This month, we talked a great deal on family. What a great
thing to discuss—especially in a world where the belief of and strive for
traditional family unit is dwindling.
Family and marriage is a very important matter to me. I know
I can rely on my family who raised me to love me unconditionally. I know that
the family I was married into loves and supports me and my husband. I know my
ward family (ward family is a term members of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints use to refer to the members who live within the same
parameters that are created by our church leaders) cares about my temporal and
spiritual needs and does their best in lifting me up. I know my Heavenly Father
loves me and I know that my elder brother, Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life
and atoned for my sins so that I can repent and live with them again. I know my
husband loves, supports and cares for me during the happy and sad times, fun
and hard times, and the best and worst times. Family is my strength, my
support, my confidence and my love. Although these are great reasons why family
is important to me, I wish to explain why family is important to everyone on
this earth.
“The fulness of eternal salvation is a family affair,” said
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “The gospel plan
originated in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our
earthly families, and has its destiny in our eternal families.”
“Birth into a family was the way God chose to send His
spirit children to earth. Marriage and family relationships are the central
means He has prepared to achieve His purposes.”
"The family is the primary support structure in God’s plan to
help us resist evil, overcome weakness, and work out our salvation. For this
reason we should do all we can to strengthen the family in these days of
confusion and opposition."
“Because of the importance of the family to the eternal plan
of happiness,” said Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
“Satan makes a major effort to destroy the sanctity of the family, demean the
importance of the role of men and women, encourage moral uncleanliness and
violations of the sacred law of chastity, and to discourage parents from
placing the bearing and rearing of children as one of their highest
priorities.”
According to God’s plan, we cannot obtain the highest degree
of happiness in Heaven without our family. God gave us our agency (our right to
decide for ourselves from right and wrong) so that through our own will, we can
choose to become like Him one day. He has given us the sacred duty to bring His
children to earth and to teach them about Him and how to make it back. To God,
family comes before your degree, work, extra-curricular, passions, and
skill-honing.
I am not perfect. I have put my school, work, and Netflix (a
passion of mine) before my family before. I will probably make a mistake and do
it again. But God is merciful and he works with me little by little. In order
for me to be a better family member, I have taken action by attending an
institute class on “building an eternal marriage” and I have started my
Personal Progress (a program directed to the young women of the church but can
be completed by any age woman) again in hopes to becoming a better person who
values family over worldly possessions.
What have you done to strengthen your family? Did it work?
If not, why?
What are some of your steps in building an eternal family?
What are some ideas you can do today to help someone in your
family draw closer to God?