Learn correct principles

      - Serve the Lord

      - Learn value of integrity

      Elder Lino Alvarez, a member of the Seventy from Chile, rendered tribute to his parents in his Saturday afternoon address.

      "As I have pondered about my childhood, my youth and my adult life, I believe that the foundation for my beliefs was laid by my parents during the years of my childhood and youth," remarked Elder Alvarez, the 10th of 12 children.

      "My father and mother, with no formal education, knew how to teach the eternal principles of the gospel."

      Citing the fifth of the 10 commandments, "Honour thy father and thy mother, . . ." he said: "There are two things that our parents did with all of their children for which we now honor them. First, they taught us correct principles and helped us to walk uprightly before the Lord and to live His commandments. Secondly, they taught us the value of work, of personal integrity, of family unity."

      Even though not all in the family are Church members, they have tried to live according to the principles their parents taught, he said.

      "Every year we have the opportunity to gather as a family, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with my father. He does what Lehi did before he died, when he gathered his children together and told them: `And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down in captivity.' (2 Ne. 1:21.)"

      Elder Alvarez said that as a young man, when he was about to go on a mission, he worried that he would lose his 66-year-old father before he returned.

      "May I tell you that I served two years in the mission; I served in the Church schools in Chile for five years; I served as a mission president for three years; as a regional representative for six years; and my father is still here, at the head of the family," he declared, prompting laughter from the congregation.

      "I testify that when we serve the Lord with all of our heart, might, mind and strength, He blesses us."

      He also paid tribute to the parents of his wife, who taught her as his parents did him. "I thank them for having accepted the gospel even before she was born."

      Saying that keeping the commandments is an excellent way to honor one's parents, Elder Alvarez said he sought and received a blessing from his father after having been set apart to serve in the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He said his father blessed him that the Holy Spirit would accompany him and his family in all they did.

      "What more could I ask for?"

      He invited young and old to honor their parents day by day.

      "I testify that the Savior is our example and model of life," he affirmed. "We must strive every day to follow His teachings and do the things that he did; for `the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what he seeth the Father do. . . . ' (John 5:19.)"