idaho-California samples!
Critics responded that, while the LDS religious ecology was depression, these East Coast students did live inside a full general Christian ecology that shaped their beliefs. We asked our doubting colleagues where the lowest religious ecology in this country was. They readily identified the Pacific Northwest. Data were then collected from LDS youth in Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. To provide an even stronger test of the religious environmental hypothesis, nosotros collected information from LDS youth living in Smashing Britain. Space does not allow recounting the testify of the low religious ecology in Great Britain, just these LDS youth lived in an extremely secular lodge and interacted with peers who were heavily involved in premarital sexual relations and alcohol and drug use.
The results for LDS youth living along the East Declension, in the Pacific Northwest and in Keen Uk were very similar to those obtained in Utah. The religious environmental—where the adolescent lives and the religious civilisation of the community—did non affair nearly every bit much as did individual organized religion and religious conviction.
Internalized Religiosity
Nearly studies of the religion-delinquency connection have focused on amalgamation and attendance, which are rather express indicators of religious feelings and behaviors. In our study of LDS youth we examined 5 unlike dimensions of religiosity: professed religious beliefs, public religious behavior (omnipresence at meetings and interest in church building activities), private religious beliefs (such as personal prayer and scripture report), spiritual experiences, and social acceptance at church building. These different dimensions were included considering nosotros were convinced that internal feelings about the gospel are more than important in the lives of teens than is mere attendance at church services.
Statistical tests were used to decide the relative strength of each of these factors. Because religious beliefs, private religious behavior, and spiritual experiences were so closely related, the confirmatory factor analysis combined them into i dimension of religiosity we called spirituality. Spirituality is the "stuff" of which a testimony of the gospel and commitment to the Church are fabricated.
In model after model computed with unlike populations of immature men and young women from different regions of the country and of the world, spirituality emerged as the strongest dimension of religiosity related to delinquency. To demonstrate the greater influence of spirituality as compared to public religious behavior and credence in church we computed a model in which but these three dimensions of religiosity competed to explain delinquency. As can be seen in Figure 5, each of these three dimensions of religiosity emerged as a pregnant predictor of malversation. But the strongest factor by far was spirituality—the spirituality of the youth, the degree to which they had experienced and internalized the gospel into their lives—produced a beta coefficient of -.333. The negative number means an inverse relationship—the higher the spirituality, the lower the delinquency.
Equally mentioned earlier, what we anticipated would be important factors predicting delinquent behavior did not brand a significant contribution in the multivariate model shown in Figure 2. Much to our surprise, family religiosity, which includes family abode evening, family prayer, and family unit scripture reading, was not meaning. What we learn from these results is that family unit religious practices and youth'southward attendance at church building meetings plain do non in and of themselves counteract peer pressures to appoint in unworthy behavior. Rather, these practices are means to an end, not the end itself—the practices simply encourage and facilitate individual religious commitment and personal conversion. Youth that have their own spiritual experiences and appoint in their ain religious practices such as daily prayer and scripture study, above and beyond interest in family religious practice, have greater force to resist temptation and increased conclusion to live righteous lives.
The results of our studies—not merely the statistical findings, just besides hundreds of comments by the youth themselves—validate the teachings of prophets of God given to the Church for generations: It is not enough to merely go our children into the Church building; nosotros must also make certain they gain a knowledge of the gospel and a personal testimony of its truthfulness. Our findings confirm what President James E. Faust (1990) declared:
Generally, those children who make the decision and have the resolve to abstain from drugs, alcohol, and illicit sex are those who have adopted and internalized the potent values of their homes as lived by their parents. In times of hard decisions they are most likely to follow the teachings of their parents rather than the examples of their peers or the sophistries of the media which glamorize alcohol consumption, illicit sex, infidelity, dishonesty, and other vices. . . .
