Daddy’s and In-Loves, (In-laws).
Probably the greatest gift my Father left me was an adoration and respect for Women, ALL women! His own dear mother passed away during childbirth when he was just 15 years old. He never forgot the impact that it had upon his life. He always respected and held my own mother upon a pedestal all of my life. The very worst sin I could ever commit in his sight was to disrespect our Mother! That great teaching taught me to always idealize and see Women, all women, for what they really are, “God’s greatest creation, (Pres. Hinckley). Pres. McKay asked the brethren once if they would like to know what their first Priesthood interview with the Savior would be like at their death? He then said, “Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
“First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you been actively engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
“Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.”
President McKay then went on and mentioned other priorities, (quoted by Elder Robert D. Hales, as Presiding Bishop of the Church, at a BYU devotional assembly, March 15, 1988.)
There is not a day of my life that in my morning prayers I do not consider this Priesthood Interview with the most important person in my life! I have tried to teach my own sons what my earthly and Heavenly Fathers have taught me! I don’t think there is anything that I could model or teach them of any greater importance. I begin every ‘marriage enrichment’ class with this most basic of all ‘Heavenly Truths’. (I have had boys check out of the class after such teachings, You see Satan is strong and will fight to the death, our death, the most important and poignant truths! The war of the sexes is Satanic inspired and rages in force today.)
I have observed the silent wars between mothers and daughter-in-laws. I have seen women tremble and wonder what their relationships with their mother and daughter-in-laws will be like. I have observed how my own sons have dated and chosen their respective mates. One of the greatest ‘Doctrinal principles’ is “Light attracts Light”. I have had boys ask me, “Why don’t you teach girls that they must also put my needs first”? The truth is I don’t have to. I have found that if men treat women the way God desires, women seem to already know their ‘nurturing roles’.! (Perhaps why they are God’s Greatest Creation?) A few years ago there was a worldly teaching that was called, “Fascinating Womanhood”. Which was the opposite persuasion. It had women put men first. For me it ignored the order taught in 2neph. 2: 11,14. “there must be an ‘opposition’ balance but one is the ‘actor, (balancer) and the other ‘acted upon’ (balanced). For me it matters which comes first. The Proclamation on family teaches that as a man I must take responsibility for balance, in other words, I must ‘provide’ ‘protect’ and ‘nurture’ first, then my wife is free to ‘nurture’ fully. If she does not then I am off the hook as far as my ‘stewardship’ is concerned. (I have never found a women to not do so if the man will ‘nurture’ and take responsibility from a position of ‘strength’.)

Both of my sons have chosen strong and loving wives much like their mother! They are very different each being their own person. I recognized and fell in love with Angie, (in an appropriate way) before Braydon ever met her. (She was a student of mine as a Sophomore in high school.) I mentioned to her at the time that I would love for her to meet and date my son. I had Brett in mind as he was older. (Braydon and Angie share a birthday on Feb. 8th, 1977) She has been a wonderful loving daughter to and for me ever since. Shari loves her as a daughter also, so much for ‘mother-in-law fears’.
Pres. Spencer W. Kimball said once, “Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days…will happen to the degree that the WOMEN of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that they are seen as DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT…..in HAPPY ways….from the women of the world.” Likewise I believe that this “distinction, difference, and Happiness, does in large part depend upon the men in their lives taking the major responsibility for their, (women’s) happiness and needs! I watch my sons both do this to the best of their abilities. I watch my son-in-loves do this to the best of their abilities! We are men, after all, and so, we bungle it a lot of the time, but when we get it right, guess who gets the best end of the deal? Kim had Shari and I up to dinner the other night. What a fun enjoyable evening!! She is not just a wonderful Mother, and cook but inside, one of the most outstanding women I have ever known! Angie spends so much of her day thinking and serving we that live next door to her! I don’t have to wonder what my Eternal Mother is like. I watch my beautiful wife, daughters, daughter-in-loves, sisters! They are “the Mothers of ALL LIVING!.” As much as my Father-in-Heaven ,I long to be with my Heavenly Mother again. I am so very grateful for the wonderful women in my life that exemplify her everyday, in everyway, for me!