“Beckoning and Calling With a Loud Voice”

In 1 Nephi 8:15 it says,
“And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.
This scripture is located in the chapter where Lehi has the vision of the “Tree of Life.” In this scripture Lehi is standing at the “Tree of Life.” He has partaken of its fruit and the taste is so wonderful that he begins motioning to his family and calling them with a loud voice to come and eat of this fruit themselves. Lehi uses two different methods to invite his family; “beckoning” and “saying…with a loud voice.” Each type of invitation is very different and each important in its own way. Let’s take a closer look.
First Lehi beckons. In the dictionary, to “beckon” means: To make a sign to another, by nodding, winking, or a motion of the hand or finger, &c. intended as a hint or intimation. “Beckoning” is a very subtle but extremely important element in parenting. Beckoning is done with our physical bodies. Remember the old adage, “Actions speak louder than words?” That’s what we are talking about here. Beckoning is invitation to live the gospel through our actions. We, like Lehi can beckon with our hands and arms, but also with our legs and feet.
Throughout childhood my parents gave me and my sibling many “beckonings,” physical signals or invitations, to follow after them so that we too might enjoy the gospel fruits. They used their hands to tenderly care for us, our neighbors, and friends. For me personally, I remember mom’s leg rubs, and yummy meals, clean sheets on my bed, family trips in the car to visit new sites, dad mowing and edging the yard, mom playing the piano and singing, mom riding a bicycle to the Beethoven Market because there was no extra car or staying up late at night to sew a new dress for me or both of them tending to a sick child. More important was seeing their example of faith in our Savior as they chose to bare and raise us seven children on school teacher’s budget. I saw them regularly and diligently studying the scriptures and praying, attending our Sacrament and Sunday School meetings, and magnifying their callings. They attended the temple regularly and kept their covenants. It was watching their perseverance when my father was dying of cancer, trusting that mother and we children would be watched over after his death. Thinking back through the years, a greater portion of their invitations to us came in their “beckoning” showing and leading us to where the joys of the gospel and life are found.
Like Lehi, righteous fathers and mothers today are not only inviting their families to partake of the gospel through physical example, but they are reinforcing their actions by calling their own children “with a loud voice”; loud, meaning “strong and clear.” They call with a loud voice so their children can clearly understand the importance of this message.
My father and mother also led out in this area of parenting.They regularly invited and taught us as we; visited during family mealtimes, shared during Family Home Evening, and family scripture study. They invited us to morning and evening family prayer, to church, to care for our bodies, to study hard in school, and most important of all to have faith in the Savior, to repent and be obedient. They called us to endure well through each trial that came our way.
Each of my parents has personally suffered much, but never at any time wavered in their invitation to us, be it through their actions or voice. I am ever thankful for a father and mother who like Lehi, got to the tree themselves and while partaking of the fruit, stayed and consistently “beckoned” and called “with a loud voice” to me.
The invitation we parents give to our children to partake of the gospel and its blessings has never changed throughout time, and it never will. With our motions or example and using a clear and strong voice, we too invite our children to come and personally partake of the gospel and the atonement of Jesus Christ. In order to invite, we as parents must first be standing at the tree partaking of the fruit ourselves and feeling the joy of the atonement in our own lives. As we do so, we will be strong witnesses to our posterity of the joy we are currently experiencing by partaking of this fruit ourselves.