The Love of a Father
Father’s Day 2021
By: Renee’ Farrell
“We believe in God, the Eternal
Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ,
and in the Holy Ghost.” To many of us, even the young primary children this is
a familiar sentence but how many of us have pondered the power within this
statement and the relativity it has in our personal lives. President Hinckley
taught; “They (speaking of Godhead) are distinct beings, but they are one in
purpose and effort. They are united as one in bringing to pass the grand,
divine plan for the salvation and exaltation of the children of God. In His
great, moving prayer in the garden before His betrayal, Christ pleaded with His
Father concerning the Apostles, whom He loved, saying: “Neither pray I for
these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they
also may be one in us” (John 17:20–21). It is that perfect unity between the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that binds these three into the oneness of
the divine Godhead.” This is the same unity that should exist between married
couples and even our ward family.
About
Us---end about dad or Jake
If
dad- personal interviews each Sunday even working all week
Just as we have an earthly father or
father figure, likewise we have an eternal father or a Heavenly Father. Today,
I will briefly discuss the Godhead, to those who may be unfamiliar with the
term godhead, for the purpose of my talk today it is defined as the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Now, I know it is Father’s Day and no worries, I will also
intertwine the assigned topis of a father’s love. The thought occurred to me
that this was a most appropriate topic, a father’s love, because all that we
are blessed with, we owe to our Father in Heaven and elder brother, Jesus
Christ. So, doesn’t it make sense that as we celebrate fathers today, that we
acknowledge our Heavenly Father as well as his unconditional love for us.
Jeffrey R. Holland states: “Our first
and foremost article of faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We believe in
God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”
We believe these three divine
persons constituting a single Godhead are united in purpose, in manner, in
testimony, in mission. We believe Them to be filled with the same godly sense
of mercy and love, justice and grace, patience, forgiveness,
and redemption.” It is my intention to briefly touch on the first two members
of the Godhead. It is vital to understand that the members of the Godhead are
three distinct individuals with one purpose. If there is anyone in the
congregation today that seeks to gain their own testimony or understanding of
the Godhead, or may be struggling with their personal testimony, I urge you to
pray and ask our Heavenly Father. Seek out the answers to your questions,
ultimately, the Holy Ghost will provide that sacred assurance. The scriptures
are full of references, I am confident the bishopric, missionaries, ward
leaders, or even myself can provide references but seek the understanding from
our Father. He is exactly that, our Heavenly Father and wants to help us and
hear from us. He is not out of reach and awaits our visits. God is loving,
merciful, and wants us to seek Him out.
I, like President Hinckley, “believe without
equivocation or reservation in God, the Eternal Father. He is my Father, the
Father of my spirit, and the Father of the spirits of all men. He is the great
Creator, the Ruler of the Universe. He directed the creation of this earth on
which we live. In His image man was created. He is personal. He is real. He is
individual. He has “a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (D&C 130:22)…. This is the Almighty of whom I stand
in awe and reverence. It is He to whom I look in fear and trembling. It is He
whom I worship and unto whom I give honor and praise and glory. He is my
Heavenly Father, who has invited me to come unto Him in prayer, to speak with
Him, with the promised assurance that He will hear and respond.”
The
second member of the Godhead is Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. He is the firstborn
of the Father and the only begotten of the Father in flesh. He is an individual
separate and distinct from his Father. He is our elder brother and friend. None
so great has ever walked the earth. None other has made a comparable sacrifice
or granted a comparable blessing. He is the Savior and the Redeemer of the
world. I believe in Him. I declare His divinity without equivocation or
compromise. I love Him. I speak His name in reverence and wonder. I worship Him
as I worship His Father, in spirit and in truth. I thank Him and kneel before
His wounded feet and hands and side, amazed at the love He offers me. President
Uchtdorf stated in the last GC that “we all depend on the Savior, none of us
can be saved without him. Christ’s atonement is infinite and eternal.
Forgiveness from our sins comes with conditions.”
To Elder Holland’s witness, I add my own
personal knowledge: “I testify that Jesus Christ is the literal, living Son of
our literal, living God. This Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer who, under the
guidance of the Father, was the Creator of heaven and earth and all things that
in them are. I bear witness that He was born of a virgin mother, that in His lifetime
He performed mighty miracles observed by legions of His disciples and by His
enemies as well. I testify that He had power over death because He was divine
but that He willingly subjected Himself to death for our sake because for a
period of time He was also mortal. I declare that in His willing submission to
death He took upon Himself the sins of the world, paying an infinite price for
every sorrow and sickness, every heartache and unhappiness from Adam to the end
of the world. In doing so He conquered both the grave physically and hell
spiritually and set the human family
free. I bear witness that He was literally resurrected from the tomb and, after
ascending to His Father to complete the process of that Resurrection, He
appeared, repeatedly, to hundreds of disciples in the Old World and in the New.
