--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I may be pardoned for suggesting the…" description: "\"“If I may be pardoned for suggesting the obvious, I do so only because the obvious is not observed in so many instances. The obvious includes four impe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/gordon-b-hinckley-331_children_if-i-may-be-pardoned-for-suggesting-the_2167178.jpg" --- # If I may be pardoned for suggesting the obvious, I do so… ![“If I may be pardoned for suggesting the obvious, I do so only because the obvious is not observed in so many instances. The obvious includes four imperatives with reference to children: (1) love them, (2) teach them, (3) respect them, and (4) pray with them and for them... How much more beautiful…” quote by Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/gordon-b-hinckley-331_children_if-i-may-be-pardoned-for-suggesting-the_2167178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/gordon-b-hinckley-331_children_if-i-may-be-pardoned-for-suggesting-the_2167178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/797/gordon-b-hinckley-331_children_if-i-may-be-pardoned-for-suggesting-the_2167178.jpg) > ““If I may be pardoned for suggesting the obvious, I do so only because the obvious is not observed in so many instances. The obvious includes four imperatives with reference to children: (1) love them, (2) teach them, (3) respect them, and (4) pray with them and for them... How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if every father looked upon his children as the most precious of his assets, if he led them by the power of his example in kindness and love, and if in times of stress he blessed them by the authority of the holy priesthood; and if every mother regarded her children as the jewels of her life, as gifts from the God of heaven, who is their Eternal Father, and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord...”” [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children need love, education, respect, and spiritual guidance; parents should cherish and model these values. **In simple terms:** Parents should love, teach, respect, and pray for their children. Key Takeaway Prioritize holistic care for children through love and example. Themes family parenting values spirituality Mood hopeful serene Type advice spiritual When to use this quote - raising children - family counseling - faith communities - parental guidance Key Concepts love education respect prayer Questions to Reflect On - How can parents balance work and these child‑centered duties? - What community resources support these four imperatives? A Different Perspective Societal pressures may limit parents' ability to fully embody these imperatives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives/) [Imperatives Reference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives-reference-4624133/) [Includes Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/includes-imperatives-4624132/) [Kindness And Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-and-love/) [Suggesting Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suggesting-obvious-4624130/) [Times Of Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-of-stress/) [True affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-affection/) [Wisdom Admonition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-admonition-4624131/) ## Related quotes > [How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if...every mother regarded her children as the jewels of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/how-much-more-beautiful-would-be-the-world-and-the-society-in-which/) [Gordon B. 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But missing someone when youre busy having fun, thats true affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-normal-to-miss-someone-when-youre-alone-and-lonely-but-missing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Self-interest is the enemy of all true affection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/self-interest-is-the-enemy-of-all-true-affection/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [Do not allow yourself to be imprisoned by any affection. Keep your solitude. 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"We laugh at religion's brand of love, forms and rules that keep the poor feeding from the church's coffers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/valerik-spit-to-one-side-we-laugh-at-religion-s-brand-of-love-forms/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [You can't find true affection in Hollywood because everyone does the fake affection so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/you-can-t-find-true-affection-in-hollywood-because-everyone-does-the/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) ## More by Gordon B. Hinckley > [“Now we are at war. Great forces have been mobilized and will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/now-we-are-at-war-great-forces-have-been-mobilized-and-will-continue/) [Gordon B. 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Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Get on your knees and pray, then get on your feet and work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/get-on-your-knees-and-pray-then-get-on-your-feet-and-work/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I have now been an officer in this Church for a very long time. I am an old man who cannot deny the calendar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/i-have-now-been-an-officer-in-this-church-for-a-very-long-time-i-am/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Books represent the accumulated workings of the human mind, the endless treasures of man's thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/books-represent-the-accumulated-workings-of-the-human-mind-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The Voice of Heaven is a still small voice. The voice of peace in the home is a quiet voice. There is need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-voice-of-heaven-is-a-still-small-voice-the-voice-of-peace-in-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [We wear on our faces the results of what we believe and how we behave, and such behavior is most evident in the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/we-wear-on-our-faces-the-results-of-what-we-believe-and-how-we-behave/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [You are great young people. I have said again and again, we have the finest generation of young people ever in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/you-are-great-young-people-i-have-said-again-and-again-we-have-the/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Work without vision is drudgery. Vision without work is dreaming. Work plus vision-this is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/work-without-vision-is-drudgery-vision-without-work-is-dreaming-work/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [There is no association richer than the companionship of husband and wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-is-no-association-richer-than-the-companionship-of-husband-and/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) [Explore all 669 Gordon B. Hinckley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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How much more beautiful would be the world and the society in which we live if every father looked upon his children as the most precious of his assets, if he led them by the power of his example in kindness and love, and if in times of stress he blessed them by the authority of the holy priesthood; and if every mother regarded her children as the jewels of her life, as gifts from the God of heaven, who is their Eternal Father, and brought them up with true affection in the wisdom and admonition of the Lord...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon B. 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