“To teach our children empathy we first must have empathy in us. To teach our children to feel within our hearts rather than with the eyes we must first learn to view the world in the lens of the Savior who had the most compassion, upon all people.”
What does it mean to be a parent?
It can be overwhelming but also wonderful. So much to teach from biblical to universal.
But some of the things we are trying to teach in the contemporary world are not so easy for us. One I like to share is the lesson of love for all children of background, diversity and sexual orientation. Some questions from parents arise:
How can I teach my children about respecting gender identity when the world has a negative view on LGBTQ people? How do we explain marriage is between a man and a woman, when we see same-sex parent couples rearing children?
What can we instill in our children to ensure that their faith remain strong in such obscuring times? For some, these are hard questions indeed.
First we should recognize that our wonderful children are designed to fit in love of all kinds. That is their natural habitat. (Somewhere along the way into adulthood we lost some of that.)
Second, there should be no barrier between people who want to give love. Jesus Christ is the catalyst of this free love being given.
Add diversity into your tiny child’s heart so it may grow. The tiny heart grow’s towards humility and overshadows violence. We teach our children that families come of all kinds and that no family is perfect.
My beautiful girl.
We lovingly explain to our children ( in an age appropriate setting) that there are many things we do not understand in this life or why some things exist. (why some people are gay and some are not) But we reassure them, that God loves every person on this planet. We explain that God has rules; which are the commandments. They are to be followed the best of our ability.
As parents, we fear that we are teaching incorrect doctrine. But the only incorrect doctrine we will be teaching is separation. Separation between people of all color, hearts and minds. God created that we may knit the world not unravel it.
“I know thy heart, and have heard thy prayers concerning thy brethren… let thy love be for them as for thyself; and let thy love abound unto all men” (Doctrine and Covenants 112:11)
“Bravery.”
Bravery, is what I believe we can instill in our warrior children. To teach children to love all people. Not one person is excluded from the foot of the Cross. If we are to teach our children to model bravery, we will teach it is violence which separates us, not a person of LGBTQ identity. Gods matchless love not only sustains the human heart but it helps it grow to see that life is full of differences. Be beautifully made in God. Go little children and color the world in Christs love.
❤ Matthew 5:14 Amen
Believe Belong Become 
Thanks for sharing this Darcy. God does indeed love all people and so should we. But as a loving parent He doesn’t condone all things. So when we see wrong things that go against Biblical truth we pray for those people and trust God to work in their lives to help them understand His truth. ❤️✝️
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You are the warmest person! I love your loyalty Ms. Dawn. My sincere goal is not to teach incorrect doctrine, but to widen the view of LGBT+ brothers and sisters. Heavenly Father loves before He warns. Charity is the pure love of Christ. Insomuch as it may be translated as even *Defending* others who are different than we. ❤ (Or not different at all) …
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