President James E. Faust
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There is hope and solace for parents who have done their best to rear righteous children, only to have them rebel or go astray.
If parents have followed scriptural injunctions to instill righteous principles in their children, but the children still choose other paths, there are promises that they can be reclaimed.
"Who are good parents? They are those who have lovingly, prayerfully and earnestly tried to teach their children by example and precept to 'pray and walk uprightly before the Lord.' . . . Children come into this world with their own distinct spirits and personality traits."
The Prophet Joseph Smith, in a recollection of Orson F. Whitney, taught that faithful parents sealed to unrighteous children may see those children repent and return to righteousness in the next life, if not this. However, repentance must be full and complete.
"Mercy will not rob justice, and the sealing power of faithful parents will only claim wayward children upon the condition of their repentance and Christ's Atonement."
Parents must provide loving but firm discipline "or society may do it in a way that is not to our liking or our children's." Others should not judge parents whose children stray. "We should be considerate of those worthy, righteous parents who struggle and suffer with disobedient children.
"I make a plea for children who are estranged from their parents to reach out to them," even if they have not been blameless.
