My Dear Brethren And Sisters And Friends...

My dear brethren and sisters and friends, I appreciate the opportunity of being with you this beautiful afternoon in this historic building located in the valley of the mountains. I am grateful for the blessing of living in this land where we may worship in freedom. ¶

This gratitude is more meaningful today because of a short visit behind the iron curtain a few weeks ago, where the state police determine who will worship where and when. ¶

I am grateful beyond expression for the blessing I have had for the past four years of associating with these great men, the General Authorities of the Church. My constant prayer is that I will not disappoint them nor my Heavenly Father in trying to carry out my responsibilities. ¶

Morals of Youth

An article published some time ago in Town and Country was condensed for the Reader's Digest. It was entitled "What Parents Think about Campus Morals." If I counted correctly, there were twelve responses published. They represented many different areas of the country. I was interested in the reaction of parents to the prior survey mentioned in this article reporting a breakdown in morals on many campuses throughout the nation. Of the twelve representative replies, most parents seemed to feel a need for change. All of them felt an urgent need for better discipline on the part of the colleges and universities. Only two mentioned that parents had any responsibility in this problem. The rest seemed to feel that it was the responsibility of the schools. ¶

Some weeks ago a news release told of the brutal attack of a group of socalled overprivileged teen-age boys on a girl, and then the efforts of one of the fathers who happened to be a prominent businessman in the city to ward off any prosecution of his son with the statement that boys must let off steam sometimes. ¶

The other evening at our dinner table, one of the children wanted to leave to participate in another activity. ¶

He hadn't quite finished his salad. I told him that as soon as he finished the salad, he could be excused. ¶

My attention was diverted for a moment or two, and off he went. ¶

When I called to him, he assured me he had finished his salad. ¶

As I helped to clear the dishes, I removed the cover from the disposal, and there before my eyes were the two pieces of tomato that were supposed to have been eaten. A discussion followed. He knows I haven't forgotten the incident, but I think he has forgotten that he still needs to establish the punishment. ¶

Responsibility for correction

After our discussion, I overheard him remark to his sister, "All of this for just two old pieces of tomato." ¶

I cite these three incidents because I think they have something in common. They have a thread of weakness that to me is one of the most insidious problems we face today, and this is the failure on our part to be willing to accept full responsibility for our own actions. ¶

In the first case, the parents apparently felt the educational institution had the responsibility to discipline the students, and this is as it should be. But more important is the question "What responsibilities had the parents in rearing their children, in teaching them proper standards, infusing them with a sense of self-discipline, inspiring them to have the courage to face up to the consequences of their own actions?" ¶

Responsibility of Parents

If the parents had accepted their responsibility, the school's problem would have been infinitely easier. All too often parents look to others to carry out responsibilities that rightfully belong to the parents. They sometimes even use worthwhile activities such as church or civic work as the excuse to absolve themselves of some of their responsibilities in the home. Too many parents blame others for the problems their children experience when in reality the basic responsibility is on their own doorstep. Until we, as parents, accept the full responsibility for training our children to be honest, to be moral, to exercise self-discipline, to have integrity and other basic virtues, we cannot say we have shouldered our full responsibility. ¶

In the second case, we see an indulgent father at his very worst, trying to shield his son from facing up to the consequences of an unlawful and heinous crime, excusing him by saying, "Boys will be boys." ¶

No matter what the father's motivation, by failing to teach his son that he must answer for his actions, he is doing him a terrible disservice. What will the son's next offense be? And will the father try to place the blame on someone else when his excuse, "Boys will be boys," becomes meaningless? ¶

Unless this father teaches his son that he, the son, must answer for his actions no matter what the consequences, he will fail as a father. ¶

Finally, the third case. It would be so easy to shrug off this incident as just one of those childish occurrences. ¶

There were just two old pieces of tomato involved. For some reason I couldn't see it that way. To me, if this wonderful boy, whom I love very dearly, is not taught that he cannot be just partly honest, that he is either an honest person or he is not, if he is not taught that on small things he must face up to the consequences and answer for his actions, how can he possibly know later in life that he must answer for his actions when more serious things are involved? ¶

Responsibility of Children

This then is the challenge! What a great one it is — not only to be willing to answer for our own actions but to teach our children that they must be willing and have the courage to answer for their actions. Many of the evils that beset the world today can be traced to this weakness. ¶

Too many people today are passing the buck, not willing to own up to their own responsibility. ¶

If we, as parents, will teach our children to have a sense of responsibility, a willingness to answer for their actions, we will be a blessing to them, and they in turn will be a blessing and a delight to all with whom they associate. ¶

I am grateful for my responsibilities as a parent. I am grateful for my responsibilities in the Church. I know it is true. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God lives, that Jesus Christ gave his life that we might live. ¶

I know that God has a mouthpiece on earth today in the person of David O. McKay. ¶

I humbly pray, my brothers and sisters, that all parents will sense their responsibility toward their children and that they will carry that responsibility in a pleasing and acceptable manner to our Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