President Hinckley recalls what happened when his father and
mother followed the counsel of a living prophet.
In 1915 President Joseph F. Smith asked the people of the
Church to have family home evening. My father said we would do so, that we
would warm up the parlor where Mother’s grand piano stood and do what the
President of the Church had asked.
We were miserable performers as children. We could do all
kinds of things together while playing, but for one of us to try to sing a solo
before the others was like asking ice cream to stay hard on the kitchen stove.
In the beginning, we would laugh and make cute remarks about one another’s
performance. But our parents persisted. We sang together. We prayed together.
We listened quietly while Mother read Bible and Book of Mormon stories. Father
told us stories from his memory.
Out of those simple little meetings, held in the parlor of
our old home, came something indescribable and wonderful. Our love for our
parents was strengthened. Our love for brothers and sisters was enhanced. Our
love for the Lord was increased. An appreciation for simple goodness grew in
our hearts. These wonderful things came about because our parents followed the
counsel of the President of the Church.
