One of the greatest responsibilities, I think, of an elders quorum is teaching fathers their duty and responsibility as presiding officer in the home, and how they handle that particular assignment, and do work with the most sacredness, the greatest spirit, the greatest encouragement, the greatest enthusiasm they can possibly have in building that home in the proper way.

The family will be presided over by the father, the priesthood bearer. And he will tie generations together as we go forward. I have the unique experience of having my father's name. I'll always honor and respect his name. I honored it so much that I gave my son his name. Can you think of a more glorious opportunity than being led by your own father in the eternities to come and having the opportunity as a father in leading your children as they go forward? Each generation seems to get better, except in my case; I think my father was greater than I am. But my son is certainly more equipped for life than I ever was.

Any priesthood bearer that doesn't respect and honor the role of motherhood doesn't honor his priesthood, and I think it should be taken away from him. The respect and honor we give our sweet companions is one of the great responsibilities we have as a priesthood bearer. That role is very difficult and they need our strong support. When we have children, then the priesthood presides in the home and he should be certain that children are taught to honor and respect their mother.

Of course they share in all the blessings we receive in the holy priesthood as time goes forward. They don't hold the priesthood, but the Lord gave them the greatest assignment on earth. He entrusted to the women the opportunity of bringing forth His children to the earth. They have more influence on that life than anyone else. A mother is the one that most of the personality of the child comes from. Its trust, its security comes from the mother. Also of the teaching of a child's life comes from the mother. The Lord distinguished between the two so that the two would work in concert, one with another. After all, what did the Lord say in the first instruction? It was "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they become one." So the blessings of the priesthood and oneness and unity and harmony apply to both.

Well they're certainly given the charge to be the one that blesses the family and gives leadership to the family unit. But they also have the responsibility of being the provider and protector of the home. A sweet woman who has a loyal priesthood bearer as the head of her family should have the comforting assurance that he will take care of her first above anything else. And his duty and responsibility as the husband in the home and of course the father in the home to be the provider and protector and take care of that family unit.

Each quorum has a responsibility to those single sisters. And they should be dutifully responsible for them in teaching them what they need to have in the way of their protection, their livelihood, and the training that a priesthood bearer can give their family. I had a dear mother that we home taught a young man when I was a priest advisor. And she insisted that we have that young man come to our priesthood quorum. She had a hard time getting him out of bed. And she'd call me up and say, "I can't get him out of bed. Can you bring the class over here?" And we would bring the class over to his bedroom and teach it. And I met that young man as a temple ordinance worker when the Seattle Temple was dedicated. He came up and threw his arms around me and thanked me for the blessing. I said, "You go back and thank your mother."

We have to preside in a righteous way over our families as we have opportunity. Some of the strongest words in the scriptures, I think, come from that section concerning our use of the priesthood. We turn to the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants that tells us, "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned. By kindness and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile. Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost." I think that's significant, only when it is moved upon by the Holy Ghost. "And then showing forth afterwards an increase of love towards him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy. That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death." Stronger than the cords of death, what a great binding power that is in the priesthood.