What I Heard in Sacrament Meeting Sunday, and what it made me think

Caleb sang and Miranda played, "I do believe."  They set a good mood.

I have been mulling over how to respond to my older two sons for some time, who have both given themselves to "riotous" living as in the words from the "Parable of the Prodigal Son."  I have been wondering if I should send them something, calling them to repentance. 

In sacrament meeting Brother Joe Cazier spoke.  He quoted a story from Russel M. Nelson.  It was about a rafting trip his family took.  Elder Nelson, going over the first rapid, held to his family, and himself ended in the water.  The next rapids he held to the ropes of the raft.  He explained that as parents, we need to hold fast to Jesus and the iron rod of the gospel.  In so doing we set an example for our children, and then the can cling to us or the iron rod, and make it through troubling times.  http://lds.org/general-conference/2001/10/set-in-order-thy-house?lang=eng&query=russell+m+nelson+rafting

Elder Nelson tells us:  Parents are to be living examples of “kindness, and pure knowledge, which … greatly enlarge the soul.”  Each mother and father should lay aside selfish interests and avoid any thought of hypocrisy, physical force, or evil speaking.  Would it be evil speaking to call my sons to repentance.  Or is their a better way.  Elder Nelson says, "All of us can cling to the Lord."

I have been looking at myself.  Are their areas I have fallen short?  I know my sons would probably say yes.  And so I need to rededicate myself, and some how find a way to overcome weakness.