The Traditions of My Fathers

In reflecting on the recent death of my grandfather I began contemplating his life and the lives of my ancestors.  The Book of Mormon and other scriptures speak often of "the traditions of their fathers".  For righteous or for evil. 

Here are just a couple examples from the Scriptures:

Samuel the Lamanite prophesied the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at His birth.  He prophesied of the signs that would be given at His birth. Of course there were many unbelievers who persecuted the believers.

3 Nephi 1:9-11 (Emphasis added)

 9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet. 

 10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. 

 11 And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

The believers were willing to die at the hands of the unbelievers "because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers."  They weren't put to death because the signs came as prophesied.

That was a Scripture showing the righteous traditions of their fathers.  Now here is a Scripture showing the evil traditions of their fathers.

This Scripture is talking about the Lamanites -- descendents of Laman and Lemuel -- who are the sons of the prophet Lehi and brothers of prophets Nephi and Jacob.

Mosiah 10:12-14; 17 (Emphasis added)

12 They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;

 13 And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord—therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness.

 14 And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood not the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord.

17 And thus they have taught their children that they should hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them; therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of Nephi.

So because of Laman and Lemuel and their bad choices, their children and generations to follow became wicked and unbelieving.  For the Lamanites that was the tradition of their fathers.  On the contrary Nephi and his righteous brothers taught their children to obey the Lord and His commandments.  They were taught the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The generations to follow became the Nephites. Righteousness and believing in and following the Lord Jesus Christ became the tradition of their fathers.

It brings to mind the story my grandpa told of baptizing two of his friends during World War II.  These men saw my grandpa's example of living the Gospel.  He followed the tradition of his fathers.  Because of that the descendents of those two men -- many people and several generations -- have a legacy of living the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving in his Church. That has become the tradition of their fathers.  In fact many of those descendents attended my grandfather's funeral and thanked my family members for my grandfather's righteous example and willingness to share the gospel.

I have been mocked and persecuted because I follow the tradition of my fathers.  Much like Korihor, an Anti-Christ mocked and persecuted the righteous followers of Christ in The Book of Mormon.

Alma 30:14

14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish traditions of your fathers.

I've had that very thing told to me, almost verbatim, by an apostate family member.

But I am proud of the traditions of my fathers.  I feel very blessed to have been taught the truthfulness of the gospel as a tradition of my fathers.  I am thankful for righteous ancestors who have passed that down to me.  I do not take it for granted and I do not follow blindly.

I am immensely blessed because of the traditions of my fathers.  I hope and pray that I can live up to the examples of my ancestors in continuing the tradition of my fathers.

That's my two cents.