Fatherhood

 I AM A FATHER AND HAVE BEEN FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS NOW. BECOMING A FATHER WAS SCARY AT FIRST BUT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. MY DAUGHTER’S NAME IS BELLA, SHE IS THREE YEARS OLD AND SHE IS SO INTELLIGENT. I WAS HOME WITH HER FOR ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR OF HER LIFE AND IT WAS THE MOST DELIGHTFUL TIMES TO SEE HER GROW AND LEARN AND DEVELOP INTO THE SWEET GIRL SHE IS. I WENT TO SCHOOL WHEN SHE WAS ONE AND DECIDED THAT THIS WOULD BE THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO CREATE THE BEST LIFE FOR MY DAUGHTER POSSIBLE. I TALK TO MY DAUGHTER EVERY DAY AND TRY TO GO HOME TO VISIT AS OFTEN AS I CAN. ON THE OTHER HAND, I DID NOT REALLY HAVE A FATHER FIGURE GROWING UP MOST OF MY LIFE. I HAD AN ADOPTED MOTHER BUT NOT ADOPTED FATHER FROM BIRTH, AND THIS SHOWED ME THAT A MOTHER FIGURE CAN TRULY TAKE ON THE ROLE OF BOTH PARENTS. NOT HAVING A FATHER FIGURE MADE ME WANT TO BE A PART OF MY DAUGHTER’S LIFE EVEN MORE AND BE AS INVOLVED AS I POSSIBLY CAN BE. I FIGURE ALTHOUGH I DIDN’T HAVE SOMEONE THERE TO SHOW ME THINGS THAT ONLY A FATHER CAN AND TEACH ME CERTAIN THINGS AND LOVE ME, I CAN DO THIS FOR MY DAUGHTER AND SHOW HER WHAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IS REALLY LIKE. I ALSO LEARNED WHILE PREPARING FOR THIS FROM PRESIDENT N. ELDON TANNER, THAT FATHERHOOD IS REALLY A PRIVILEGE AND A BLESSINGS IN OUR LIVES. WE SHOULD DO ALL THAT IS IN OUR POWER TO PRESIDE OVER OUR HOMES WITH LOVE. AS A FATHER WE ARE KNOWN AS THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD, ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE SHARED BETWEEN A MAN AND WIFE AND THAT THEY SHOULD BOTH BE KNOWN AS THE HEAD OF THE HOUSEHOLD. ANOTHER DUTY AS A FATHER THAT I HAVE AND THAT I DID NOT EXPERIENCE AS MUCH IN MY LIFE IS BEING ABLE TO TEACH MY CHILDREN TO LOVE THE GOSPEL AND FOLLOW THE COMMANDMENTS. I NOW HAVE AN A FATHER FIGURE IN MY LIFE, HIS NAME IS JOE. MY DAD HAS REALLY SHOWN ME WHAT IT MEANS TO LOVE HIS CHILDREN AND TEACH THEM TO BE RIGHTEOUS AND TO LOVE THE GOSPEL. HE HAS SET A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR ME AS WELL AS MY YOUNGER SIBLINGS AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THE THINGS THAT HE HAS TAUHT ME AND TEACH THEM TO MY DAUGHTER AS WELL AS MY FUTURE CHILDREN. A FATHER’S JOB IS ALSO TO PREPARE HIS CHILDREN FOR THE WORLD AND ANY CHALLENGES THEY MAY FACE. HE IS TO PREPARE THEM SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE IN THESE SITUATIONS, THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO GET THROUGH THESE HARD THINGS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AS A FATHER I HAVE A DUTY TO LOVE MY WIFE AND THE MOTHER OF MY CHILDREN AND SHOW THEM THAT THEY ARE IN A LOVING HOME AND ARE BEING REARED BY LOVING PARENTS WHO CAN GUIDE THEM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TEACHING IN THE GOSPEL AND I AM THANKFUL THAT MY PARENTS HAVE TAUGHT ME THESE THINGS IN THE SHORT TIME I HAVE KNOWN THEM I AM ALSO THANKFUL THAT I HAVE HAD DIFFERENT FATHER FIGURES IN THE CHURCH THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW ME THESE THINGS AND TEACH ME THEM SO THAT I CAN IMPLEMENT THEM INTO MY LIFE WHEN I AM MARRIED AND HAVE A FAMILY OF MY OWN AS WELL AS WITH MY DAUGHTER, BELLA CURRENTLY. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY HEAVENLY FATHER AND HIS PLAN AND ALL THE BLESSINGS HE HAS PLACED IN MY LIFE.