What seems to help cement parental [and Church] teachings and values in identify in children's lives is a firm belief in Deity. When this conventionalities becomes part of their very souls, they take inner strength. (pp. 42–43) [25]
What Parents Can Do to Assistance Youth Internalize Gospel Principles
Youth should not be left on their own to make the gospel an integral part of their personal lives. While everyone must plant their own seed of faith, a fertile seedbed and nurturing environs is gained through a spiritually supportive family. Parents tin can do much to assist their children internalize gospel principles. Elder Grand. Russell Ballard (1996) alleged, "The home and family unit have vital roles in cultivating and developing personal organized religion and testimony. . . . The family unit is the basic unit of social club; the all-time identify for individuals to build religion and strong testimonies is in righteous homes filled with dear. . . . Potent, faithful families have the all-time opportunity to produce strong, faithful members of the Church" (p. 81). [26] The responsibility of parents to create a home environment that fosters spirituality and internalization of religious teachings is, to Latter-day Saints, God-given and divinely mandated. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1995) have declared: "Parents take a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to dearest and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God, and to be police-constant citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations"(p. 102). [27]
From the results of our extensive study and from the anecdotal comments of hundreds of LDS teens and immature adults, several of import suggestions emerged as to how parents tin can specifically help their children brand the gospel an of import role of their lives. It is impossible to discuss at length all of these suggestions in this chapter. For our purposes here, we offer iii general suggestions.
Practice What Yous Preach
The old adage "actions speak louder than words" is certainly true within the walls of a domicile. Nothing will undermine our efforts to create a spiritual abode environment more than neglecting to practice what nosotros profess. All that we teach as parents volition seem hollow or lilliputian to our children if we don't testify our beliefs and values in a comprehensive way of life. To utilise the linguistic communication of our kids, "Nosotros must walk the walk, non only talk the talk." This doesn't mean parents accept to be perfect. We aren't, and our children know it. They're smart enough to realize that nosotros have weaknesses and at times nosotros may not be as skilful equally we desire. Parents do serious damage, nonetheless, when they deliberately go against the very teachings and standards they expect of their children. It seems that our children have a special radar organisation that can observe not only parental hypocrisy but also insincerity. Although teens may not discover a lot of things nosotros wish they would—like the clutter and anarchy in their bedrooms or the lateness of the hour when they are having fun with friends—they are quick to observe parental hypocrisy or attempts to live a double standard. When it comes to having a "house of faith," there tin exist no double standards.
If we want our children to have testimonies of the gospel, to internalize its principles and to live past high standards of purity and integrity, we must do the same. If we want them to be worthy to marry in the temple, we must strive to be temple worthy and demonstrate our love for the temple by frequent omnipresence. If we want them to written report the scriptures and sincerely pray to our Heavenly Father each mean solar day, we need to exercise the same. If we desire them to exist committed to the gospel and actively involved in the Church, we must testify them the way by our lives—by our activeness in the Church and our faithfulness to callings and covenants. To exercise otherwise sends the indicate to our children that the gospel nosotros teach actually isn't all that important to us after all. As a effect, they probable won't accept it seriously either. We tin can't give what we don't have! "We need to offset with ourselves as parents," President Henry B. Eyring (1996) alleged, "No plan we follow or family unit tradition we create can transmit a legacy of testimony nosotros do not have" (p. 63). [28]
Teach the Gospel
In this dispensation the Lord has commanded parents to teach their children "the doctrine and repentance, organized religion in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of easily. . . . And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord" (D&C 68:25, 28). Failing to do so results in, as the Lord alleged, "the sin exist[ing] upon the heads of the parents" (D&C 68:25). This divine mandate has been reaffirmed past prophets in our own day. In a letter of the alphabet addressed to "Members of the Church building throughout the Earth," dated February 11, 1999, the Starting time Presidency declared, "We telephone call upon parents to devote their all-time efforts to the education and rearing of their children in gospel principles which will keep them close to the Church." They further declared that "the domicile is the basis of a righteous life" and that no other bureau, program, or system can adequately supercede parents in fulfilling their "God-given responsibility" of instruction the gospel (p. 80). [29]
It would be easy, in light of these strong statements, for the states as parents to feel overwhelmed by this sacred obligation. Some of u.s. may feel that we lack sufficient gospel cognition to properly teach our children. Some of us may feel nosotros lack acceptable teaching skills. Some of us may have other concerns. All parents have inadequacies, but the Lord has given the states the responsibility to teach the gospel to our children all the same. Fortunately, the Lord never gives responsibilities without too providing "a mode for them that they may reach the thing which he commandeth them" (1 Nephi 3:vii). The Church has provided us with inspired programs and counsel that tin can assist us in our responsibilities and make them far less intimidating. From our research, including hundreds of comments from LDS youth and young adults, nosotros have plant 3 elementary things that parents tin practice to meliorate teach the gospel to their children.
