I have to say the thing said today that touched me the most from today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Worldwide Leadership Training Broadcast was the idea presented by, I believe, Elder Cook that bishops have the discretion to allow priesthood holders without r3ecommends and who may not be very active to still participate meaningfully in ordinances for the children.<\/p>\n
This means a lot to me.<\/p>\n
My father, for his own reasons, was not active in the church when I left on my mission. He was not with me when I took out my own endowments and he did not ordain me as an elder. I regret that he was not able to play a part in such a pivotal point in my life. Granted, I am sure that he, as an active temple worker now, probably regrets it even more than I do.<\/p>\n
I wonder though what things would have been like if that discretion had been available and communicated to our bishop. I wonder if my father would have been able to ordain me an elder.<\/p>\n
I think of a father of two boys in the last are I served on my mission. Both boys were baptised the same day, and because of whatever reason, their father was not able to perform the baptisms. He was there at the service, but he confided in me, with tears streaming from his eyes, how sorry he was that he couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do for his boys, his last children, what my companion and I would do.<\/p>\n
At the very least, there are some sons out there now who will be so happy to have their fathers participate in such meaningful milestones in their lives. Likewise, some happy fathers, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"