I know He is the Holy One of Israel, the Messiah who will one day come again in
final glory, to reign on earth as Lord of lords and King of kings. I know that
there is no other name given under heaven whereby a man can be saved and that
only by relying wholly upon His merits, mercy, and everlasting grace can
we gain eternal life.
My
additional testimony regarding this resplendent doctrine is that in preparation
for His millennial latter-day reign, Jesus has already come, more than once, in
embodied majestic glory. In the spring of 1820, a 14-year-old boy, confused by
many of these very doctrines that still confuse much of Christendom, went into
a grove of trees to pray. In answer to that earnest prayer offered at such a
tender age, the Father and the Son appeared as embodied, glorified beings to
the boy prophet Joseph Smith.
That day marked the beginning of the return of the true, New Testament gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the restoration of other prophetic truths offered
from Adam down to the present day.” The miraculous appearance to the boy,
Joseph Smith, builds my knowledge of the divinity of the Godhead. Miracle of
miracles and wonder of wonders, they are interested in us, and we are the
substance of their great concern. They are available to each of us. We approach
the Father through the Son. He is our intercessor at the throne of God. How
marvelous it is that we may so speak to the Father in the name of the Son.”
Coming
to understand the role of the first two members of the Godhead helps us become
better Saints and better stewards. The scriptures are full of examples. One of the most well-known stories in the
scriptures is that of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15:11-32, a story about
the Father’s love that we, his children, can understand. In reviewing the
story, there are three big take a ways about a father’s love.
1. The father let the son go.
It was
customary in those days for the eldest son to not only receive a double portion
of his father's inheritance but to be the first one to do so. It was also
customary to wait until the father died or the father chose to parcel out his
wealth to his children. This child didn't wait his turn or wait until the
father decided to give ─ he demanded his portion right away and we see that the
dad, without a word, have him his portion and let him go.
- Against wise counsel
- Without manipulation
- No strings attached
When
the son was old enough to make his own decision (foolish as it was) the father
let him make it ─ he loved him enough to let go. God, our Father, is like this.
He lets us go too. We are free to disobey Him if we want. We can reject and
abandon the Church. We can ignore all the wiles counsel of His word and
promptings of His Holy Spirit and go our own way if we want to. God loves man
enough to allow him to be free; loves man enough to risk rejection in order to gain
true faithfulness and love in return.
2.
The
father waits for a return- In the parable it says that the father saw his son
returning while he was still a long way off.
3.
Upon
return, the father celebrates and restores - What his father gave him was
restoration and mercy. The father's gift showed how the son was restored:
- He greeted him with kisses, which
showed him his love and affection.
- He felt compassion, which told the
son that he understood his pain and the effort that it took to come back.
- He put the "best" robe,
which signifies position - the long robes worn by nobles. The father
restored his son back to sonship again with all of its rights and
privilege
This
parable teaches us many practical lessons for Fathers specifically and parents
in general:
- The purpose of our work with our
children is to eventually let them be what they choose to be - even when
that doesn't match what we want for them.
- We can let go but we mustn't give up. We
still can have influence and a relationship through prayer, through love
and a willingness to monitor and encourage their progress and sympathize
with their failure.
- Fathers don't say, "I told you
so", they say, "I love you so". When the prodigals come
home - don't make slaves out of them by trying to set 9too stringent of boundaries
- make sons and daughter out of them once again
Now take a moment and reflect- What
type of man are you? What type of father are you? What do you remember about your father? Was he soft and gentle or harsh and
demanding? Was he there for you when you needed him, or was he always on the go
and away from the home a lot of the time? Was he affectionate or did he keep
his distance? Was he emotionally transparent and easy to read, or was he reserved,
keeping his feelings to himself? Was he an outdoorsman or a homebody? Did he
read to you when you were little and play with you as you were growing up? Did
he teach you to do things? What sort of practical skills did you learn from
your father? Was he a good listener? Could you share your thoughts and feelings
with him without getting a lecture in return? Was he a man of faith? Did he
share his faith with you and help you to experience the peace of gospel that
comes from the Savior? Was he authoritative or easy going? Was he quick to
discipline you and keep you in line, or did he give you freedom to explore and
make your own discoveries—your own decisions— and your own mistakes?
If you’re a son, was your father
someone you wanted to be like when you grew up? If you’re a daughter, was your
father the type of man you hoped to marry some day? What did you love most
about your father? If you had the chance, what words of gratitude and
affirmation would you most like to share with him today? Fathers, men, what type of father figure
are you?
