When the Rains Fall: The Necessity of the Open Umbrella in the Latter-day Saint Home

There are times in the Lord’s work when the challenge is a gentle drizzle—a few misplaced doctrines, a moment of weakness in testimony. These are manageable with diligent study and the consistent application of our covenants. But brethren, we are not in such a season. As we reflect on the counsel given by President Kimble, we must soberly assess the climate of our age.

He spoke of the home evening, of family prayer, and the associated activities of the Church for the saving of the family. He used a powerful, tangible metaphor: the umbrella. He warned that if this spiritual canopy is not fully opened, it is little more than a cane—offering negligible defense against the inevitable tempests of the world. But when the umbrella is fully spread, its material becomes taut, and it can deflect the worst the world throws at us.

The warning, brothers and sisters, is stark: “We are at a point in human history when unfortunately it is no longer merely sprinkling the rains have begun to fall.” This is not a call to fear, but a divine summons to diligence. It is a call to remember that the family unit—the sacred cornerstone of our covenant keeping—is the very “tilt point for a vast number of souls who can go either way—to alienation and anger or to sweetness and service.”

The Doctrine of the Open Canopy

For us, as Latter-day Saints who understand the gravity of the Restoration, this metaphor speaks directly to the depth of our commitment to the covenants. The 'rain' represents the escalating spiritual pressures—the rising tide of apostasy, the secularization of culture, and the subtle erosion of doctrine that seeks to diminish the power of the priesthood and the authority of the prophets.

To keep the umbrella folded, to treat the sacred ordinances and the principles of the Gospel as mere suggestions rather than divine law, is to leave our families exposed. It means allowing the covenant path to become merely a suggestion rather than the iron rod that guides us through the valley of the shadow of death. We must treat our study of scripture, our temple attendance, and our adherence to the counsel of the Prophet not as optional activities, but as the taut, protective material of that canopy.

A Call to Covenant Strength

This requires more than mere sentiment; it requires doctrinal adherence. It demands that we understand that the protection offered by the Church is not a shield against all difficulty, but a divine mechanism that allows us to endure the storms while keeping our covenants intact. The strength of the family, therefore, is directly proportional to the breadth and depth of its adherence to the restored gospel.

We are called to be scholars, to be disciples, and to be covenant-keepers. We must study the Book of Mormon not just as history, but as a living testament to the power of Christ and the eternal nature of the family. We must treat the teachings of the General Conference not as seasonal advice, but as perennial mandates from our living prophet.

Let us not be found among those who, when the heavens open, have tucked away their spiritual umbrellas. Let us, instead, work diligently to keep the canopy spread, taut, and ready to deflect the hail of doubt and the wind of worldly skepticism. Our commitment to the doctrines and covenants must be visible in the sanctity of our homes and the diligence of our study.

Brothers and sisters, I invite you to examine your own household this week. Where is the gap in the canopy? What covenant practice, when neglected, leaves us vulnerable? Let the Spirit guide your reflection, and let us press forward together, building the corpus of knowledge that will sustain the next generation.