David A. Bednar: If they know the why, they will quickly learn the how. Am I suggesting that we never discuss the how? Not at all. I am suggesting that perhaps we do not spend as much time with the why as we need to. As a stake president, I interviewed many, many people about their family home evenings and what they did during that time together. For many members, it was Monday night football and donuts. They would talk in our interviews about the wonderful, fun activities they had together as families. Having fun activities is right, and good, and true. But it is not enough. Anybody can have fun as a family. Anybody can go to the park. But if with small children in the park there are even two or three minutes devoted to a simple illustration about a doctrine or a principle and a pure testimony expressed by a parent, there comes into the mind and into the heart of those children understanding that will bear eternal fruit. I fear there is not enough focus on doctrine in our homes. We should each evaluate our ability to preach the doctrine more effectively to our families in our homes.
As I interviewed members of the Church, frequently I would inquire, "Tell me about personal and family prayer in your home." "Well, President, we know we should do that but we don't do it as consistently as we ought to." "How about family scripture study?" "It just seems that with our hectic schedules as we all go in different directions, we just never seem to get that done." Then, without trying to be too biting or too pointed, I would ask, "Please help me understand what it is in your life that is so important that you cannot make time for these spiritually essential activities." These activities invite the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. It is not just a matter of checking them off a "to do" list so we do not feel guilty. It is a matter of inviting the spirit of revelation and the protection of the Holy Ghost for me, for you, and for our children.
(BYU-I [Ricks College] Education Week, June 4, 1998)
