SINGLE PARENTS
SELECTED TEACHINGS
President Gordon B. Hinckley
“To you single mothers and fathers, may I say
a special word of appreciation for you. Your burdens
are heavy. We know this. Your concerns are deep.
There is never enough money. There is never enough
time. Do the very best you can and plead with the
Lord for His help that your children may grow in
grace and understanding and achievement and,
most importantly, in faith. If you do so, the day
will come when you will get on your knees and,
with tears in your eyes, thank the Lord for His
blessings upon you” (“A Conversation with Single
Adults,” Ensign,Mar. 1997, 63).
“Now to you single mothers, whatever the cause
of your present situation, our hearts reach out to
you. We know that many of you live in loneliness,
insecurity, worry, and fear. For most of you there is
never enough money. Your constant, brooding worry
is anxiety for your children and their futures. Many
of you find yourselves in circumstances where you
have to work and leave your children largely to
their own devices. But if when they are very small
there is much of affection, there is shown much of
love, there is prayer together, then there will more
likely be peace in the hearts and strength in the
character of your children. Teach them the ways of
the Lord. Declared Isaiah, ‘All thy children shall be
taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of
thy children’ (Isa. 54:13).
“The more surely you rear your children in the ways
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, with love and high
expectation, the more likely that there will be peace
in their lives.
“Set an example for them. That will mean more
than all the teaching you can give them. Do not
overindulge them. Let them grow up with respect
for and understanding of the meaning of labor,
of working and contributing to the home and its
surroundings, with some way of earning some of
their own expense money. Let your sons save for
missions, and encourage them to prepare themselves,
not only financially, but spiritually and in an attitude
to go out to serve the Lord without selfishness of
any kind. I do not hesitate to promise that if you
will do so, you will have reason to count your
blessings” (“Stand Strong against the Wiles of the
World,” Ensign,Nov. 1995, 99–100).
“The burdens that fall upon a young woman who
alone must rear her child are unbelievably heavy
and consuming.... The answer is straightforward.
It lies in adherence to the principles of the gospel
and the teaching of the Church. It lies in self-
discipline” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 73;
or Ensign,Nov. 1994, 53).
“I have spoken on three or four occasions to the
women of the Church during the past ten years.
I have received in response to these various talks
a substantial number of letters. I have kept some
of them in a file marked ‘Unhappy Women.’
“... I wish to read you a portion of one of them
that was received only last week....
“‘Then came the crash. About a year ago he decided
that he never loved me and that our marriage was a
mistake from the beginning. He was convinced that
there was nothing in our relationship for him.
He filed for divorce and moved out. “Wait,” I kept
saying. “Oh, no. Stop! Don’t do this. Why are you
leaving? What is wrong? Please, talk to me. Look at
our children. What of all our dreams? Remember
our covenants. No, no! Divorce is not the answer.”
He would not hear me. I thought I would die.
“‘Now I am a single parent. What an enormous
load of heartache, pain, and loneliness is behind
that statement. It explains so much trauma and so
much anger from my teenage sons. It explains so
many tears from my little girls. It explains so many
sleepless nights, so many family demands and
needs. Why am I in this mess? What did I choose
wrong? How will I ever get through school? How
will I get through this week? Where is my husband?
Where is the father of my children? I join the ranks
of tired women whose husbands leave them. I have
no money, no job. I have children to care for, bills
to pay, and not much hope.’” (in Conference
Report, Oct. 1991, 69–70; or Ensign,Nov. 1991, 50).Even in single-parent
families, the family continues on,
for families are forever.
—Elder Ben B. Banks311