“Ammon, the Nephite missionary, provided an example for us. He had chosen to serve the Lamanite king and was sent to watch the flocks of Lamoni. When a band of renegades attacked and scattered the sheep, Ammon’s fellow servants had fear and began to weep. What did Ammon say? “Be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water” (Alma 17:31).” – Robert D. Hales
We are the Ammons for our sheep (children). Satan sends his devils to scatter them in every possible way. Ammon fought diligently without rest to keep the King’s sheep safe. As should we, as parents, never weary or become complacent to the tending of our flock–we have to fight with all our heart, mind, and soul, to keep them safe. We must keep our head up, stay positive, and steadfast as we guide our families down the path of life.
While traveling to Montana to visit my sister, we passed through Wyoming, where for the first time I got to see real live sheep herding. We were at a stand still, unable to go any further, and we watched thousands of sheep cross the highway. The leader was on horseback in the middle, and sheep dogs were on the edges. There were only a couple sheep dogs compared to the enormous flock. However, these sheep dogs were diligent! They never took their eyes off the herd, moving to and fro helping whichever sheep needed redirection. They nipped at the feet, barking constantly. We actually couldn’t hear the barking, because the chatter from the flock was too loud, but we could see the sheep dogs valiantly fighting with their mouths moving and their actions. I couldn’t believe how tight the Shepherd was able to keep the thousands of sheep. There were endless miles to roam, fields galore, grass aplenty, yet they all stayed close to the Shepard.
This is the only way we are going to be able to successfully lead our teenagers through life. Christ must be at the center of our homes, our lives, and our parenting techniques. We are like the sheep dogs, paying close attention to the flock, never giving up, and fighting valiantly, and diligently for our children, every single day. They may feel like we are nipping at their heels, as we continue to guide, even when they desire to wander off. We must stay closely tuned into their lives, shifting this way and that, so we know what they need from us as parents. We must love them enough to help them stay close to the Savior.
“We start to fail in the home when we give up on each other. We have not failed until we have quit trying. As long as we are working diligently with love, patience, and long-suffering, despite the odds or the apparent lack of progress, we are not classified as failures in the home. We only start to fail when we give up on a son, daughter, mother, or father.” -Marvin J. Ashton
-Sherri Jorgensen
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