No responsibility is greater than the rearing of children. Some parents have been heard to say that they wish guidebooks were delivered with each baby. One such "guidebook" is found within the pages of the Book of Mormon.
The Lord has commanded parents to teach their children. King Benjamin, in his address to the Nephites who had gathered round about the temple, instructed parents:"Ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil. . . .
"But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another." (Mosiah 4:14-15.)
At the April 1993 general conference, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve gave a personal word of counsel to parents: "Teach your children to pray, to rely on the Lord for guidance, and to express appreciation for their blessings. Children learn from you to distinguish between right and wrong. They learn that lying, cheating, stealing or coveting possessions of others is wrong. Help them to learn and obey the commands of God. Teach your young children to work, and teach them that honest labor develops dignity and self-respect. Help them find pleasure in work and feel the satisfaction that comes from a job well done."