Knowing Who We Are (9/1/2009)

"Many of you are familiar with the musical Fiddler on the Roof. It is a favorite of mine... Tears come to the viewer as he hears the beautiful strains of 'Sunrise, Sunset,' and he seems to appreciate Tevye's love for his native village when the cast sings 'Anatevka.'

"The gaiety of the dance, the rhythm of the music, and the excellence of the acting all fade in significance when Tevye speaks what to me becomes the message of the musical. He gathers his lovely daughters to his side, and, in the simplicity of his peasant surroundings, he counsels them as they ponder their future. 'Remember,' cautions Tevye, 'in Anatevka we know who we are and what God expects us to become.'

"As Latter-day Saints, we know who we are and what God expects us to become." - President Thomas S. Monson

I often share President Kimball's advice with my children when they leave the house to remember who they are and what they stand for. That is not always the easiest thing to do, as the peer pressure of family, friends, and co-workers comes to bear on us. We need to remember what we have been taught, however, and think upon our eternal potential when we decide how we will act in any given situation. As the children of a loving Father, we know what is expected of us, but we also know that there are better things that await us after this life if we will be faithful.