Well, the Standards Night Q&A has come and gone. Hopefully the youth got something out of it. It really left me wanting. Wanting more time. Time to explain, time to talk, time to get into their heads and hearts and stress to them the things that I, and many other adults, know. Life is tough. For some it's even tougher. They need to know that it is okay that life is tough. They need to know they are not the only one going through it; that others have before them. They need to know that God is there for them; that He is real and that He wants happiness as much and more than they do themselves and because of that, He will guide them when they need guidance. He will buoy them when they need buoying. They need to know. Hopefully they do.
The process of the Q&A was different than I expected. The questions for some reason seemed different to me. As I read the questions and introduction initially, it seemed to me that the purpose of the night and the questioning was to stress that God has a plan and that we each play different roles in that plan as women and men; that there is a distinct and divine difference in each gender and that there is an important purpose in each gender that cannot be filled by the other. I don't know that this was accomplished. Much advice was given by the 7 other wonderful people along side of me in that panel. I have no doubt that many of the kids tuned in to what one or the other was saying as we answered the questions, but it just didn't satisfy my want to connect with the kids personally. It left me feeling as I stated before, that I wanted to line them all up and give them individual time with the panel to answer their individual questions. Hopefully, the youth have opportunities to do just that with their parents, Bishops and youth leaders.
The basis of the discussion was surrounding the document, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". What an important document this is. You can, and should read the document in its entirety here. In particular, this paragraph:
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
The closing remarks given by the counselor in the Stake Presidency were inspired and well spoken. He did a great job at expressing sensitivity to those who do not come from families that fit the ideal model that is taught by the church. Divorce happens, death happens, parents are absent for a number of reasons. Not every family fits this perfect image that is taught by the church, but as he mentioned, we teach the ideal. Why would we not? We should strive for that family; the family that is described in The Proclamation. Why would anybody not strive for that? As we live and experience otherwise, we should look to that ideal as our goal and do the best we can. As we fall short, we have choices and can always do our best. Most importantly, now more than ever, these young men and young women need to know what their roles are in that ideal family and why it is important they strive to fill those roles. If they aren't taught to do so in their homes and at church, they surely will not hear it elsewhere.
It is easy for me to get caught up in the doom and gloom of the direction the world is going. It is easy to look at society and recognize that things are pretty jacked up out there. You don't need to look far before you sense that everything is upside down. Good is now bad and bad is now good. People are embracing sin or excusing it. The righteous are being mocked and ridiculed and in a world like that, the weak will surely find it easier to take the path of least resistance, but that path will not yield the true happiness and joy that can be found in family. As I looked out over the congregation of about 500+ youth and youth leaders, I was comforted. As the good Stake counselor pointed out, God has saved the best for last and surely many of them were in attendance Sunday night.
I am happy to have been a participant, I wish I could have said more. I pray there is not a shortage of sound advice passed along to each of them and that they are open to those messages of love and hope. I'm grateful for my family; the family I was raised by and the family I raise now. I was not raised in a family that fit that ideal mold, but we strived towards that and I am blessed daily as a result. My family now doesn't fit that ideal mold quite perfectly, but we will one day, I have no doubt. I love God and I know he loves me. I recognize the divine roles we each play as Mothers and Fathers and Husbands and Wives. I know that He in His ultimate wisdom created things this way and it is my prayer that my children will recognize this in our family.
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