The Gospel Foundation

In the two weeks since I have been set apart for this calling. I have been impressed with the feeling of how important it is for us to help the primary children build a strong foundation in the gospel. If they have a strong foundation not only will they stay in their church but their positive example will affect others along the way. One of the greatest men I’ve ever known joined the church because of the example of his son. He married a wonderful woman who was LDS, he started going to church and was what the branch members lovingly called a dry Mormon. When it came time for his son to get baptized he realized that he didn’t want his son to take that step without him. Because of that their family was sealed in the temple, he saw three of his four children go on missions. All four children married in the temple. All this came because of his love for his child. A child who had set a good example for his father because of the gospel principles that he learned in primary. Another great man I know felt inspired after the birth of his second child; to give his children the kind of upbringing that he had. He thought about what was missing in his children’s lives that he had, had when he was growing up. He realized it was church. He had been raised Methodist, he was getting ready that next Sunday to go to the Methodist Church for the first time in years. That week two Mormon missionaries knocked on his door. He had turned away several sets of missionaries in the past, this time he let them in because of his love for his two young children. He ended up seeing both of his children go on missions, graduate from BYU and both married in the temple. I feel strongly that many of the families that are less active in our wards would come back because of their children. The children are the key.

Melanie Bissey
Arlington Stake Primary
Second Counselor