“Every Day a Father’s Day,”
Father’s Day is usually celebrated one day every June, but there can be other father’s days too. Fathers never stop being fathers, even when the holiday is over.
Besides your earthly father, who is the father of your earthly body, you pray to Heavenly Father, who is the Father of your spirit body. And there are other fathers who are concerned about your happiness and success—your grandfather; your bishop, who is often called the father of the ward; or perhaps you have a stepfather.
Countries, too, have wise and brave leaders who are looked upon as fathers by those who live there. George Washington is known as the “Father of His Country” because of his valiant leadership and deep devotion to the welfare of his countrymen in North America, who wanted to live as a free people. Simon Bolivar was called El Libertador (The Liberator) or the “George Washington of South America” because of his ability to help several South American countries gain their independence from the Spanish conquistadors. Leaders in other lands are thought of as fathers of their countries because of their loyalty and love for their people.
To show that you remember your fathers on the other 364 days of the year, here are some ways to make them happy:
Heavenly Father
Learn to obey Heavenly Father’s commandments by listening to the counsel of your parents and the instructions from your teachers. Pray to Heavenly Father often. He is real and He loves you. Avoid temptation. Satan is also real, and he can entice you to do things that are wrong.
Earthly Father
Few things please a father more than having a son or daughter who is unselfish, helpful, pleasant, and kind and loving to everyone.
Learn to work hard, study hard, and play hard. When a father’s family is happy, it helps him to become a better kind of person.
Father of the Ward (Bishop)
In addition to his own family, a bishop has responsibility for the welfare of a larger family—all the members of his ward. Another big responsibility the bishop has is the care and upkeep of the meetinghouse. Some of the money paid to the bishop as a contribution to the Church is used to light and heat the building and to pay for many other necessary supplies. The bishop and custodian are especially grateful when we treat the building and all its furnishings and grounds kindly. Remember—it is really the Lord’s house, a place that can be acceptable to Him and a place where we can worship Him in peace and safety.
Father of Your Country
Just as fathers of countries hope that their people will be loyal, patriotic, considerate, and law-abiding citizens who recognize individual differences and needs, local public officials or “City Fathers” have the same hopes and concerns for their people.
If you show that you remember your fathers’ enduring love for you by the way you live, every day can truly be a Fathers’ Day.