Whosoever Receiveth One of Such Children

I remember one time many years ago when a co-worker gave me a ride home from work and he picked up his teenage daughter from somewhere on the way. I don’t know exactly what it was, but something about the way that his face lit up with joy to see her and welcome her into the car struck me and has stuck in my mind. The love he had for her was evident, and that small moment made me want to show and express more love to my own children. I thought of this experience today as I read the words of Elder Andersen from the most recent general conference. He said this: “As covenant children of God, we love, honor, nurture, safeguard, and welcome those spirits who are coming from the premortal world…. May we always remember that each spirit child of God is coming to earth on his or her own personal journey. May we welcome them, safeguard them, and always love them. As you receive these precious children in the Savior’s name and help them in their eternal journey, I promise you that the Lord will bless you and shower His love and approval upon you.” The world will certainly give us little recognition or commendation for how we care for children, but it is the Lord’s approval that we seek and we follow His example and counsel: “And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me” (Mark 9:36-37). We must learn to receive them and love them even as He did in mortality.

               The topic of having and raising children seems to be a favorite of Elder Andersen. In 2011 he gave a talk entitled Children that I have often thought of through the years. This particular quote from a Christian mother has in particular stuck with me: “[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get. Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.” How crucial it is for those blessed to be parents to remember that indeed, raising our children is what God gave us time for. They should be at the top of our priority list; they aren’t something we just fit in the to-do list after our other responsibilities. In the same talk Elder Andersen told a story of a young couple struggling to figure out how to have children at that time while becoming a doctor. He explained his concerns to President Kimball who said this: “Would the Lord want you to break one of his important commandments in order for you to become a doctor? With the help of the Lord, you can have your family and still become a doctor. Where is your faith?” What a question!

               Five years later Elder Andersen again gave a talk on having children titled “Whoso Receiveth Them Receiveth Me”. He encouraged us in particular to help children in all different family situations: “God loves children. He loves all children. The Savior said, ‘Suffer [the] little children … to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’” He continued, “My plea today is for the hundreds of thousands of children, youth, and young adults who do not come from these, for lack of a better term, ‘picture-perfect’ families…. While a child’s earthly situation may not be ideal, a child’s spiritual DNA is perfect because one’s true identity is as a son or daughter of God.” He told a powerful story of an outdoor meeting in Congo where dozens of children came running to join them when invited in past the fence. He commented, “I was deeply moved by this experience and saw it as symbolic of our need to reach out to the youth who feel alone, left behind, or outside the fence. Let us think about them, welcome them, embrace them, and do everything we can to strengthen their love for the Savior.” Again he emphasized our need to bless and love and care for children.

               I am grateful for Elder Andersen’s encouragement and teachings and stories about nurturing children. We must learn to receive them with faith and love and remember that caring for them is indeed what God gave us time for. And with three talks focused on children each spaced five years apart, I look forward to his next talk about children in 2026!