Flipping the Switch between Spiritual / Inspirational and Humorous▣ Love
Yesterday, it was my turn to give the bishopric message to the Primary children. Here is what I said.
Valentines Day is a day of love. We first experience love from our Father and Mother in Heaven. We don't know much about our Mother in Heaven, except that Eliza R. Snow mentioned her in a hymn. We'll learn more about her later. But we know that we are beloved children of our Heavenly Father. We know He loves us and sent us here to earth so we could learn to be more like Him and to experience joy. We know our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves us because He suffered and died for us.
Our earthly parents love us. My earthly parents were Rusty and Gloria Rife. They were in their 30s when I, their first child, was born. They were so excited to be parents that they stopped going to movies or doing other social activities and just stayed home at night in my bedroom watching me sleep in my crib. Now, many years later, Janet watches me sleep at night in front of the television. She doesn't think it's as cute as my parents did.
My mom and dad loved me so much that they sacrificed for me. They didn't have much money and didn't drive the best car or wear the best clothes, but I always had the best of everyone. When I was twelve years old, in 1965, I had a baseball mitt that cost $55, when an average mitt cost a few dollars and my dad only made $2 or $3 an hour. I loved baseball and only the best was good enough for me.
As I grew up, I discovered a new kind of love. I gave a big valentine to a girl in my fourth grade class, because I liked her. Later, in high school, I had girlfriends, felt love, and had a broken heart on more than one occasion.
I met Sister Rife at BYU when she was 17 and had come to college after having gotten a double promotion in high school. I had to wait for her to be legal to marry! Yes, I robbed the cradle, marrying Sister Rife before she was wise enough to know she could have gotten a better deal. Still, she has been kind enough to stick with me all these years.
On Valentines Day 1976, I ordered a dozen red roses for Sister Rife, but the florist made a mistake and could not fill the order. Panicked, I asked my mom what to do. She said "a leather wallet is always a thoughtful gift." So I gave Janet a wallet. She looked through all the pockets of the wallet (for an engagement ring) and was disappointed with the gift. I couldn't understand why. It was a good leather wallet!
But, a week later, we got engaged and all was well.
Later, we both learned what it feels like to bring a child (in our case, six children) into the world. We got a small glimpse of how much Heavenly Father loves His children by feeling the love we had for our children.
Today is Valentines Day--and it's about love. This life is about love. God's love for us. Our earthly parents' love for us. Our romantic love for each other. Our love for our children. God is love. If you had to describe God in one word, it would be love. If we want to show our love for God, we will obey Him and love and serve our brothers and sisters hear on the earth.
Happy Valentines Day!
last edited on February 15th, 2010 at 9:42 AM
Copyright © 2008-2009 Richard Rife. All Rights Reserved.
Cenia Parsons says:
Great thoughts to tell the primary children. I loved it!
February 16th, 2010 at 11:10 AM