"Priesthood is a righteous authority only," Elder James E. Faust, then of the Quorum of the Twelve, declared at October 1993 general conference. "Any attempt to use it in the home as a club to abuse or enforce unrighteous dominion is a complete contradiction of that authority and results in its loss.
"As a holder of the priesthood, the father holds a primary responsibility to claim spiritual and temporal blessings from the Lord for himself, his wife, his family, but these blessings can be claimed only in righteousness as he honors his priesthood. We are taught by the Lord that 'no power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned' (Doctrine and Covenants 121:41).
"In my opinion, there are few words in the holy scriptures of greater significance than the beautiful language contained in the 121st section of the Doctrine and Covenants."