Hold Regular Family Prayer, Family Home Evening, and Family Scripture Report
"We counsel parents and children," the First Presidency (1999) stated, "to give highest priority to family unit prayer, family dwelling house evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities" (p. fourscore). [30] Even though the statistical results of our study showed no meaning direct relationship betwixt these family religious practices and delinquency, academic achievement, and feelings of self-worth, that doesn't tell the whole story. Every bit previously discussed, we establish that personal spirituality and religious conviction of LDS youth are directly linked to lower levels of delinquency. Family religious practices such equally family home evening, family prayer, and family scripture study promote religious internalization and thus impact adolescent behavior. There is a spiritual power in family religiosity.
Despite the prophetic counsel to concord family unit religious activities, a surprising number of families do not avail themselves of the great blessings that family abode evening, family prayer, and family scripture reading can yield. As can be seen in Table 1, only virtually half of the LDS families involved in our studies reported that they held regular family unit prayer and family unit home evening, and less than a third had regular family scripture study.
Perhaps every parent feels frustrated at times in trying to faithfully hold these family religious practices when the children are restless and aught seems to exist "sinking in." The immature people in our study made many comments that should be encouraging to parents. They readily admit that at that place is a more than powerful influence in these practices than what may appear on the surface. These hindsight comments from the young adults we interviewed show the lasting influence of family religious practices:
I know that I was a pain in the neck of my parents when it came to family prayer and family home evening. But I am thankful now that they didn't give up. It had more influence upon me than I was willing to admit at the fourth dimension.
I pretended not to be listening when nosotros had scripture written report or lessons during family unit dark, merely more sank in that my parents idea. Even though my dad was inactive, he was e'er the 1 saying, "Time for family scripture reading" or "Prayer fourth dimension." That showed me that he still wanted what was best for his family. Information technology really helped our family.
The study results, coupled with hundreds of anecdotal comments from youth and young adults, confirm what prophets of God have long taught: Testimonies are strengthened, gospel knowledge is increased, and greater love and harmony within the family unit issue when parents faithfully attend to these family religious practices. When the family dwelling house evening program was first introduced to the Church, the First Presidency (1915) promised the Saints "peachy blessings" if they would diligently seek to "gather their boys and girls about them in the dwelling and teach them the word of the Lord." [31] Undoubtedly, these promises apply today only equally much, if not more so, than in 1915, and not only with regard to family abode evening. It applies to all aspects of educational activity and rearing of children in gospel principles.
If the Saints obey this counsel, nosotros promise that bully blessings will result. Beloved at home and obedience to parents will increment. Faith will be developed in the hearts of the youth of State of israel, and they will gain power to combat the evil influences and temptations which best them. (733–34) [32]
Teach Practical Applications of Gospel Principles
The Lord has commanded parents to teach their children to "walk uprightly before the Lord" (D&C 68:28). There are two dimensions to this sacred parental duty—first, to teach the doctrines of the kingdom, and 2nd, to teach their children how to use those doctrines to their daily lives. As one of the young adults in our written report observed, "I don't recall parents teach the fundamental doctrines of the gospel enough—things similar religion, repentance, and the Atonement and how these things work in daily life. Parents often teach doctrines and principles, but don't specifically talk about the why and the how."
Nephi spoke of "liken[ing the] scriptures" to ourselves (one Nephi nineteen:23). This certainly applies to gospel teaching in our homes. Parents can do this by talking with their children most how the gospel can actually help us in our daily lives and apply it to dealing with specific temptations and challenges we confront. An of import way whereby we tin can teach practical application of gospel principles to our children is to ask them how they would utilize or "liken" the gospel to their ain unique circumstances. Applied application of the gospel tin can be a ii-mode street—we can share with our families how the gospel applies in our lives and learn from them on how they do the same.
