Friday, May 3, 2013

Approach children with reason, with persuasion and love unfeigned

"Fathers, if you wish your children to be taught in the principles of the gospel, if you wish them to love the truth and understand it, if you wish them to be obedient to and united with you, love them! and prove to them that you do love them by your every word or act to them. For your own sake, for the love that should exist between you and your boys—however wayward they might be, or one or the other might be, when you speak or talk to them, do it not in anger, do it not harshly, in a condemning spirit. Speak to them kindly; get them down and weep with them if necessary and get them to shed tears with you if possible. Soften their hearts; get them to feel tenderly toward you. Use no lash and no violence, but … approach them with reason, with persuasion and love unfeigned."

- Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, (2011), 249–55
http://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-joseph-f-smith/chapter-28?lang=eng

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