June 22, 2015

Beloved family and friends,

I could tell stories and experiences that
happened this week, but I
would rather do this... I'm going to take a few
minutes to share a few
thoughts about Father's Day.

As members of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have
greater reason to celebrate
Father's Day than any other people on
earth. We should have more joy and
excitement for this occasion than
all other people combined. We actually know
the true significance and
importance of fatherhood. I'm going to share a few
thoughts on the
doctrine of fatherhood...
(Though in this letter I will only
refer to fathers, many of these
apply to mothers and fathers)


In the
beginning, "God created man in his own image, in the image of
God created he
him; male and female created he them."(Genesis 1:27).
Christianity should know
that fathers are literally created after the
image of our Eternal
Father.

What does the Savior Himself teach us about the role of
fathers?

“The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father
do:
for [whatsoever things He] doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise”
(John
5:19).

“I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me” (John
8

The very Son of God acknowledges and addresses the importance of
fathers,
especially His Father, in the teaching and upbringing of the
human
family.


Okay, now let's talk about why we love and appreciate fathers
more
than all the earth.
So, What is the restored doctrine of
fatherhood?

"Each is a beloved spirit son... of heavenly parents, and, as
such,
each has a divine nature and destiny."(The Family: A Proclamation to
the
The World)
We know that all earthly fathers were part of a family well
before
this earth was formed. We know that parenthood is not only an
earthly
principle. We know that fathers have a "divine nature and
destiny".

What is the "divine nature and destiny" of fathers?

"By divine
design, fathers are to preside over their families in love
and righteousness
and are responsible to provide the necessities of
life and protection for their
families."(The Family: A Proclamation to
the World)
We know that fathers are
divinely appointed to preside in their
families. We know that there are many
responsibilities that come with
fatherhood, and fathers "will be held
accountable before God for the
discharge of these obligations." (The Family: A
Proclamation to the
World)

We also know that because of the restoration of
God's Church it is
"possible for individuals to return to the presence of God
and for
families to be united eternally."(The Family: A Proclamation to
the
World)
We know that being a father is more than a 30-50 year experience.
We
know that fathers can, and will, be fathers forever. Elder Tad R.
Callister
once said, "In the life to come, I do not know if titles
such as bishop or
Relief Society president will survive, but I do know
that the titles of husband
and wife, father and mother, will continue
and be revered, worlds without
end."

So, what do we know about fathers? More than the rest of the
world
combined. We know all the truth that they have, and much more. We
know
better, so we must be better.

I would like to express my love for my
father. My father, who would
give anything and everything for his children. My
father, who taught
me how to work. I would never be who I am today if I had any
other
father, and for that I thank God that I had my father.

To my father,
to my friends, to myself and all who read this E-mail, I
close with the words
of President Ezra Taft Benson, “Remember your
sacred calling as a father in
Israel--your most important calling in
time and eternity--a calling from which
you will never be released.”

Love, Elder Giles