Ane young woman in our study reported that her male parent would ofttimes talk to the children about challenges or problems he was having at work. "How would you handle this?" he would enquire his family. Pretty soon a good give-and-take would ensue, focusing on how gospel principles solve life's real problems. The young lady observed, "Now I realize he was helping u.s. to see how the teachings of the gospel actually work in life, rather than request us to solve his problems." Youth are much more likely to live the standard of the Church when they know not only the doctrines but also why they should do as they are allowable, and what will be the practical benefits, right here and now, of living the gospel.
Discuss and Share Feelings most the Gospel at Times Other Than Sun
A major claiming youth have to overcome in order to have strength to resist temptation is the tendency to view religion equally only a "church thing" or something that is done just on Sundays. This compartmentalization prevents them from seeing how the teachings of the gospel affect everyday lives and everyday situations. Seeing how the gospel is fully integrated into their parents' lives will aid children understand how information technology can permeate every office of their own lives. In fact, the discussion "religion" has its root in a Latin give-and-take ligare, which means "to demark," "to connect," or "to hold together." It is the same root found in the word "ligament." Faith exerts power in our families when it is fully attached to or connected with all aspect of our lives.
Not all opportunities to teach the gospel to our children occur on Sundays, Mon evenings, or during early morning scripture report. In fact, some of the nigh of import gospel teaching moments may come at unscheduled or unexpected times. They may come when a daughter faces a difficult challenge at school or when a son is debating the merits of serving a mission—anytime a child is worrying, wondering, or questioning.
Seizing these teaching moments whenever they occur and talking about religious principles when needed shows our children that the gospel has everyday application. Often these informal discussions aid our children to amend connect the dots, so to speak, and see how the doctrines and principles of the gospel really fit together and apply to daily life. One young woman in our report made the post-obit astute ascertainment as to how informal gospel discussion tin yield unexpected and unintentional, withal powerful, gospel learning experiences:
There are two places that I hold dear to my centre and see as swell gospel learning places. This may sound foreign, but they are my parents' male monarch-size bed and the kitchen table. We near ever ate dinner together, and there we would talk about our daily activities, simply there was much more than than that. We often would get into in-depth gospel discussions or talk nigh how we felt about something. Just these little things taught me so much. Every bit for the bed—information technology had to be a king-size so all six of u.s. kids could fit on it. This was a identify where we could talk with Mom and Dad. I received so much comfort, guidance, and spiritual teaching there.
Help Your Children Come to Know for Themselves
The cement that holds gospel teachings in place in the lives of our children (also as ourselves) is personal spiritual experience. Equally was cited previously, the most powerful component of religiosity on behavior is personal spirituality—feeling the Spirit in i's ain life and experiencing the fruits of gospel living. Two scriptural accounts, though non specifically didactics parenting practices, illustrate this principle well.
The first comes from the ministry of John the Baptist. His foreordained mission was to be an Elias—one who prepares the way for someone even greater. He did non merely draw disciples to himself with his teachings and testimony. Rather, because those who listened to him were inspired by his words and touched past his love, they accepted his direction to their near important relationship—a relationship with the Savior of the world. "He must increase," John testified of Christ, "but I must decrease" (John three:30).
As parents, nosotros must be like John—preparers of the manner for our children to come to know the Primary for themselves. Nosotros tin teach, love, nurture, strengthen, serve, and exemplify, just ultimately only the Savior tin save. The religious surround of our home—teaching both past precept and example—ultimately must lead our children to him.
This leads to the second scriptural account that testifies of this—the account of Lehi'southward dream of the tree of life (see one Nephi 8). We are familiar with the story and symbols of his dream: the iron rod, the strait and narrow path, the mists of darkness, the great and spacious edifice, and the fruit of the tree, which "was desirable to brand one happy" (1 Nephi eight:ten). From Nephi'southward later commentary, nosotros acquire the spiritual meaning of the symbolic elements of the dream (see 1 Nephi 11–12). One item element of the story, however, has item application to parents. It is what Father Lehi says and does subsequently he arrived at the tree of life and partook of its fruit.
And information technology came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was well-nigh sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had always seen.
