Sister Killian gave a wonderful lesson today, I wish I could share the spirit that was there, but I am afraid I can't convey that here. I'll try to share her insights though and do her justice.
By word and example, at home and around the world, in Church and civic settings, President Ezra Taft Benson taught the importance of being good parents. “Nurture your children with love and the admonitions of the Lord,” he said.1 “God holds parents responsible for their stewardship in rearing their family. It is a most sacred responsibility.”
President Benson and his wife, Flora, worked closely together in fulfilling their sacred responsibilities as parents. They “approached the task of nurturing their family unit with energy and enthusiasm.”3 They frequently counseled together about their children and other matters.
They worked together to create a home where their children could grow and learn—and where their children wanted to be. “I would have rather been home than anywhere,” their son Mark said. “It was a refuge from the storm. Mother was the protective element, and Dad was there with his strength.”
Sister Killian shared a personal experience from her life. A number of years ago one of her daughters was being stalked. As her mother it was her job to protect her. Through the spirit, via dreams and premonitions, she knew she needed to keep her family safe and that her daughter was in grave danger. They sold their house and bought some land where they basically camped and lived off the grid for 18 months. Of course this was a trial, but it was what they needed to do to keep their family safe. They were protected through this experience also. They adapted the Missionary lifestyle, Sister Killian was always with her daughter. One day while shopping at broulims, they felt an evil presence and knew that the stalker was in the store. Without hesitation they got out of there. On the day that her dreams and the spirit told her something would have been the day something horrible would happen, they kept their daughter safe. A woman was murdered at an event that normally the Killians would have been at. Again, they were protected. Sister Killian did what needed to be done to protect her family. She was the mom they needed and took her role seriously.
This was probably a hard story for her to relate, but it taught me so much. It made me realize that as a mother, the Lord will guide us on how best to protect our family, if we but listen to it. Thank you for your example!
President Benson was frequently away from home because of his work and Church duties, so Flora assumed much of the responsibility for nurturing and teaching their six children. She relished her role of motherhood. “The home is the center of our mortal affections,” she said.7 Mark recalled, “Mother absolutely loved home. And she loved us—not because it was her duty to, but because that was her life.”8 Expressing her feelings about the importance of being a mother, Flora wrote: “If you want to find greatness, don’t go to the throne, go to the cradle. There is mighty power in a mother. She is the one who molds hearts, lives, and shapes character.”
When President Benson was away from home, he always sought ways to watch over and strengthen his family. He maintained regular contact with them through phone calls and letters. When he was home, he spent as much time with them as possible. He often cited the story of “a busy father who explained the hours he spent playing ball with his son by saying, ‘I’d sooner have a backache now than a heartache later.’”
When he could, President Benson took his children with him during his travels. In March 1948 he took his daughter Bonnie, who was seven years old at the time, to an agriculture meeting in Nebraska. “The press was so intrigued by the poise of the little girl, and by the anomalous example of a father bringing such a young child on such a long trip to attend such a distinguished function, that a picture of Bonnie was featured on the front page [of the newspaper] the next morning. But to Elder Benson the incident was not an anomaly. He frequently took the children with him on out-of-town trips, both as a means of cementing good relations and of educating them.”
A child needs a mother more than all the things money can buy. Spending time with your children is the greatest gift of all.
Check back later in the week, I'll post the rest of the lesson on Wednesday.
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