Super busy week this week it flew by, we had exchanges this week with Elder Havili and Elder Stout in St. Charles, and I was with Elder Stout for exchanges. Throwback it was crazy cool and lots of fun. It rained all day, we were able to teach some people. The most memorable thing we did was we helped one of the people they are teaching try to find her keys in the wet garbage bags outside their house... grossssss. We were wearing gloves but the smell was horrid. Thursday we went to Columbia for Zone Conference, it was wonderful. Got to see a lot of people there that I knew. We shoveled rock for a man named Mickey Friday and Saturday. We are exhausted it feels great though. We have been really busy lately. A Super-fast week this week.
I have shared a lot of thoughts these past few weeks on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our Saviors Atonement also the importance of commandments and obedience. Today I wish to share some thoughts and who helps us do that and where this takes place. In Alma 56:47-48 in the Book of Mormon tells an important story about some young men and their mothers. Back ground to these verses is these young men stood in the place of their fathers in battle because their fathers made promises to never fight again. These young men are being chased in battle by a strong army and the leader of the, what the book of Mormon calls them, The stripling warriors, asks these young men if they would turn around and fight and they said yes with great courage and confidence. In the verses, we read it helps us to understand who helped them develop this courage.
47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death, and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.
48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
What I love about this story are the important roles each member of the family plays. The Father is a righteous covenant keeper and understood the eternal importance of keeping his sacred promises with God (Covenant), The Mother understood her righteous responsibility of teaching truth to her young children, but also the young men who chosen to follow their parent's powerful example of gospel living.
Where did these young stripling warriors learn these truths and follow these examples? A simple answer would be the Home. Harold B Lee stated "the most important of the Lords work you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home" This statement is true today as well, as we learn together in our families we grow stronger and closer together and that is because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Atonement of our Savior. As Grandpa Washburn would say in his talk "The Temple is a Family Affair"... "We go to the temple to make covenants, but we go home to keep the covenants that we have made. The home is the testing ground. The home is the place where we learn to be more Christlike. The home is the place where we learn to overcome selfishness and give ourselves in service to others."
I am grateful for my mother and father teaching me the gospel and giving me examples to follow. It reminds me of the children’s hymn "Love is spoken here" and these are the lyrics to that song.
1. (Girls) I see my mother kneeling with our family each day.
I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray.
Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears,
And I am thankful love is spoken here.
2. (Boys) Mine is a home where ev'ry hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood power,
With father and mother leading the way,
Teaching me how to trust and obey;
And the things they teach are crystal clear,
For love is spoken here.
(3rd ending) I can often feel the Savior near
When love is spoken here.
What I have learned on my mission is that application, the way this example of these stripling warriors applies to me is in the way of serving a mission. I have never served a mission, I was taught that I should go, I had a father who served and countless other friends and relatives go on missions. It is truly through righteous examples and diligent mothers that boys are turned into men.
Have a great week. Do something nice for your mom or in most cases with the people of this email your wife. I love you all have a great week
Love,
Elder Washburn
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