What They Said Wednesday: Elder Lynn G. Robbins

 

Talk: Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Quorum of the Seventy

• To be or not to be actually is a good question!
• What manner of men ought ye to be?
• The works ye have seen me do, that should ye also do.
• To do without to be is hypocrisy.
• To be without to do is void. If faith hath not works it is dead. (James 2:17)
  • It might also be said that being without doing is laziness.  
  • Not sure if you can be without doing.  As a man thinks so is he.
• Be is the weightier matter.  
• Many of us create to-do lists, but people rarely have to-be list.
• We are never done being good parents.
  • One thing we need to teach our children is to be like the Savior
• “Be” begets “Do.” Teaching Be will improve behavior more effectively than Do will improve
• When disciplining children, we shouldn’t focus only on behavior, but rather on what we want the child to be.
• “The preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that was just, yeah, it had had a far more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword...” Alma 31:5
  • “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior.” President Boyd K. Packer, Do Not Fear
• A sweet and obedient child will only enroll a father or mother in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a challenging child you get Parenting 505.
  • Graduate-level college course
  • Do you need the blessing of parenting a difficult child just as much as they need you?
• Never let failure progress from an action to an identity. Never let a person’s actions become their identity.
• Our children are God’s children.
• The Savior was a humble carpenter, but that hardly defines His life.
• It is wiser to focus praise on character and beliefs.
• It’s one thing to praise our children for good grades, but it would be better to praise them for their diligence.
  • “Wow, you turned in every assignment. You are one who knows how to diligently follow through. I am proud of you.”
  • How does this relate to our primary classes, elders quorum members, siblings, spouses, etc? This principle will help all to develop Christlike attributes.
• These principles apply to everyone.
• Parenting manual = the scriptures.
• His image in your countenance and His attributes in your actions