Parenting and the Plan

                Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when parents and children recognize that parents are not asked to be perfect parents. While yet in our pre-mortal existence, Heavenly Father told us that He had a plan whereby we can return to His presence and live with Him for eternity. The main purposes for our coming to earth were to gain a physical body and to gain knowledge and experience. Part of that knowledge and experience comes when we assume the role of parents. Wise parents can learn much from their children.

                Anne Hinton Pratt has an interesting article titled “Perfect Parenting Is Not The Plan.” Pratt writes of the difficulty of being a parent and how some of us belief we have to be “perfect parents.” She shares an experience of “a dear friend” who was enlightened about parenting. Like most parents of older children, she was feeling a little guilty that she did not understand while rearing her children what she understood after they were grown.

                While she was in this thought, the voice of the Spirit whispered to her: “It isn’t a shame, but a cause to rejoice! You have improved and grown. It is not the plan for children to be born to perfect parents, but that through parenting you learn important and true principles and experience personal growth. It is ok if your children aren’t perfect when they leave your home. Your children’s growth does not end after they are raised, but continues just like yours has, and as they parent their own children, they will continue to learn and grow. In fact, some lessons are better learned as a parent, than as a child. You have already had the experience of being raised by perfect parents in the pre-existence. Now this earth life is a new experience for you, and being a perfect parent is not in the plan.”

                Pratt’s entire article is very informative and helpful, and I suggest that you read it in its entirety. I would like to briefly share her counsel on “how to maximize our learning” as parents. Her suggestions are: (1) “Learn to love the way God loves; to love someone no matter what they say, no matter what they do.” (2) Learn to forgive others and yourself. (3) Learn from your children. (4) “Be humble enough to repent and admit when we’re wrong? (5) Recognize that “You were given exactly the right children to bring out your best AND your worst” in order to help you to grow the most. “Thank God for those children.”

                Pratt suggests that we ask ourselves, “How much do I repent, forgive and love?” instead of wondering how perfect we are at parenting. We do not need to be perfect parents, but we can strengthen our families, communities, and nations by being responsible parents. 

Follow Police Instructions

                The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday comes from Evangelist Franklin Graham, the son of Billy Graham, the famed Christian leader. Graham did not mince words when he decided to comment on the issue of police shootings. He has advice for people who are stopped by the police: “Follow their instructions.” Graham said that he posted on Facebook in an effort “to help you survive to live another day.”

                Graham admits that there are “too many avoidable shootings,” but he had some advice to anyone that is stopped by law enforcement. “Listen up, whites, blacks, Latinos, and everybody else. I’ve said it before, and I’m going to say it again…. If you’re stopped by law enforcement, here’s some simple advice – Follow their instructions!” He said that people could “greatly diminish your chances of getting shot” by following directions.

                Graham continues, “Just do what the officer says! … If they say `Stop,’ then stop. If they say, `Lie down,’ then lie down. If they say, `Put your hands up,’ then put your hands up.” He added “Don’t argue” with the officer just because you think he is wrong. “That doesn’t mean mistakes aren’t going to be made, but heeding this advice may save our life…. No matter what our skin color, we all bleed red. We’re all human beings created by God – and every life matters.”

                I totally agree with Graham because his advice makes total sense to me. There may be some bad cops out there patrolling our streets and highways, but the vast majority of them are good people who simply want to do their job – keeping us safe.

                All of us must help them fulfill their duty by simply following their instructions, and parents, grandparents, and teachers must step up and teach the rising generation to obey the instructions. The life we save may be our own or the life of someone we love!

               

National ICE Council

                To say that the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Council does not like the way things are going in our nation may be an understatement. According to V. Saxena, the council recently announced its “first-ever presidential endorsement.”

                The recent announcement by Chris Crane, the president of the council, states, “We hereby endorse Donald J. Trump, and urge all Americans, especially the millions of lawful immigrants living within our country, to support Donald J. Trump, and to protect American jobs, wages and lives.”

                The council represents “7,600 federal immigration officers and law enforcement support staff members.” Crane explains that the council chose to put the decision to its members, and the council members voted for Trump with Hillary Clinton receiving only five percent of that vote. Crane explains the results of the vote by saying that Clinton supports “the most radical immigration proposal in U.S. history.”

                The council desires a different proposal that would stop the flood of immigrants across the U.S. borders, end sanctuary cities, save the lives of American citizens, and “restore immigration security.”

                I am very pleased to know of this endorsement by the National ICE Council. It tells me that the agents themselves want something different, and I feel more hope about the immigration situation.

