It is with a feeling of humility and a prayer in my heart that I accept this assignment to speak to you at this time. I have chosen as my subject, "Keep Faith With Your Family."

As a school teacher, scoutmaster and bishop, and as I have traveled from place to place and talked to different people, I find that many are worried about their children, their youth, are criticizing the youth of other families, blaming all kinds of conditions for their problems, and are wondering just what can be done or should be done to improve these conditions. On the other hand, I find many of our youth who are frustrated, who would really like to choose and do the right and be accepted, but who wonder just what it is all about, and what is important, and why so little emphasis is placed on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is true that nothing brings greater joy and satisfaction and comfort to a parent than to see a child really develop into an honorable, respected, righteous citizen. The youth who develops into that kind of citizen is loved, respected and admired by all. How can this be accomplished?

I have always been impressed with the admonition of Joshua to his people when he said, "Choose you this day whom ye will serve, but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord"  Josh. 24:15 Then we have the promise made by the Saviour when he said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you"  Matt. 6:33

The other day I reread an article by J. Edgar Hoover entitled "Should I Force My Child" which reads:

"Shall I make my child go to Sunday School and Church? Yes! And with no further discussion about the matter. Startled? Why? How do you answer Junior when he comes to breakfast on Monday morning and announces to you that he is not going to school any more? You know! Junior goes.

"How do you answer when junior comes in very much besmudged and says, 'I'm not going to take a bath.' Junior bathes, doesn't he?

"Why all this timidity, then, in the realm of his spiritual guidance and growth? Going to let him wait and decide what Church he'll go to when he's old enough? Quit your kidding! You didn't wait until you were old enough. You don't wait until he is old enough to decide whether he wants to go to school or not to start his education. You don't wait until he is old enough to decide whether he wants to be clean or dirty do you? Do you wait until he is old enough to decide if he wants to take his medicine when he is sick, do you?

"What shall we say when junior announces he doesn't like to go to Sunday School and Church? That's an easy one to answer. Just be consistent. Tell him, 'Junior, in our house we all go to Church and to Sunday School, and that includes you.' Your firmness and example will furnish a bridge over which youthful rebellion may travel into rich and satisfying experience in personal religious living. The parents of America can strike a telling blow against the forces that contribute to our juvenile delinquency, if our mothers and fathers will take their children to Sunday School and Church regularly."

In my opinion, Mr. Hoover answers the question in the last paragraph wherein he says, "Tell him, in our house we all go to Sunday School and Church." And then again in the last sentence, "The parents of America can strike a telling blow against the forces that contribute to our juvenile delinquency if our mothers and fathers will take their children to Sunday School and Church regularly." There would be no need of forcing our children to attend Sunday School and Church if we as parents attend regularly, because that would just be a part of their lives and children like to be with their parents. It is difficult for children to understand why they should go to Sunday School or Church when their parents feel it is more important or more interesting for them to go fishing or golfing. Our Lord and Master has said, "Thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day"  D&C 59:9

I thought a friend of mine showed a good example of this when his son came to him and said, "Dad, I don't want to go to Church today." His dad replied, "My son, you have your free agency, you better hurry and get your coat or we'll be late." You notice, we'll be late—not you'll be late.

How fortunate is the boy or girl who lives in a home where the parents believe in God, the Eternal Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, and know within their hearts that the Savior came and brought the Gospel of peace and good will and gave the plan of life and salvation whereby all mankind may be saved; and who set about to so order their lives as to keep his commandments. We have been admonished, "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings and he will direct thee for good"  Alma 37:37 To join with the family in prayer every day, and to talk to our Father in Heaven, to seek his blessing, and express our gratitude, will have a profound influence not only on the life of the child, but on the lives of the family as a whole. A feeling of love, unity, and of being in tune will be experienced by all. Encourage them to go privately to the Lord in thanksgiving and supplication.

What strength and courage it gives a young man as he goes out into the world when he comes from a home where there is no question in his mind that his parents feel and always act as Paul when he says, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth"  Rom. 1:16 There are too many people in the world today who are like the chief rulers as recorded in these words, "Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than they loved the praise of God"  John 12:42-43

Great doubt is raised in the mind of a child whose parents profess one thing and do another; where they profess to be Christians and believe in God, but do nothing about it. As Elijah came unto all the people and said, "How long halt ye between two opinions. If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him"  1 Kgs. 18:21 The Lord has said, "If you love me you will keep my commandments"  John 14:15

Every day is full of choices. Our choices today determine our future and the future of our children. Such little questions as: Will I be honest? Will I keep my pledge or commitment or promise? Will I prove dependable? Will I go to Church or will I go fishing? We cannot be nearly dependable, we cannot be reasonably honest, we cannot be diligent sometimes, we cannot nearly catch a plane and be where or what we wish to be.

Let us always remember and determine that the things which matter most must not he at the mercy of things which matter least. First, we must choose what we want out of life, and then if we wish to achieve it, we must abide by the rules whether it be to gain a university degree, to become an American citizen or to reach the Celestial Kingdom.