And as I partook of the fruit thereof information technology filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.
And as I cast my optics round near, that maybe I might discover my family unit also. . . .
[And] I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.
And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come up unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. (1 Nephi 8:eleven–15; emphasis added)
Whatsoever loving parent tin relate to Lehi'south want that his family also partake of the love of Christ. Virtually every parent would exercise annihilation in their ability to ensure that their children would partake of the fruit. Lehi did all he could. Nonetheless, he understood that at that place are some things that parents cannot do.
Lehi exhorted his children "with all the feeling of a tender parent" (1 Nephi 8:37), merely he could non compel his children to concur to the iron rod, come up to the tree, and partake of its fruit. He could not swallow the fruit for them or "strength-feed" them or provide some special "short-cutting" through the mists of darkness. He knew—and we must know as well—that all people, including our ain children, must come to the tree on their ain. There is no other way to partake of the saving love of the Savior. What can we, as parents, practice besides just desiring that our children come to know for themselves the honey of God, the truthfulness of the gospel, and the sweetness of the Atonement of Jesus Christ? From our written report and through years of ascertainment and experience, we have found three specific things that parents practice that are nigh effective in helping their children come to experience for themselves the blessings of personal testimony and living gospel principles.
Provide Opportunities for Spiritual Experiences
While real spiritual experiences cannot be manufactured or contrived, parents can provide opportunities and settings in which their children may more than easily feel close to the Lord and the companionship of the Holy Spirit. In this way, youth are not express to simply learning nearly the gospel and seeing it in activeness; they tin really experience it. Many immature people in our written report identified special moments—many of which were spontaneous and unexpected—when they felt an outpouring of the Spirit. One immature woman told of an experience in which her family went to the temple and did baptisms for the dead for some of their ancestors. Afterward, she said her parents talked to the children about the importance of the temple: "They told us how much they loved the temple and how thankful they were to accept u.s. sealed to them," she remembered. "We had heard these things before, but considering of what we had just been doing equally a family unit, their testimonies had a powerful bear upon on us."
Others reported like, strong spiritual feelings every bit they had father'southward blessings, witnessed the blessing of a ill family member, performed meaningful service for those in demand, or held impromptu testimony meetings. Sometimes simple things yielded the most profound spiritual feelings.
Encourage Personal Prayer and Scripture Study
If we were to identify ane matter as the single most of import gene in helping our children internalize gospel principles, it would undoubtedly be personal prayer. It is the catalyst for the development of all other spiritual traits and strengths. Those youth in our written report who consistently prayed privately had significantly lower levels of delinquency, including immorality and drug and booze use. In contrast, those youth who didn't live the standards of the Church and who engaged most frequently in delinquent behaviors, rarely if always prayed privately. Ironically, however, even amid this latter grouping, the majority reported that they participated regularly in family prayer. Equally important as family prayer, family scripture study, and family unit dwelling evening are, they are, nonetheless, external religious activities. Personal prayer and individual scripture study are internal religious behaviors that tin can have even greater power in the lives of our children.
There are prophetic promises attached to those internal private religious practices. President Ezra Taft Benson (1977) promised the youth of the Church, "If you will earnestly seek guidance from your Heavenly Male parent, morning and evening, y'all will be given the strength to shun any temptation" (p. 32). [33] Too, he promised that regular written report of the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, will yield "greater power to resist temptation" and "ability to avoid deception" (1988, p. 54). [34] Many of the young people in our report gratefully acknowledged the encouragement they received from their parents in this regard.
My dad always reminds me, "Say your prayers." This reminds me that it is not enough to take family prayer. I must pray on my own.
I am so blessed now because parents encouraged me when I was young to pray and read my scriptures on my own. Reading the scriptures and having personal prayer are things not to be done without.
