Pops

So, I have decided to write a blog about my Pops...

Pops cereal.

No...not this kind of Pops.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu of the NBA

No...not Pops Mensah-Bonsu either.

THIS guy:

My Dad, Dave Lee.

There he is. This is my Pops. My daddy. My example. My friend. He is sweet like Pops cereal (Big Bear loves the honey) and he is ALMOST as good as Pops Mensah-Bonsu in basketball - just shy of the prime age of 59 I might add!

Fathers Day is a very important day of the year. It is also one that gets overlooked FAR too often. I love my dad so much and he has helped me in every facet of my life by simple example. He is a stud. I honor and respect him. The Bible teaches that we must "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long in upon the land which the Lord thy god giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12). I know that as I have honored my father I have been given strength and I have been aided beyond my capacity to understand.

As I think back on my youth I am able to remember the lessons that I learned. I did not learn these lessons through someone yelling at me, hitting me, or even TELLING me what to do. I learned these lessons through someone SHOWING me what to do. ‎Clarence Budington Kelland said, "My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." My father is  my example. He is my guiding light. It is through reminiscing that I have been able to understand the full magnitude of his influence in my life. Here is an example...when I was attending seminary (a scripture study class before school) the teacher (who happened to be my mother) asked the class this question: Who in your lives is a great example of humility? I sat and pondered that thought for about fifteen seconds and my own father's face came to my mind. I had not previously categorized him as a humble person but when I took the time to think about it, it became obvious to me. My father is extremely hard working, he does a lot of good at work, home, and within his church callings, but he doesn't brag about any of it (except for maybe his ability to shoot his handguns particularly well). He goes about his work because it is his duty. He has an obligation to work hard and he does so with perfect balance. Never have I felt that my father neglected me. Through his humility he SHOWED me how to work hard, to be a great family man, and to be a true disciple of Christ - all at the same time. I am forever indebted to my father for that.

One thing that my father has SHOWN me is the importance of being a good husband. My father loves my mother. I have seen that from the tender years of my youth and it is something that I will never forget. He treats her with respect, honor, compassion, and kindness. He treats her like a queen. "Nevertheless neither is that man without the woman, neither the woman without theman, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11). "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else" (Doctrine and Covenants 42:22). I have never seen a better living example of one who emulates these two scriptures than my own father. I have learned to be a good husband because of his example.

Some of you who know my father know that he has a love of the TV show, 24. Some might even say that he IS Jack Bauer.

"We're running out of time!" -  Jack Bauer

Now... 24 is a great show and Jack Bauer is a good model for courage, bravery, and awesomeness...but Jack Bauer is not who my father strives to be more like. My father looks to our perfect example. Our Heavenly Father. My earthly father is my guide through my times of struggle. He helps me in all that he is able. He is there for me when I succeed. He is there for me when I fall. As I struggled at home, my father listened to and helped me whether that was on the phone or while playing pool. As I struggle on my mission when I am "about my Father's business" (Luke 2:49) my father writes me letters much like Mormon did to his son, Moroni, at the end of the Book of Mormon to buoy me up and strengthen me. He loves me as our Heavenly Father loves all of His children.

I would like to challenge every single one of you out there to ponder about your father and what good things he has shown you by example. Then...thank him for all that he has done. He will love it! So dad...thank you. I love you so much and you have no idea what kind of effect you have had on your children and everyone else around you. I love you. You are my guide throughout my youth (Jeremiah 3:4).You are my Pops!

Some of us may not be able to personally thank our earthly fathers for what they have done. But we can ALWAYS thank our Heavenly Father through prayer. Heavenly Father will always be there for us. When we turn to him we are strengthened more than we can imagine. Blessings await the thankful.

Thank you, Daddy. Happy Fathers Day!

Family

Those who know me know how much I love and care about my family. They mean everything to me. My parents are wonderul examples and my brothers and sisters are my best friends. I have learned so many things from them. As I look to the examples that my family members set I am given a guiding light which if I follow I will be led to goodness, happiness, and peace.

My Mom and Dad (Dave and DeAnn) with my niece Scarlett

Amazing brothers and sisters (L to R: Alicia, Scott, Laurel, me, Michelle, Brett)

I know that families make up the most important social unit that we are given by God. He places us in families so that we can learn (to love, to be kind, to be patient, etc.), grow (physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc.), and to become more like Him. Our loving Heavenly Father has provided our families with scriptures that we can study together and learn from with each other. There is a story in the Book of Mormon that describes what we must do to succeed in this life and feel the love of God. This story is referred to as "Lehi's Dream" or "Lehi's Vision" and is found in the eighth chapter of the first book of Nephi. Within this dream or vision Lehi (a prophet and father) finds a rod of iron (representation of the Word of God - scriptures) that leads directly to a tree with fruit (representation of the love of God) above the whiteness and pureness of anything that we can imagine. When one eats of this fruit one becomes happy. Lehi partakes of the fruit and immediately desires that his family partakes of it also. The account is written from Lehi's perspective and it states, "And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also...I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go...I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit. And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also" (1 Nephi 8: 12-16). The full text can be found here.

An artist's depiction of Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life

What I love about this vision is that it clearly shows us the great importance of families and also the great bond that is found within them. Whenever I find something new, exciting, and fun I immediately want to share it with my family. This is especially true with something that is as spiritual and uplifting as the love of God. As described in the Book of Mormon and the other standard works the only way to truly feel the love of God is to obey His commandments and hearken to His words found in the scriptures. When Lehi partook of the fruit and tasted the love of God for himself he immediately thought of his family. He wanted them to feel the love of God in their lives as he had. He searched for them so that he could help them in their path as they held fast to the iron rod. Only when they stuck together and were obedient could they partake of the love of God together.

The fullness of Christ's gospel found only in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helps us along the pathway to righteousness and the love of God. In 1995 under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley he and the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote something called, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World".

As I read "The Family" I receive feelings from the Holy Ghost that families can last forever. I know in my heart that these words are from God and that they have been given to us through prophets. His prophets give us direction so that we may have pure happiness in our relationships. I know that as we abide by God's commandments we will have joy in these relationships. As we keep an eternal perspective on things we are blessed with clarity and peace.

I am excited to have a future family of my own. I do not know what my future wife's name will be. I do not know what she will look like. I do not know how many children we will have. BUT I do know that I plan to be married in a temple of God. I do know that my family will be together forever as long as we follow the commandments and honor our covenants.

This is why I hold my family so dear to my heart! I trust them and love them. They are good friends as well as blood relatives. This is the way that God wants our family relationships to be. He knows that we have the potential to stay together for all of eternity and that this life is the best time to make these relationships last. Be kind to your parents. Thank them for all that they do! Be an example and be a friend to your siblilngs. Love your spouse and hold your children in high esteem. If you are not married yet (LIKE ME) then prepare yourself (spiritually and emotionally) for marriage.

Twice a year we have the opportunity to hear from our living Apostles and prophets. Many of them focused on eternal families and marriages. Elder Richard G. Scott gave a touching talk called "The Eternal Blessings of Marriage" that was especially amazing. I advise you to read it and give it thought (as well as all of the other amazing talks!).

I hope to follow the great examples of my family members and carry their traits into my own fatherhood. I know that it is what God would have me do.