As one of our poets wrote so well:

"Know this, that every soul is free
To choose his life and what he'll be;
For this eternal truth is given
That God will force no man to heaven.

"He'll call, persuade, direct aright
And bless with wisdom, love, and light;
In nameless ways be good and kind
But never force the human mind.

"Freedom and reason make us men
Take this away and what are we then
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heaven or hell."

Let each of us check and determine whether our innermost thoughts are holding us on the animal plane or whether they tend to lift us into the mental, moral, and spiritual realm. We become slaves as we break the laws of nature, as we become addicted to bad habits, or, we remain free as we choose the right. The Lord has said, "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me"  Ex. 20:3 Some have as their Gods money, political power, fame, false ideologies, idols, and even unknown Gods. Two or three years ago, while traveling with Lord Rowallan, Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth, I was thrilled with his comment as he led in the Scout promise. As he said, "On my honor I promise to do my duty to God," he stopped and said to the Scouters who were present, "As I make this promise I think of a God who can hear and answer prayers, who is interested in what we are doing, and who will guide us and bless us according to our needs and our faith." And then he said, "If any of you do not believe in such a God, you can serve better some place else." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life"  John 3:16

Selfishness, murder, hatred, and conquest are rampant throughout the so-called civilized world today. If each and every man could say and do as Joshua admonished, "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord"  Josh. 24:15 and keep his commandments, we would have peace in the world. Yes, if the people in the world would today "love" God and keep his commandments, we would have peace overnight. As someone has so aptly said, "Righteousness in the individual makes for harmony in the home, harmony in the home makes for order in the nation, and order in the nation results in peace in the world."

It would be most helpful if parents would sit down with the whole family and discuss what they want out of life, what they want to accomplish, and how they can help one another in doing it. After this decision is made, it will be necessary for all of them to answer the questions: Is it worth the effort, or am I prepared to do my part? Can I discipline myself, or have I the will power? Then, each and every one must make up his mind, accept his obligations, and go forward with determination realizing that it will bring the greatest joy and satisfaction and success in life. When one begins to rationalize, or try to explain why he does this or that which he knows is wrong, he is actually bringing his ideals down to his actions. Where, on the other hand, if one repents and sets about to improve himself and keep the commandments, he is raising his standards or his actions up to his ideals.

What a marvelous thing it would be if we and our children could learn early in life the joy and satisfaction that comes from living good, clean, honest, and upright lives all the time and that there is no joy or satisfaction in sin. It is so important that we all try to enjoy living and that our young people have a good time. However, this good time should be such that in the future, whether it be a month, a year, or ten years from now they can always look back on this as "a good time," realizing that a man of honor does not change his code of honor with passing circumstances. The greatest joy and happiness one can get out of living is to know that he has done and is doing right, and to be in the service of the Lord.

We have the old commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee"  Ex. 20:12 Children should be taught and trained to honor their father and their mother. Their parents gave them life and cared for them when they could not care for themselves. Every child of every age should love and honor his parents. It is much easier, however, for children to do this if the parents live worthy of the honor of their children and are always an example to them, where they wield a real influence for good in their lives.

There is no responsibility greater than that of teaching and training a child to be an honest, honorable, and righteous citizen; and there is no stronger, more effective way of doing it than for the parent to be what he would like his son to be. What a great day it will be for the world and the Church when every father and son will do and be what he would like the other to think he is. In other words, father should always try to put himself in the position where he would be glad to have his son say, "I do nothing save that which I have seen my father do." It is the manner of our living and not the words we use to explain it that makes up the moral fiber of the children God has given to us. We should never be surprised if our children grow up to be like us. Therefore, we must take the time to be the kind of people we would like our children to be. It is so important that the rush of the world and the pressure of business do not make fathers and sons strangers. When we say with a shrug of the shoulder, "Boys will be boys," maybe we should remember that boys will soon be men and set about to help make them men. There is a point at which sympathy becomes coddling and kindness becomes indulgence and they who are too busy, too lazy, or too softhearted to give children the example and discipline they need are being unfair to everyone and particularly to the children. It is most difficult for parents to discipline their children and expect them to do those things which are not important enough for parents to do themselves.

We are all the children of God and he wants us to succeed and stands ready to answer a call. Let us never forget that the Lord has said, "This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man"  Moses 1:39 Satan has pledged himself to destroy man. We should always thank our Heavenly Father that Satan cannot force us to do wrong; and also, realize and be thankful for the fact that the Lord will not force us to do right. We have our free agency and we can choose to do right or wrong, to be a failure or success, to serve the Lord or Baal.

Let us not forget that a young man or a young woman of character, industry, faith, intelligence and loyalty will always be at a premium and will always be able to find a place or make one when he can truthfully say, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord"  Josh. 24:15 and truly seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, knowing that all things for his good will be added unto him.