Saving the Constitution

To begin, I would like to share a few thoughts with you from a talk by Elder Boyd K. Packer in 1996, at the rededication of the McKay School of Education building at Brigham Young University.

In a 1996 talk by Boyd K. Packer at the redidication of the McKay School of Education building at Brigham Young University, he refers to the [begin quote] "much-quoted statement of the Constitution hanging by a thread. Much has been said about that. There are several versions of this, but I think probably the best one is from the Joseph Smith Papers. The statement is this: "Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the constitution is upon the brink of ruin this people will be the Staff up[on] which the Nation shall lean and they shall bear the constitution away from the very verge of destruction" (Discourse, July 19, 1840, cited in Dean C. Jessee).

Elder Packer continued: "I've never thought that the Constitution would be saved by some swashbuckling elder running in with a contingent of the military swinging a sword to protect it. It would not happen that way; it could not happen that way. The David O. McKay School of Education [at which this speech was given--insert here the name of your OWN homeschool] shall have a very significant part, as the years roll on, in the influence that will be the fulfillment of that prophecy by the Prophet Joseph Smith.

"Now I pray God will preserve us from those things that surely will befall us as society moves forward. The Prophet Joseph Smith said that the country could disintegrate and fall apart. As we move into the future, I see the great influence of teachers from this institution [BYU], which is unique--where religion is taught along with theology, where prayers are said, and where honesty and decency and chastity and morality are built into the students who go out as teachers. With all due respect to the students who come from the School of Law, great lawyers, Constitutional lawyers, will have a great part in the defense of our Constitution. But can you not see that the TEACHER who reproduces himself and herself and the values learned here in the lives and minds of the students has the greater influence?" [end quote]

So, parents, there you have it! TEACHERS (good solid, moral teachers--this means YOU) can help to save the Constitution. Try that one on for size the next time someone asks you "What about socialization?" Tell them you are not raising socialists--you are raising patriots and citizens of the Kingdom of God.

May God bless our efforts, and fill in the cracks where we fall short. May He bless us all with love and power and authority, that we may teach with power and authority from above. Ask Him to bless you that all things may work together for your good. Set up a house of order and of learning, a house of kindness, of hope, of energy and encouragment, of faith in the Living God, of the ability to look beyond the moment and be at peace. And may God bless this great country of ours that it will continue FREE forever.