To help participants understand what fathers must do to give spiritual leadership to their children, have them turn to pages 41–42 in the Marriage and Family Relations Participant’s Study Guide. With participants, read and discuss the following statement by President Ezra Taft Benson, the 13th President of the Church:
“With love in my heart for the fathers in Israel, may I suggest ten specific ways that fathers can give spiritual leadership to their children:
“1. Give father’s blessings to your children. Baptize and confirm your children. Ordain your sons to the priesthood. These will become spiritual highlights in the lives of your children.
“2. Personally direct family prayers, daily scripture reading, and weekly family home evenings. Your personal involvement will show your children how important these activities really are.
“3. Whenever possible, attend Church meetings together as a family. Family worship under your leadership is vital to your children’s spiritual welfare.
“4. Go on daddy-daughter dates and father-and-sons’ outings with your children. As a family, go on campouts and picnics, to ball games and recitals, to school programs, and so forth. Having Dad there makes all the difference.
“5. Build traditions of family vacations and trips and outings. These memories will never be forgotten by your children.
“6. Have regular one-on-one visits with your children. Let them talk about what they would like to. Teach them gospel principles. Teach them true values. Tell them you love them. Personal time with your children tells them where Dad puts his priorities.
“7. Teach your children to work, and show them the value of working toward a worthy goal. Establishing mission funds and education funds for your children shows them what Dad considers to be important.
“8. Encourage good music and art and literature in your homes. Homes that have a spirit of refinement and beauty will bless the lives of your children forever.
“9. As distances allow, regularly attend the temple with your wife. Your children will then better understand the importance of temple marriage and temple vows and the eternal family unit.
“10. Have your children see your joy and satisfaction in service to the Church. This can become contagious to them, so they, too, will want to serve in the Church and will love the kingdom” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 62–63; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 50–51).
Remind participants that the proclamation on the family states that fathers “are responsible to provide the necessities of life … for their families.”
• What are some spiritual necessities of life? (Answers may include testimony, love, daily prayer and scripture study, gospel teaching, and priesthood ordinances.) What can fathers do to provide these necessities?
• How can a wife and children support the efforts of their husband and father to provide for them?
Refer participants to the following counsel in the proclamation on the family: “Fathers … are responsible to provide … protection for their families.”
• What do families need to be protected from?
• In what ways can husbands and fathers provide protection for their families?
President Howard W. Hunter said:
“A righteous father protects his children with his time and presence in their social, educational, and spiritual activities and responsibilities. …
“A man who holds the priesthood leads his family in Church participation so they will know the gospel and be under the protection of the covenants and ordinances. If you are to enjoy the blessings of the Lord, you must set your own homes in order. Together with your wife, you determine the spiritual climate of your home. Your first obligation is to get your own spiritual life in order through regular scriptural study and daily prayer. Secure and honor your priesthood and temple covenants; encourage your family to do the same” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 69; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 51).
• What are some examples you have seen of fathers fulfilling their sacred responsibilities?
Note: If you are teaching this lesson on its own and you do not plan to teach lesson 11, consider discussing the following statement from the proclamation on the family: “In [their] sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.” Lesson 11 includes help for discussing this truth (see pages 56–57).