Encourage our Children to Gain Their Own Personal Testimony of the Gospel
Perhaps the almost important component of the shield of religion is personal testimony and conversion. The results of our research ostend that those youth who accept their own personal conviction of the gospel take fewer behavioral problems, have a stronger sense of self-worth, and exercise better in school. They possess an inner forcefulness that enables them to resist temptation and stand firm confronting negative peer pressures. "I am satisfied . . . that whenever a human being [or woman or youth] has a true witness in his heart of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ all else will come together equally it should," President Gordon B. Hinckley (1997) said. "That is the root from which all virtue springs amongst those who call themselves Latter-day Saints" (p. 648). [35] The comments of many of the young people nosotros have surveyed through the years provide powerful witness to that fact:
I wish I had developed a strong testimony earlier in life. I found that [by] the fourth dimension I had strengthened my testimony or experienced my personal conversion, I had already given in to many temptations which I regret to this solar day. I wish I had not acted "also cool" for the gospel and instead softened my heart then a testimony could take entered in.
A testimony of the Savior and the gospel's truth is and so necessary to resist temptation. In my eyes a testimony is the best prevention confronting Satan's temptations and is the most important thing parents can teach.
My parents' top priority was that we develop our own personal testimonies.
Because Satan targets our children at younger and younger ages, they must internalize the teachings of the gospel they receive at abode and at Church building by developing a meaningful relationship with God and testimony of the truthfulness of the Restoration sooner rather than later on. Information technology's never too early on, merely information technology can become too late. We may exist seeing the fulfillment of the prophecy uttered by President Heber C. Kimball (Whitney, 1967) in the mid-nineteenth century. His warning should echo in our ears and burn down in our hearts as we daily strive to lead our children to God:
To come across the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for yous to have a noesis of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the human or adult female [or youth] who does not possess this personal noesis or witness will fall. . . . The time will come when no human being or adult female volition be able to endure on borrowed light. Each will accept to exist guided by the low-cal inside himself. If you practise not have information technology, how will you lot stand? (p. 450) [36]
Determination
The religious surroundings of our homes plays a meaning role in helping our children "put on the whole armour of God that [they] may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). President Boyd K. Packer (1995) taught:
The plan designed past the Begetter contemplates that human being and woman, husband and married woman, working together, fit each kid individually with a shield of religion made to buckle on and so firmly that it tin can neither be pulled off nor penetrated by [Satan'south] fiery darts.
Information technology takes the steady strength of a begetter to hammer out the metal of it and the tender hands of a mother to smoothen it and fit it on. Sometimes one parent is left to do it alone. Information technology is hard, but it can be done.
In the Church nosotros tin can teach nigh the materials from which a shield of faith is made: reverence, courage, chastity, repentance, forgiveness, compassion. In church building nosotros can learn how to assemble and fit them together. Merely the actual making of and fitting on of the shield of faith belongs in the family circle. (p. viii) [37]
Every bit Latter-solar day Saints, we should non demand scientific studies to validate the teachings of the scriptures or the counsel of living prophets. However, the results of our large study of LDS youth provide a powerful second witness. Religiosity—personal and family unit—connects similar a ligament the diverse aspects of the lives of Latter-24-hour interval Saint youth. The results clearly show that LDS adolescents who internalize gospel teachings are less involved in delinquent behaviors, do better in school, and feel a stronger sense of cocky-worth. Religion matters in the lives of LDS young people. Likewise, parents thing, and then does the "house of organized religion" they provide for their children.
References
---
[one] Smith, C., & Denton, One thousand. L. (2005). Soul searching: The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. New York: Oxford Academy Press.
[ii] Stark, R. (1984). Religion and conformity: Reaffirming a folklore of faith. Sociological Analysis, 45(4), 273–282.
[3] Hirschi, T., & Stark, R. (1969). Hellfire and delinquency. Social Problems, 17 (two), 202–213.
[4] Smith, C., & Denton, One thousand. L. (2005). Soul searching: The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. New York: Oxford Academy Press.
[5] Dean, Thou. C. (2010). Almost Christian: What the faith of our teenagers is telling the American church. New York: Oxford University Printing.
[6] Dean, M. C. (2010). Almost Christian: What the organized religion of our teenagers is telling the American church. New York: Oxford University Press.
[7] Chadwick, B. A., Summit, B. L., & McClendon, R. J. (2010). Shield of faith: The power of organized religion in the lives of LDS youth and immature adults. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University.
