I was reading the suggested article for the Come, Follow Me bible study; “The Voice of Warning” by D. Todd Christofferson and I found myself nodding the entire time. As a mother I know my teens get tired of hearing my constant plea for them to choose good friends, dress modestly, watch better movies, or listen to uplifting music. I can sometimes feel the exasperation when the kids are busy with other things and I gather them nightly for scriptures and prayer. I know they feel like I repeat myself as I instruct them to remember who they are and encourage them to read their scriptures daily, and say constant prayers. This is my job. Of all the jobs that I have as a mother, my number one job is to try my absolutely best to help my kids stay on the path that leads to happiness, and eventually eternal life. It is the most important mission I could serve. There will be not greater joy then to see the spiritual success of my children, and no great sadness to see them fall away. As parents we are watchmen on the tower for our children. We can blow the horn of caution when we see or feel that our kids are leaning away from the Lord or that they are spending time with dangerous influences. We stand as a beacon of light for our children, and must teach them all things pertaining to Christ with our words and actions. Our responsibility is great and the reward even greater. 

“The prophet Ezekiel was born about two decades before Lehi and his family left Jerusalem. In 597 BC, at age 25, Ezekiel was one of the many carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, and as best we can tell, he spent the rest of his life there. He was of the Aaronic priestly lineage, and when he was 30, he became a prophet.

In commissioning Ezekiel, Jehovah used the metaphor of a watchman.

“If when [the watchman] seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

“Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.”

On the other hand, “if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, … his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.”

Then speaking directly to Ezekiel, Jehovah declared, “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them [for] me.” The warning was to turn away from sin.

“When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

“Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. …

“Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; …

“None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.”

Interestingly, this warning also applies to the righteous. “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his [righteous deeds] shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.”

Pleading with His children, God tells Ezekiel, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” 

Far from being anxious to condemn, our Heavenly Father and our Savior seek our happiness and plead with us to repent, knowing full well that “wickedness never was [and never will be] happiness.” So Ezekiel and every prophet before and since, speaking the word of God out of a full heart, have warned all who will to turn away from Satan, the enemy of their souls, and “choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men.

While the duty to warn is felt especially keenly by prophets, it is a duty shared by others as well. In fact, “it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.”​​​​ We who have received a knowledge of the great plan of happiness—and its implementing commandments—should feel a desire to share that knowledge since it makes all the difference here and in eternity. And if we ask, “Who is my neighbor that I should warn?” surely the answer will be found in a parable that begins, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,”​​​​ and so forth.” -D. Todd Christofferson

“Surely love would compel parents to warn their closest “neighbors”—their own children. This means teaching and testifying of gospel truths. It means teaching children the doctrine of Christ: faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Lord reminds parents, “I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.”

A crucial element of the parental duty to warn is to paint not only the demoralizing consequences of sin but also the joy of walking in obedience to the commandments.” -D. Todd Christofferson 

What an honor to be called by the Lord as parents. He trusts us to teach, lead, and love his precious children. Nothing is more important! Nothing is of greater worth! 

Here is the link to D. Todd Christofferson’s talk:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/04/the-voice-of-warning?lang=eng

-Sherri Jorgensen