Wayward Youth Quotes
"Have you ever seen someone who has been helpless for so long that he has divested himself of every envy and jealousy and ugliness in his whole life, and who has perfected his life? I have. Have you seen mothers who have struggled with, perhaps, unfortunate children for years and years, and have become saints through it?.....No pain suffered by man or woman upon the earth will be without its compensating effects if it be suffered in resignation and if it be met with patience."
President Spencer W. Kimball
Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 167-68
"Now parents, I desire to inspire you with hope. You who have heartache, you must never give up. No matter how dark it gets or no matter how far away of how far down your son or daughter has fallen, you must never give up. Never, never, never."
Boyd K. Packer (Conf. Report Oct. 1970)
"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these His little ones. Now, love them, take care of them ... Welcome them into your homes, and nurture them with all of your hearts. They may do, in the years that come, some things you would not want them to do, but be patient, be patient. You have not failed as long as you have tried. Never forget that!"
Pres. Hinckley, Salt Lake University Third Stake Conference, 3 Nov. 1996
"A child, even one raised with great love and care and carefully taught, may choose, when an adult, not to follow those teachings for a variety of reasons ... we understand the principle of agency. We pray that life's experiences will help them regain their desire and ability to live the gospel. They are still our children, and we will love and care about them always. We do not lock the doors of our house nor the doors to our hearts."
Elder Robert D. Hales (Ensign, Nov. 1993, p. 10)
"Now, parents, there is substantial help for you if you will accept it. I add with emphasis that the help we propose is not easy, for the measures are equal to the seriousness of your problem. There is no patent medicine to effect an immediate cure. And parents, if you seek for a cure that ignores faith and religious doctrine, you look for a cure where it will never be found. When we talk of religious principles and doctrines and quote scripture, interesting isn't it, how many don't feel comfortable with talk like that? But when we talk about your problems with your family and offer a solution, then your interest is intense.
"Know that you can't talk about one without the other and expect to solve your problems. Once parents know that there is a God and that we are His children, they can face problems like this and win. If you are helpless, He is not. If you are lost, He is not. If you don't know what to do next, He knows. It would take a miracle, you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not."
Pres. Packer ("That All May Be Edified" SLC: Bookcraft 1982)
"A successful parent is one who has loved, one who has sacrificed, and one who has cared for, taught, and ministered to the needs of a child. If you have done all of these and your child is still wayward or troublesome or worldly, it could well be that you are, nevertheless, a successful parent. Perhaps there are children who have come into the world that would challenge any set of parents under any set of circumstances. Likewise, perhaps there are others who would bless the lives of, and be a joy to, almost any father or mother.
"My concern today is that there are parents who may be pronouncing harsh judgements upon themselves and may be allowing these feelings to destroy their lives, when, in fact they have done their best and should continue in faith. That all who are parents might find joy in their efforts with their children is my prayer..."
"Parents Concern for Children" (Ensign, Nov. 1983)
"We cannot control what others choose to do, and so we cannot force our children to heaven, but we can determine what we will do. And we can decide that we will do all we can to bring down the powers of heaven into that family we want to have forever."
Henry B Eyring "The Family" (Ensign, Feb. 1998. p. 18)