New Movie

                There is a new movie on the market that you might want to see before you vote in the presidential election in November. You may even want to take your “Undecided” family members and/or friends to it.

                John Zmirak says that “every voter in America really ought to see” the “fascinating new documentary, Clinton, Inc.” The movie is based on a book written by Daniel Halper and “is a cool, objective look at the rise of both Bill and Hillary Clinton. The producer of Clinton, Inc. is Doug Sain, who also produced 2016: Obama’s America.

                Zmirak states, “But this film doesn’t focus on ideology. In fact, it’s a movie you can take your liberal friends and family members to see. They’ll emerge from it deeply troubled about Hillary Clinton’s character and her fitness to be president.” He writes that the movie “consults biographers, former advisers …, psychologists, marital therapists, FBI agents, and progressive activists, to analyze the characters of both candidates and the changes they’ve undergone over the decades.”

                So, if you want to know more about Hillary and Bill Clinton, you might want to see this movie. It should answer the questions of many people. It might answer YOUR questions. 

Ted Cruz

                Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made news recently when he announced on Facebook that he would vote for the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. Cruz announced, “After many months of careful consideration, of prayer and searching my own conscience.” He gave two reasons why he came to this decision: (1) He promised to support the Republican nominee (2) “Hillary Clinton is wholly unacceptable.”

                Cruz then proceeds to discuss “Six key policy differences” that inform his decision: (1) The Supreme Court. “For anyone concerned about the Bill of Rights – free speech, religious liberty, the Second Amendment – the Court hangs in the balance.” Cruz said that the deciding factor was Trump’s release of “a very strong list of potential Supreme Court nominees … and making an explicit commitment to nominate only from that list. This commitment matters, and it provides a serious reason for voters to choose to support Trump.” (2) Obamacare. Trump pledged to sign legislation repealing Obamacare. (3) Energy. Trump promises to “reduce regulations” on the energy sector and allow it to create more jobs. (4) Immigration. Trump promises to “revoke those illegal executive orders.” (5) National Security. Trump promises “to stop the deluge of unvetted refugees.” (6) Internet Freedom. “Trump came out strongly against” Obama’s plan to “hand over control of the Internet to an international community….”

                It appears to me that Cruz came to the same conclusion that I have reached. There is only one chance to keep Hilary Clinton out of the White House, and that chance rests on Donald Trump. “Our country is in crisis. Hillary Clinton is manifestly unfit to be president, and her policies would harm millions of Americans. And Donald Trump is the only thing standing in her way.”

                I am not excited about having Donald Trump as the President of the United States. I have never liked the man, and I do not like the way he has acted in this election. He is far from my first choice as a President – or even my second, third, and fourth choices. I have never been a “Never Trump” person, but I have always been a “Never Clinton” person. We may not know what we are getting with Trump, but we do know what we will get with Clinton!

                I see no better alternative to meet my goal to keep Clinton out of the White House than voting for Trump. There may be better people running for the office of President, but they will never win the election. I may be “falling on my sword” just like Ted Cruz, but I am doing it for my country! 

Supreme Court Justices

                The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday concerns the Supreme Court. The Constitution states,    “The President … shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law…” (Article II, Section 2, Clause 2).

                The President “shall nominate” and “appoint” with the Consent” of the Senate. The importance of nominating and appointing new Justices cannot be overstated. If Hillary Clinton becomes the next President of the United States, she will nominate liberal people to become Justices. Donald Trump already has a list of 21 individuals that he has promised to choose from if he becomes President.

                John G. Malcolm wrote an article titled “A Conservative Take on Trump’s New Supreme Court Nominee List” for The Daily Signal. He writes, “As was the case with his original list [of 11 people], the men and women who have been added appear to be eminently qualified to sit on the high court. Nine of these individuals … clerked for Supreme Court justices, and several others held distinguished clerkships as well.

                “Many of them have taught or continue to teach at prestigious law schools, [one] is a sitting U.S. senator, and [one] served four terms in the House of Representatives. While several served as state or federal prosecutors, at least one … served as a federal public defender.

                “One thing that is particularly striking about the Trump list is the geographic diversity and non-federal judicial experience of many of the identified individuals. As Scalia noted in his dissenting opinion in the same-sex marriage case, the current composition of the Supreme Court hardly reflects `a cross-section of America.’ …

                “Nine of the people on the Trump list, on the other hand, are sitting state supreme court justices from eight different states across the country. Two of them … sat as state court judges before becoming federal judges…. [One sits on the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, which would likely give her a different perspective from most other federal judges.

