In a keynote address at the 36th annual International Society Conference at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Primary General President Susan H. Porter gave ways adults can treat children with dignity and help them understand their worth.
Because each person is a spirit child of heavenly parents, each child has “intrinsic worth and dignity,” President Porter taught on Monday, April 6.
“This fundamental truth should be the foundation of our relationship with children, introducing a measure of humility,” she said. “We are not their superiors. We do not own them.”
Addresses and discussions at the conference explored issues facing the world’s rising generation, reported the Deseret News. The International Society was founded in 1989 and brings together global leaders and Latter-day Saints to address international challenges and solutions.
President Porter’s message focused on the “sacred trust” parents have to nurture, protect and teach children and help them progress in the gospel.
Jesus Christ taught how to instill a sense of worth and dignity in each child, she said.
In 3 Nephi, He invited little children to be brought to Him, and He blessed and prayed for each child individually. His invitation to the crowd was to “behold your little ones” (3 Nephi 17:23).
People today can follow that invitation by paying attention and observing with care as they plan to strengthen and teach children, President Porter taught. Family, church and community can all work together to protect children.
Children face “enormous” challenges in today’s world, she said, but she has hope for their futures.
“I’m humbled by children’s faith and strength in adversity,” she said. “The inherent dignity they feel when they know they are children of God gives them power and purpose.”
In 3 Nephi, after Jesus Christ taught the children, He invited them to minister to others. Building the dignity of God’s children involves following the Savior’s example to both teach and minister to them and then provide them opportunities to serve others, President Porter said.
Family, church and community can provide children with opportunities to serve and belong. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites children to participate in family gospel study and in Primary and to be baptized at 8 years old. Baptized children can speak and pray in sacrament meeting. They can plan, invite and serve in community service activities, which Primaries have been invited to hold annually beginning in January 2025.
When children participate in church services, they are given dignity, and they know that it is their church too, President Porter said. And they want to serve others and are capable of doing so.
“As we follow the invitation of the Savior to ‘behold your little ones’ by surrounding them with circles of support from family, church and community and give them opportunities to strengthen others, we and they will come to understand more deeply their worth beyond price,” she said.
