A Father's Example

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, shared a story about his father, the scientist Henry Eyring, who served on the Utah Bonneville Stake high council. He was responsible for the welfare farm, which included a field of onions that needed to be weeded. At that time, he was nearly 80 and suffering from painful bone cancer. He assigned himself to do weeding even though the pain he felt was too great to allow him to kneel, so he pulled himself along on his stomach with his elbows. Yet he smiled, laughed, and talked happily with the others who were there that day.
President Eyring said of the incident:
“After all the work was finished and the onions were all weeded, someone [said to my father], 'Henry, good heavens! You didn't pull those weeds, did you? Those weeds were sprayed two days ago, and they were going to die anyway.'
”Dad just roared. He thought that was the funniest thing. He thought it was a great joke on himself. He had worked through the day in the wrong weeds. They had been sprayed and would have died anyway. …  I [asked] him, 'Dad, how could you make a joke out of that?' … He said something to me that I will never forget. … He said, 'Hal, I wasn't there for the weeds.'”

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers in my life. I am so grateful to your examples to me. For my Grandpa who is constantly looking for ways to serve others even though he is 80; for my Dad who always has a smile on his face despite his challenges. For my Father-in-Law and his dedication to his family and church. And for my sweet husband and father of my children and his example of patience and how to play and have fun with our kids. All of these fathers have been there "weeding" and setting examples for their children and families. And I am thankful for that.