                “Individuals with experience on state courts are less likely to have a jaundiced view of the competency of state court judges, who are sometimes treated like the figurative poor step-child by the federal judiciary….”

                Should you still be undecided how you will vote in November, please take some time to read Malcolm’s entire article. He gives some very good reasons why we need to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. 

Conference Time

                General Conference is one of my favorite times of the year and comes each spring and fall. One reason why I enjoy it so much is that I have the opportunity to listen to the prophet of the Lord and His apostles. I am grateful that I live in a time when prophets and apostles walk among us to teach us. I am also grateful that their counsel is available in numerous modes to remind me and to help me apply it to my life.

                Some months or years ago, I adopted the habit of reading at least one Ensign article each morning as part of my personal devotional. Since I added the Ensign to my daily study, I am blessed to read the most recent magazine each month. The only exceptions are the conference issues, which take a couple of months. I somehow read enough articles to read the May 2016 Ensign fast enough that I could start over on the talks. This has been a great blessing to me as it reminds me – again – of the counsel given by prophets and apostles.

                I recently read again the short talks given by our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because of his advanced age and possible health problems, President Monson speaks only twice during a conference. He speaks to the priesthood brethren and to the general Church members. I miss his opening and closing remarks. I always felt that the Prophet gave some of the most important counsel during the final fifteen minutes of the conference.

                In his talk given to the priesthood brethren in April 2016, President Monson reminds them that the priesthood is “a sacred trust” given to them by God. He explains, “Ours is the responsibility to guard and protect that priesthood and to be worthy of all the glorious blessings our Father in Heaven has in store for us – and for others through us….This precious gift of priesthood power brings with it not only solemn responsibilities but also special blessings for ourselves and for others. May we, in whatever place we may find ourselves, always be worthy to call upon its power, for we never know when our need and our opportunity to do so may come.”

                President Monson then proceeds to share an experience of one of his friends during World War II. His friend’s plane was shot down in the South Pacific, and the entire crew was able to escape the burning plane, inflate their life rafts, and cling to the rafts for three days.

                “On the third day they spotted what they knew to be a rescue vessel. It passed them by. The next morning it passed them by again. They began to despair as they realized that this was the last day the rescue vessel would be in the area.

                “Then the Holy Spirit spoke to my friend: `You have the priesthood. Command the rescuers to pick you up.’

                “He did as prompted: `In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the priesthood, turn about and pick us up.’

                “Within a few minutes the vessel was beside them, helping them on deck. A faithful and worthy bearer of the priesthood, in his extremity, had exercised that priesthood, blessing his life and the lives of others” (“A Sacred Trust,” Ensign, May 2016). 

                That was a powerful message to the priesthood brethren to “always be worthy” to exercise the power of the priesthood. The next morning the Prophet spoke to the general membership of the Church and said that he had been thinking about choices. “It has been said that the door of history turns on small hinges, and so do people’s lives. The choices we make determine our destiny.”

                Explaining that we brought the gift of agency with us when we came to earth, President Monson says, “Our goal is to obtain celestial glory, and the choices we make will, in large part, determine whether or not we reach our goal."

                President Monson shares an experience of Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. “You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. As she contemplates which way to turn, she is confronted by the Cheshire Cat, of whom Alice asks, `Which path shall I follow?’

                “The cat answers, `That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.’

                “Unlike Alice, we know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for the path we follow in this life leads to our destination in the next life.

                “May we choose to build up within ourselves a great and powerful faith which will be our most effective defense against the designs of the adversary – a real faith, the kind of faith which will sustain us and will bolster our desire to choose the right. Without such faith, we go nowhere. With it, we can accomplish our goals….

                “May we maintain the courage to defy the consensus. May we ever choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.

                “As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day – whether to make this choice or that choice – if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice” (“Choices,” Ensign, May 2016). 

                This counsel given by the living prophet supports and strengthens some verses I read in the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ yesterday. The prophet Moroni shares some counsel given to him by his father, Mormon – another prophet.

                “Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy of God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

                “But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God” (Moroni 7:12-13).

                The counsel of prophets, ancient and modern, tells us that we have a “precious” and “sacred power” among us. We can be worthy to bear the power and/or receive the blessings of the priesthood if we are worthy. We can remain worthy by making good choices for our decisions determine our destinies. We can be certain that our choices are good if we choose Christ. Anything that “inviteth and enticeth” us to “do good continually,” “to love God, and to serve him” will lead us to Christ.

                 I am anxious to study the words of the prophets and apostles given to us this weekend. I know they will strengthen my faith and help me to choose Christ.