Using the story of Alma as he spoke to his sons Helaman, Shiblon, and Corianton, Elder Quentin L. Cook shared four principles to help Latter-day Saints make more righteous decisions and addressed spousal and child abuse. 

Choosing Goodness

Alma’s counsel to Shiblon includes the phrase in Alma 38:12, “see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love.”

Focusing on anger and morality as two such passions, Elder Cook said the world teaches we cannot control passions and the adversary seeks “to fill our lives with visual evidence of violence and immorality.”

Noting that some cultures accept spouses hitting each other or parents striking a child, Elder Cook challenged listeners to “make up your mind that regardless of whether your parents did or did not hit you, you will not hit or verbally abuse your spouse or children.”

Story and lead image by Scott Taylor from Church News