Fifty years ago in 1972 it was declared in the United States that the third Sunday in June would be a day to honor and recognize fathers. Since then, many other countries also observe Father’s Day in June — this year on June 19.
Here are quotes about fathers from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to celebrate Father’s Day.
President Russell M. Nelson
“Father’s Day is joyful for most but sorrowful for some. Gratefully, each of us can communicate with our Heavenly Father in prayer. He is never absent but is ever-welcoming. Our Heavenly Father is perfectly loving, perfectly understanding, and perfectly capable of helping us rise to meet any challenge we face. On this day, may we honor Him and strive to emulate His example, doing our very best, day after day.”
— Instagram post by President Russell M. Nelson, June 20, 2021
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency
“Young people, if you honor your parents, you will love them, respect them, confide in them, be considerate of them, express appreciation for them, and demonstrate all of these things by following their counsel in righteousness and by obeying the commandments of God.”
— “Honour Thy Father and Thy Mother,” Ensign, May 1991
President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency
“I was with Dad in the White House in Washington, D.C., the morning he got the National Medal of Science from the president of the United States. I missed the days when he got all the other medals and prizes. But, oh, how I’d like to be with him on the morning he gets the prize he won for his days in the onion patches. He was there to wait on the Lord. And you and I can do that, too. We could wait on the Lord tonight.”
— “Waiting upon the Lord,” BYU Devotional, Sept. 30, 1990
President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“You see, we’re all on a journey. Dads are a little further down the road, but none of us has yet arrived at our final destination. We are all in the process of becoming who we will one day be.”
— “Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship,” general conference, October 2009
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Brethren, even when we are not ‘the best of men,’ even in our limitations and inadequacy, we can keep making our way in the right direction because of the encouraging teachings set forth by a Divine Father and demonstrated by a Divine Son. With a Heavenly Father’s help we can leave more of a parental legacy than we suppose.”
— “The Hands of the Fathers,” general conference, April 1999
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“We have all seen a toddler learn to walk. He takes a small step and totters. He falls. Do we scold such an attempt? Of course not. What father would punish a toddler for stumbling? We encourage, we applaud, and we praise because with every small step, the child is becoming more like his parents.”
— “Four Titles,” general conference, April 2013
Elder David A. Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“I decided I never wanted to be a poor example to my father. … A number of years later, my father was baptized. I had the opportunity to confer upon him the Aaronic and the Melchizedek priesthoods. One of the great experiences of my life was seeing my dad receive the authority and the power of the priesthood.”
— “A Lesson from My Father,” Friend, May 2015
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Heavenly Father and family are inseparably connected. When we understand the many dimensions of this connection, we can begin to comprehend more completely how personal and individual are Heavenly Father’s love for and relationship to each of us. Understanding how He feels about us gives us the power to love Him more purely and fully.”
— “The Doctrine of the Father,” Ensign, February 2012
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Perhaps the most essential of a father’s work is to turn the hearts of his children to their Heavenly Father. If by his example as well as his words a father can demonstrate what fidelity to God looks like in day-to-day living, that father will have given his children the key to peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. A father who reads scripture to and with his children acquaints them with the voice of the Lord.”
— “Fathers,” general conference, April 2016
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“I make a special appeal to fathers: Please be an important part of talking to your children about the Savior. They need the confirming expressions of your faith, along with those of their mother.”
— “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus,” general conference, April 2010
Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“On this Father’s Day, I express gratitude for fathers everywhere who set righteous examples. A father’s love, persistence, and dedication leave a lasting impression on all of us. May we continue to look to our Heavenly Father as the prime example for all we do.”
— Tweet from Elder Ronald A. Rasband, June 21, 2020
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“I am thankful my father was worthy to receive and act upon a prompting of the Holy Ghost. … May we all honor and express gratitude today for the lessons our fathers have taught us.”
— Facebook post by Elder Gary E. Stevenson, June 19, 2016
Elder Dale G. Renlund, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Heavenly Father’s goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right, and ultimately become like Him.”
— “Choose You This Day,” general conference, October 2018
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“Heavenly Father does hear every child’s prayer. With infinite love, He beckons us to come believe and belong by covenant.”
— “Covenant Belonging,” general conference, October 2019
Elder Ulisses Soares, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
“You cannot fully understand the breadth of who you are, without understanding whose you are. Do you understand that you are literally a child of God? Have you discovered what that divine heritage means for you?”
— Family Discovery Day, FamilySearch, March 2022
