102. Great article: Are Wayward Children Strategically Placed in Families?
Thursday, February 20 2014
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Are Wayward Children Strategically Placed in Families?
By Larry BarkdullComment on Article
(This article was adapted from Rescuing Wayward Children. Click here to learn more.)
Over the years, I’ve listened to many parents who suffer because their children have departed from the plan of happiness. Some parents have wondered if they are at fault; others wonder if they are being punished: “What did I do to deserve this child?” I’ve answered “Probably a lot. But you weren’t given the child as a punishment. Likely, you chose the assignment.”
When we are faced with an overwhelming challenge, we can become myopic. We tend to see the event narrowly, as if it were confined to a brief season in mortality. While we acknowledge that we lived for an extended period of time in the premortal existence and are very old beings with long histories, we sometimes discount the fact that that existence matters when it comes to eternal judgment. If the Lord only took into account our behavior in this world, most of us would be in serious trouble.
So how does premortality factor into our present environment of mortality?
Imagine the following scenario. (In High Priests Quorum, we throw our tie over a shoulder when we state personal doctrine, so be forewarned). In the distant past, you formed relationships with people whom you loved. You desired that those relationships continue in mortality and throughout eternity, so you and they made your wishes known. Heavenly Father agreed to grant your request; then, because He has perfect foreknowledge, He took you aside and explained that one of your dear companions was going to experience a difficult season in mortality.
That revelation troubled you because you loved the person so much. You desired to help. You could not bear the thought that your precious brother or sister would remain in darkness without the very best saving solution.
You wanted to help for another reason. You had spent eons championing Heavenly Father’s Plan of Salvation, which is comprised of myriad individual plans of salvation for each of us. The Plan and the plans call for a Savior to anticipate every individual’s sins, failures, weaknesses, illnesses, mishaps, difficulties and the totality of the mortal experience. Then the Savior was to provide a saving solution, which, upon obedience to the provisions of the Plan of Salvation, would remove every obstacle that would stand between the person and exaltation.
This saving solution would allow each individual to experience mortality without being destroyed by it. The saving solution would allow personal moral agency to reign supreme: the perfect saving solution would be provided and an offer to accept it would be made in full light and knowledge, but it would remain for the individual to accept or reject the saving solution.
You understood and rejoiced in the Plan of Salvation. You comprehended how it would impact on you and on those whom you loved. You realized that one of those people would choose badly for a season and need to be nurtured and held close while the Lord did His saving work. The Lord would need a partner to help Him save that person.
One of two things happened: 1) Heavenly Father asked if you would take the assignment to bring your beloved friend into your earthly family or 2) you volunteered. In either case, you chose this child, knowing full well the pain that he or she would cause you. But because your love was stronger than your fear and because you had implicit faith in the Savior, you said, “Give me the child.”
Why do I feel certain that this was the case? Because Heavenly Father never imposes anything on us. He always works according to agency and He works along lines of redemption. “This is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”[i]
Once we factor in the foreknowledge of God, the Savior’s individual plans of salvation, perfect love, and individual agency, we must admit the principle of divine positioning. To provide us the best opportunity for redemption, the Father strategically places us in saving relationships, which can occur in any combination, including family, friend or acquaintance relationships.
This is a taste of this article. It is so GOOD, and you can finish it by clicking on this link: He has many good footnotes of references in it. (I don't know how to put on links -- you'll have to copy and paste them) SORRY ! Or you can go to: ldsmag.com to Meridian Magazine.
I love the writings of Larry Barkdull. In 1989 he was the owner of Sonos Music Publishing, and he took a chance on an unknown and unpublished, and published 3 Simplified Piano Books, Simplified Primary Songs, Simplified Hymns, and Simplified Songs for LDS Women, which I had simplified for my piano students. They sold fairly well, but now are out of print. He sold out to Jackman Music, and since has become a well-known and beloved author. I consider him a personal friend, from my past. If you are interested in simplified hymns and Primary songs, go to:
www.musichousepublications.com
There is a category there of free music, and you can print FREE many simplified songs for your child or piano student. I contributed many of them. Look on the left, under "Our Composers" (where you'll find my name) and you'll find "Free Sheet Music". There may be other free music you can also enjoy.
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