Provide sure foundation

      - Use gentle persuasion

      - Reprove with love

      Parental responsibility in teaching children was the focus of Elder Dallas N. Archibald's Saturday afternoon address.

      Elder Archibald of the Seventy recalled listening to Primary children during sharing time sing the words of "I Am a Child of God." He quoted a verse: "Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, Help me find the way. Teach me all that I must do to live with Him some day."

      "These pleading words sank deep in my heart that day and stirred my soul," he reflected. "What a great burden of responsibility the Lord has placed upon us as parents: to take these children and lead them in ways of holiness, to guide them through the perils of mortality and to walk beside them on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternity."

      He quoted the words of Helaman to his sons, Lehi and Nephi, in Helaman 5.

      "What better teaching could a parent provide for a child than that of following the prophets and building a sure foundation upon Jesus Christ?" he asked.

      He cautioned that attempting to use force in teaching may cause children to rebel and close their minds to the teaching. He then quoted D&C 121:41, saying the Lord in those verses explains the proper way to teach is through persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness and meekness, love unfeigned, kindness and pure knowledge "which shall greatly enlarge the soul."

      "How I love those words `enlarge the soul.' Proper teaching will enlarge the soul."

      He compared a child to an empty glass, and a parent's accumulated knowledge and wisdom to a bucketful of water. By using the principles listed in D&C 121:41 a parent can enlarge the glass - which is a child's soul - allowing the child to receive much more than the original bucketful.

      He warned: "It is impossible to emphasize the good in others if negative words or phrases are readily available on the tips of our tongues or expressed through our gestures."

      Elder Archibald said when correction is necessary, it must take place "betimes," - meaning early on - under the direction of the Holy Ghost and not in anger.

      "The instructions on how to correct are clear and simple: early on, with the peace of the Holy Ghost, with enough of the healing power within us to make sure that self esteem is never wounded, ensuring always that the individual feels important and capable."