This is a talk given by President Boyd K. Packer called, “The Golden Years”. This one addresses how useful the older generation is, and should feel.
Pres. Packer tells of attending a meeting where there seemed to be a majority of elderly people in the congregation. He was very impressed with this attendance. The stake president, however, replied, “yes, but they are not active in the Church.”
Pres. Packer returned with this comment, “But are they active in the gospel?” His point was that often we look at what people can do, as opposed to what they are: a priceless resource of experience, wisdom, and inspiration.
“We must teach our youth to draw close to the elderly grandpas and grandmas.” When young women are ready to join the Relief Society, they often draw away and want to stay with their own age. This is his advice to Young Women AND their Leaders:
“Young Women: Do not be so very foolish as to miss this association with the older sisters. They will bring more worth into your life than much of the activity you enjoy so much.”
“Leaders: Teach the girls to draw close to their mothers and grandmothers and to the older women in the Relief Society. They will then have an association similar to what the young men have in the priesthood quorums.”
In fact, meeting together often, as women younger and older, allows for happy memories. Using your imagination, activities hosted in turn by the Relief Society, then the Young Women can bring a unity and companionship of shared ideas and learning experiences. A great love will surely develop.
Pres. Packer even has advice for Bishops:
“Bishop: Do you realize that some problems you worry about so much with the youth, and with others, could be solved if they would stay close to their fathers and mothers and to their grandparents, to the older folks? If you are burdened with overmuch counseling, there are older sisters, grandmas in the ward, who can influence young married women and act as a grandmother to them. And there are older grandfathers for the young men. Older people have a steadiness, a serenity that comes from experience. Learn to use that resource.”
I have to share this cute story he tells in this talk:
“A conference or two ago, Joseph Wirthlin said he was going to challenge the members of the Twelve to a race. I thought at once, ‘Well, I’ll accept the challenge.’ Then I thought it would be safer to race against 96-year-old Brother David Haight. I thought that over and decided that David might trip me with his cane, and I would lose the race. So I gave it up!”
These guys must have a lot of fun in their meetings. There are those in a ward who might look at the “golden year members” as not needed anymore. A very sad judgment and a loss to everyone. There are also those “golden year members” who might feel they have served enough and don’t need to serve anymore. This is what Pres. Packer says about that:
“In your golden years, there is so much to do and so much to be. Do not withdraw into a retirement from life, into amusement. That, for some, would be useless, even selfish. You may have served a mission and been released and consider yourself as having completed your service in the Church, but you are never released from being active in the gospel. ‘If,’ the Lord said, ‘ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work” (D&C 4:3). You may at last, when old and feeble, learn that the greatest mission of all is to strengthen your own family and the families of others, to seal the generations. This is a true principle. I am teaching doctrine. Keep the fire of your testimony of the restored gospel and your witness of our Redeemer burning so brightly that our children can warm their hands by the fire of your faith.”
I am so grateful to know this talk exists. This is a real problem in some wards. Our General Leaders are aware of this problem and have tried to express their concern with what they call Young Women Transition. By incorporating all ages of women together in activities regularly, the girls learn from the beginning that older women are fun, helpful, knowledgeable, and cool.
Boyd K. Packer, “The Golden Years,” GC, Apr. 2003.