Sunday, March 01, 2009

The importance of being honest

Integrity is fundamental to being.... Integrity means being truthful,
but it also means accepting responsibility and honoring commitments
and covenants. President N. Eldon Tanner, a former counselor in the
First Presidency [of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]
and a man of integrity, told of someone who sought his advice:
"A young man came to me not long ago and said, 'I made an agreement
with a man that requires me to make certain payments each year. I am
in arrears, and I can't make those payments, for if I do, it is going
to cause me to lose my home. What shall I do?'
"I looked at him and said, 'Keep your agreement.'
"'Even if it costs me my home?'
"I said, 'I am not talking about your home. I am talking about your
agreement; and I think your wife would rather have a husband who would
keep his word, meet his obligations, … and have to rent a home than to
have a home with a husband who will not keep his covenants and his
pledges.'"
D. Todd Christofferson, "Let Us Be Men," Ensign, Nov 2006, 46–48

President Tanner said: "Just imagine the reversal that would take
place if full integrity were to rule in family life. There would be
complete fidelity. Husbands would be faithful to wives, and wives to
husbands. There would be no living in adulterous relationships in lieu
of marriage. Homes would abound in love, children and parents would
have respect for one another. … [How else will our children come to]
value honesty and integrity?" (Ensign, May 1977, p. 16.)

He suggests, "The choice to serve God, worthily made, does not
necessarily preclude a home or sufficient money or income, or the
things of this world which bring joy and happiness, but it does
require that we must not turn away from God and the teachings of Jesus
Christ while in the pursuit of our temporal needs." (Ensign, June
1971, p. 14.)


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