Men of Valor: The Powerful Impact of a Righteous Man by strongly of the advantage of having a righteous man in the home. He sounds the clarion call to men around the world to live up to their divine heritage and priesthood responsibilities.
In the book, he quotes Bruce R. McConkie who speaks to every priesthood holder in the world:
We can stand in the place and stead of the Lord Jesus Christ in administering salvation to the children of men. He preached the gospel, so can we. He served as missionary, so can we. He went about doing good; so can we. He performed the ordinances of salvation; so can we. He kept the commandments, so can we. He wrought miracles; such also is our privilege if we are true and faithful in all things. We are his agents; we represent Him; we are expected to and say what He would do and say if He personally were ministering among men at this time.” (Men of Valor: The Powerful Impact of a Righteous Man, Bruce R. McConkie as quoted by Robert L. Millet, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 2007 3)
Indeed, Men of God have been called to minister to His kingdom because He is not here, in person, to do it. Therefore, Jesus Christ has called a living prophet to administer to His Kingdom. That prophet, Thomas S. Monson, called counselors and is surrounded by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who are surrounded by the Quorums of the Seventy, who are surrounded by Area Presidents, who are surrounded by stake presidents, who are surrounded bishops . . . who are surrounded by all of the membership of the Church.
The power of a righteous man in the home, the neighborhood and the ward is of far reaching influence and deep impact. I was very blessed to have a righteous father who made his daughters and sons feel extremely privileged to be his children. You might ask how he did that?
Every morning and night my father would gather us together and we would kneel as a family and have prayer. This was not prayer by rite or rote, but heartfelt gratitude and love poured out to our Heavenly Father for all the gifts and blessings we enjoyed as a family. My father, who survived the horrors of Hitler invading his homeland, even marching down the streets right past the building my father lived in as a child, had more understanding of gratitude than most people I know. He instilled that in each one of his sons and daughters.
Without fail, if his wife or children needed a priesthood blessing, whether of healing or comfort, he always responded with an, “Of course, let’s go somewhere quiet.” He never balked, he never refused. God had given him the priesthood that he might share it, not hoard it. And share it he did.
Day in and day out, my father was an example of a righteous man in thought, deed and action. He loved and helped his fellowman, almost without reservation or doubt. He was a good, kind, loving father who was firm with his sense of right or wrong, in perfect concert with my mother.
He adored my mother and was not shy about holding her hand or kissing her in front of their children. He always put my mother’s wants and needs ahead of his own, and she did the same for him. He treasured her and constantly told us how much he loved her. What this did for his daughters was insure we would seek men to marry who would treat us the same and allow us to return that same respect, affection and love.
I have lived in a home with no righteous priesthood holder and lived in one with a righteous priesthood holder. From personal experience, may I tell you that our home was much happier, peaceful and loving with that righteous priesthood holder than without?
Millett concluded his book with,
Those called to bear the holy priesthood are charged to be constant and consistent, to be tender and teachable, to be loyal and loving. Few of us are called upon to move mountains or part the Red Sea, but we are called upon to establish peace in our homes, to be examples of the believer at our places of work, and to live in such a manner that our words and deeds become the words and deeds of Him who has called us. Like the early Apostles, we are ordained to bring forth fruit and told that our fruit should remain (John 15:16). We have enlisted in the Army of Jehovah and committed to follow Him into battle for the souls of our brothers and sisters. While we speak of the priesthood as that which has been delegated to mortal men, we must never forget that it is in fact the power of God–the power by which worlds came rolling into existence, the power by which all things were created and made, the power by which the inhabitants of those worlds are baptized, confirmed, ordained, endowed, redeemed, married for eternity, sealed up unto eternal life, and glorified hereafter.
This is the power we hold. We receive it with sobriety, for it is sacred. We accept it with humility for it is solemn. (Men of Valor: The Powerful Impact of a Righteous Man, by Robert L. Millet, Deseret Book, Salt Lake City 2007 131-132)
