Alma-Father's Day

Helaman 5:6 "I have given unto you the names of our first parents...that when you remember your names ye may remember them...and their works...that they were good"
    In this passage two of the greatest missionaries of the Book of Mormon, Lehi and Nephi, are taught by their father Helaman about why they were named after the great ancient prophets Lehi and Nephi.  Its quite appropriate that Helaman should make such an explanation, since he too came from a long line of father-son name duos.  Himself being named after his father Helaman, whose dad was Alma the younger who was also named after his father Alma.  In short, this family had a tradition of naming sons after previous spiritual giants to encourage their righteousness.  It seems that in this verse Helaman is answering the age old question "what's in a name?"  For him the answer could be, quite a lot.
    For me this verse hits close to home because both of my names have served as great examples in my life.  First off, my first name Richard comes from my grandfather who has always been a great model of hard work, humor, and honor.  Secondly, since my middle name was Alma, I automatically had a favorite Book of Mormon figure at a young age.  As I grew up, Alma the younger became my "righteous idol".  As I found his rebellion as a youth quite relate-able (though obviously on a lesser scale-I never ran around destroying the Church) I also found his spiritual conversion to help me a lot.  It's for this reason that Alma 36 is my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon.
    This is why I'm very grateful that my parents named me after such great men.  Also, I realize that someday upon naming our own children we can follow Helaman's example so that they always have a reminder of the righteous life of someone else. This final quote helps teach the principle perfectly:

When President George Albert Smith was young, his deceased grandfather George A. Smith appeared to  him in a dream and asked, “I would like to know what you have done with my name.” President Smith responded, “I have never done anything with your name of which you need be ashamed.”