Be the person they cherish. Most
fathers do the very best they know how to do. So, if you’re holding on to some
bitter feelings because your father hurt you or failed you in some way, now’s
the time to get over it and let it go. Focus on what he did for you or tried to
do. And know this: You carry his genes. Honor him by carrying them on to a
higher level of excellence.
There
are many men who may not have been afforded the opportunity to carry the title
of father as the world views it. However, may I propose that men who work to
help better the lives of others are fathers in some sort. Men who help lead and guide their church
families towards exaltation are fathering those in the congregation- Men who
serve as teachers, leaders, or assist in primary. I have seen my husband share moments with
children, whom are not our own, that qualify for the role of a father as he
mentors, prepares, teaches, and touches their lives. Men- is there a time in
your life that you have stopped to help someone along the way, shared a candy
bar, showed someone how to tie a tie or change a tire, listened to someone who
just needed a friend, or counseled another …those are moments you have helped
father others. Your influence and example alone sometimes are exactly what a
person needs. Do you know of a person who may not have a father in their home,
be there… you can attend some of the things (daddy/daughter things, father/son
campouts, or a ball game). Sometimes this is for adults too, be a good friend.
You are preaching with your lives as much as your words.
Share story of Jake with nephews or with
students or young men
When kids younger, having cousins over
to celebrate New Year’s and trying to be solid example for Dilgards- taking
time to have one on one conversations with Riley.
These experiences become examples of
what it is to love as a father.
President James E Faust taught: “Noble
fatherhood gives us a glimpse of the divine attributes of our Father in Heaven.
A father should be many things. He should magnify his priesthood and be an
example of righteousness. In companionship with his wife, he should be the
source of stability and strength for the whole family. He should be the
protector and the provider and the champion of the members of his family. Much
of his love for his children should flow from his example of love, concern and
fidelity for their mother. By his uncompromising example he should instill
character into his children.”
In our home there have been tender
moments between Jake and our children. I recall times when he has counseled
them, comforted them, or just held them.
He shows up for them. I watch as he is teaching our son to minister to
others and to see a need and meet it. In regard to tender moments in the home
shared, President Holland shared: Such experiences give mortal fathers a
glimpse into the feelings of Heavenly Father toward his children, although
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “I cannot
comprehend the burden it must have been for God in his heaven to witness the
deep suffering and Crucifixion of his Beloved Son in such a manner.”
“His every impulse and instinct must
have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene — but he did not intervene.
“He endured what he saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious
payment could be made for the sins of all his other children from Adam and Eve
to the end of the world. I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and his
perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of
us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who too often miss the mark.
“In that most burdensome moment of
all human history, with blood appearing at every pore and an anguished cry upon
his lips, Christ sought him whom he had always sought — his Father,” Elder
Holland observed reverently. “ ‘Abba,’ He cried, ‘Papa,’ or from the lips of a
younger child, ‘Daddy.’ This is such a personal moment it almost seems a
sacrilege to cite it. A Son in unrelieved pain, a father his only true source
of strength, both of them staying the course, making it through the night —
together.”
No wonder President Benson said men
should count it an honor that “the sacred title of ‘father’ is shared with the
Almighty.” “Fatherhood is not a matter of station or wealth. It is a matter of
desire, diligence and determination to see one’s family exalted in the
celestial kingdom. If that prize is lost, nothing else really matters.”
Brothers and sisters, ideally, a
father’s love is a reflection of God’s love—it’s grace-filled, merciful,
forgiving, patient, kind and, most importantly, unconditional—not something you
earn by doing and saying the right things, but a gift that’s given freely and
will never, ever be taken away.
Today
on a day set aside to remember the men in our live may we not forget the two
most imperative to our salvation and the fathers of our souls, God the Father
and Jesus Christ. We should all strive to emulate the love that is radiated by
both. As we celebrate the men in our
lives whom we love and adore, may we not forget to say a prayer of gratitude
and express our love for God the Father and our Savior. Let’s celebrate all
they have done for us as well, the opportunity to live again, be eternally
united with our families, enjoy a family, have life, be forgiven, and the list
continues…..Fathers, men, young men, and boys pursue the things that God
measures men by and be that person. Work
to obtain it and seek to help each other out as we are all on the same team
helping rear one another back to our Heavenly Father. Testimony and End.
Jake and the kids left for Gulf Shores today. I went to Jackson after church to see my dad and visit with the family. I am thankful that I was raised by the parents that I was and I am grateful for the father Jake is to ours. I am blessed with good men in my life.  |
Rebekah and Penelope
|
 |
My sisters and our dad
|
 |
Charity Dilgard, Me, Dad (John Eaton- Rochelle), Sandra Adamson, and Rebekah Dickey
|
 |
Charlie and I
|