[8] Height, B. L., Chadwick, B. A., & Garrett, J. (1999). Family, religion, and delinquency amongst LDS youth. Religion, Mental Health and the Latter-day Saints. D. Thou. Judd (Ed.). Provo, UT: Religious Studies Middle, Brigham Young University, 129–168.
[9] Chadwick, B. A., & Top, B. Fifty. (1993). Religiosity and delinquency among LDS adolescents. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 32(1), 51–67.
[10] Smith, C., & Denton, M. L. (2005). Soul searching: The religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. New York: Oxford University Press.
[11] Chadwick, B. A., Top, B. L., & McClendon, R. J. (2010). Shield of religion: The power of religion in the lives of LDS youth and immature adults. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Immature University.
[12] Top, B. L., & Chadwick, B. A. (2006, February). Helping children develop feelings of cocky-worth. Ensign, 36(2), 32–37.
[thirteen] Meridian, B. L., & Chadwick, B. A. (2004). ten secrets wise parents know. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book.
[14] Top, B. 50., Chadwick, B. A., & McClendon, R. J. (2003). Spirituality and self-worth: The role of religion in shaping teens' self-paradigm. Religious Educator, 4(2), 77–93.
[15] Tiptop, B. L., & Chadwick, B. A. (1999, March). Helping teens stay strong. Ensign, 29(three), 27–34.
[16] Superlative, B. L., & Chadwick, B. A. (1998). Rearing righteous youth of Zion: Neat news, skilful news, not-so-good news. Salt Lake Metropolis: Bookcraft.
[17] Top, B. L., & Chadwick, B. A. (1993). The power of the discussion: Religion, family unit, friends, and delinquent behavior of LDS youth. BYU Studies, 33(2), 41–67.
[18] Harris, J. R. (2009). The nurture assumption: Why children turn out the way they do. New York: Simon & Schuster.
[19] Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1992). Pygmalion in the classroom: Teacher expectations and pupils' intellectual evolution. Norwalk, CT: Irvington Publishers; Sheffield, Southward Yorkshire: Ardent Media.
[20] Rosenthal, R. (1973). The Pygmalion upshot lives. Psychology Today, seven(4), 56–63
[21] Hansford, B. C., & Hattie, J. A. (1982). The relationship between self and achievement/
[22] Pipher, M. (1994). Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls. New York: Ballantine Books.
[23] Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Kreuger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does loftier self-esteem cause meliorate operation, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest , four(1), ane–44.
[24] Stark, R. (1984). Religion and conformity: Reaffirming a folklore of religion. Sociological Analysis, 45(4), 273–282.
[25] Faust, J. East. (1990). The greatest claiming in the earth—good parenting. Official Written report of the 160th Semiannual General Briefing of The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[26] Ballard, Thou. R. (1996, May). Feasting at the Lord'south table. Ensign, 26(5), 81.
[27] First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1995, November). The family: A announcement to the world. Ensign, 25(11), 102.
[28] Eyring, H. B. (1996, May). A legacy of testimony. Ensign 26(5), 63.
[29] First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-mean solar day Saints. (1999, June). Keeping children close to the Church. Ensign, 29(6), 80.
[30] First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1999, June). Keeping children close to the Church building. Ensign, 29(6), 80.
[31] First Presidency of The Church building of Jesus Christ of Latter-twenty-four hour period Saints. (1915, June). Abode evening. Improvement Era, eighteen(8), 733–734.
[32] First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (1915, June). Home evening. Improvement Era, 18(viii), 733–734.
[33] Benson, Due east. T. (1977, November). A message to the rising generation. Ensign,vii (11), 3032.
[34] Benson, E. T. (1988). The teachings of Ezra Taft Benson. Salt Lake Urban center: Bookcraft.
[35] Hinckley, G. B. (1997). Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley. Common salt Lake Urban center: Deseret Book.
[36] Whitney, O. F. (1967). Life of Heber C. Kimball (tertiary ed.). Salt Lake City: Bookcraft.
[37] Packer, B. M. (1995, May). The shield of faith. Ensign, 25(5), 8.
Source: https://rsc.byu.edu/divine-design/house-faith-how-family-religiosity-strengthens-our-children
0 Response to "The Priesthood Can Strengthen Our Families in Trials"
Enviar um comentário