The cure for spiritual and emotional disease

This post is part of the General Conference Odyssey. This week covers the Saturday Morning Session of the April 1979 Conference.

Any time something terrible happens in the world, like it did last week with the school shooting in Florida, it seems like All The Opinions come out. Even someone like me who avoids "the news" can't help but be overwhelmed with articles, opinions, recriminations, etc. And obviously everyone is looking for some sort of answer to such evil. I've read articles on social aspects, psychological aspects, and legal aspects of such events—and (with the exception of a few ridiculous arguments accusing the "other side" of pure malice and idiocy) it seems like they all just reinforce the conclusion that there are no simple answers.

Or are there?

I couldn't help but think about this as I read President Kimball talking about fortifying our homes against evil:

We are constantly seeking ways to strengthen families and bless children, and that commitment will be continued and reinforced this year and in all the years to come.

The Church welcomes the concerns of others to achieve these beneficial ends through appropriate means. We again are reemphasizing, however, that the greatest blessing we can give our own children and that can be extended to all the children of the world will come through the simple processes of teaching and training them in the way of the Lord.

Home life, proper teaching in the home, parental guidance and leadership—these are the panacea for the ailments of the world and its children. They are the cure for spiritual and emotional diseases and the remedy for its problems. Parents should not leave the training of children to others.

I was struck by the fact that President Kimball doesn't say "love in the home is all we need." (Although I think he's just assuming love in the home as a given, and it's implied in "parental guidance and leadership.") And he also doesn't say that the parents need to be expert teachers or perfect examples. What he does say is that the greatest blessing we can give our children is to teach them simply, with a focus on Jesus Christ, and that we should take personal responsibility for this teaching.

Of course, I know we can't blame the choices of children solely on their parents. I know there are complicating factors…and yet…a prophet of God is saying this: "Home life, proper teaching in the home, parental guidance and leadership—these are the panacea for the ailments of the world and its children. They are the cure for spiritual and emotional diseases and the remedy for its problems."