It is of utmost importance to strengthen our
families right now, at this time when we all know Satan is trying his best to
destroy “the fundamental unit of society”. So if Satan is trying his best, then
nothing less than our best will suffice to overcome all he throws in our path
to sway us. We must be constantly and consistently striving to strengthen the
family. When Christ was among the Nephites He counseled them to “Pray in your
families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children
may be blessed.”
In my home, above all of mine and my siblings baby
pictures, is a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Behold your little
ones. Love them, teach them, respect them, pray with them and for them.”
Parents are responsible for raising their children correctly, for teaching them
gospel truths and doctrine, and giving them a firm foundation, otherwise “the
sin be upon the heads of the parents.” We will be held accountable before God
for the way we have taught our children. Alma said to his son, “Command thy
children to do good” and Mosiah told his people, “teach them to walk in the ways
of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another and to serve one
another.” Elder Ballard said, “What matters most is what lasts longest, and our
families are for eternity.”
I'm not a parent so I would hardly be an expert or
authority on parenting, but I do know this: God is our Father, and the Father
of millions at that. He is a perfect parent. If you were to ask anyone for help
with raising and loving your children, in whatever circumstance, He is the
Expert to ask. He knows your heart, and He knows the hearts of your children,
because they are His children too, and always have been.
Elder Hales said “If the example we have received
from our parents was not good, it is our responsibility to break the cycle...
Each person can learn a better way and in so doing bless the lives of family
members now and teach correct traditions for the generations that follow. I
testify that this is true because I am a living witness and proof his words. I
have experienced firsthand the blessings that come to “the generations that
follow”, and I am forever indebted to those not far before me who chose to be
those cycle breakers. They bring with them stories of charity, forgiveness, and
strength that astound me, and have shaped my testimony. Next to God, your
family is the most important part of your life, whether it's the one you're in
or the one you make.
God expects much of us because of our decision to
be part of a family. So if your family relationships are suffering, fix them. I
testify that they are never too broken for Christ to save. If you've been
unkind in the past, be kind from now on, and pray for the charity Christ
exhibited so perfectly. If you haven't made your family the top priority in
your life, make it your top priority from this day on. I promise you that if
your family will follow Christ, you will never have to choose between your
family, and the gospel. But even if your family doesn't follow Christ now, you
can choose to yourself.
-This
article was written by Sarah, a youth in the Ward
It is so true that Satan is attacking our families. It seems like I see it every day. It's comforting to know that we can pray to our Father in Heaven and ask for help. He is our father and He does know our hearts. In a confusing and troubling world, it's a blessing to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father that wants us to be happy and wants our families to be happy.
ReplyDeleteWhat a powerful message! I can read and reread this article and learn something different. I love it. My mom, being a convert to the church, broke many traditions and bad cycles. My dad was the only one of his 5 siblings to follow the righteous examples of his parents. Because of their choices, they are the only ones in their family that have stayed faithful to each other, have been blessed with children who have obtained education, and have been financially taken care of. I see these blessings from our Heavenly Father because my parents chose to live righteously. I hope I can always be the generation that followed the righteous examples of my parents.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your wisdom and your sweet spirit. It has touched my heart and my mind.
"If you've been unkind in the past, be kind from now on..." I love this. We can't change what we've done in the past, or who we were. We can change what happens in the future. We should feel sorrow for what we have done, but we shouldn't dwell on the negative, instead we should do good things and things we won't look back on and wish we hadn't done. Now is always the best time to change.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true. While I have come from a fairly "normal" family there are still things that I have seen and experienced that I know I want to change and do differently with my own family. I am striving to break some of those not ideal behaviors and replacing them with more harmonious ones.
ReplyDeleteJust because we have been given certain examples does not mean that we have to follow them if they do not align with the teachings of Christ or we know to be right. We can take a different path and set a new example that is better for our posterity to follow in the end. There is never a bad time to change only an unwillingness.
Thank you for that article. I love the part about the cycle breakers in your lineage. Families are always evolving, either toward the light or away from it and it's our job to try to keep our's going in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI love especially the title of this article that family is the most important part of your life because this is very true for me. Even though things like our careers and personal accomplishments are important for our individual development and providing the physical necessities of life, in the long run it's our families that are the most important and the development of those relationships that will ultimately matter most to us.
ReplyDelete