President Thomas S. Monson shared the experience of Jay Hess, an airman who was shot down over North Vietnam in the 1960s: “For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words.” President Monson asks: “What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote [the following words]: ‘These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.’”7
What words would you write to your children if you had 25 words or less?
General Conference April 2013 • Rosemary M. Wixom
My 25 Words
Love, learn of, and follow God.
Love yourself and others.
Repent. Forgive.
Have a family and serve them.
Have vision, see eternally.
I love you.
Sometimes it's just good to hear what others say. One of our blog commenters Pebbles & Pigtails had the same idea about 25 words too. It would also be good to here your words.
Have you taken the challenge?
What would you write to your children
if you had 25 words?
Don't worry about how it flows. Don't worry about how it sounds. Don't worry what others think.
Be spontaneous. Be raw. Be vulnerable. Be real.