Are we frightened for today’s youth growing up in a world, wicked as it is? This week’s Come Follow Me, through Daniel and his friends remind us sin-resistant youth can rise to meet and even exceed expectations and survive Babylon even as they face fierce beasts and fiery fury.
Paragraph 6 of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states “Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live.”
This reminds us that if we aren’t intentionally teaching our youth and children, we’re the only ones who aren’t. The adversary takes every moment and opportunity, do we?
Sister Julie Beck has said, “Many threats are coming to them that can discourage them from forming an eternal family. Our role in this is to teach them so they don’t misunderstand. We must be very clear on key points of doctrine, which we find in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” This generation will be called upon to defend the doctrine of the family as never before. If they don’t know it, they can’t defend it.”
Sister Jones recently provided this counsel, “We must understand our—and their—divine identity and purpose … Helping children become sin-resistant is to begin at very early ages to lovingly infuse them with basic gospel doctrines and principles—from the scriptures, the Articles of Faith, the For the Strength of Youth booklet, Primary songs, hymns, and our own personal testimonies—that will lead children to the Savior.”
The stakes are high and the push against the world can feel daunting and exhausting, but we get help from angels too.
“There are forces that work beyond our sight. Sometimes we think the whole job is up to us, forgetful that there are loved ones beyond our sight who are thinking about us and our children … [and] influences from beyond constantly working to try to help us when we do all we can.” (President Harold B. Lee)