Families

Quotes

1) “Natures of male and female complete and perfect each other and therefore men and women are intended to progress together towards exaltation.” (Bednar, David A. “Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan.” General Conference. June 2006.)

2) “Brethren, let’s treat our wives with dignity and with respect. They’re our eternal companions. Sisters, honor your husbands. They need to hear a good word. They need a friendly smile. They need a warm expression of true love” (Monson, Thomas S. “Abundantly Blessed,” General Conference. April 2008)

3) True love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves. That is Christ’s great atoning example for us, and it ought to be more evident in the kindness we show, the respect we give, and the selflessness and courtesy we employ in our personal relationships. (Holland, Jeffery R. “How Do I Love Thee?” BYU Devotional. 15 Feb 2000.)

4) “The unity we seek in our families and in the Church will come as we allow the Holy Ghost to affect what we see when we look at one another—and even when we think of each other. The Spirit sees with the pure love of Christ.” (Eyring, Henry B. “My Peace I Leave with You.” General Conference. April 2017)

5) “Our sense of right and wrong seems especially keen when we are raising our children. Innate in almost every parent is the desire to teach his or her children moral virtues. This is part of the miracle of Heavenly Father’s plan. He wants His children to come to earth, following the eternal pattern of families that exists in heaven. Families are the basic organizational unit of the eternal realms, and so He intends for them also to be the basic unit on earth. Though earthly families are far from perfect, they give God’s children the best chance to be welcomed to the world with the only love on earth that comes close to what we felt in heaven—parental love. Families are also the best way to preserve and pass on moral virtues and true principles that are most likely to lead us back to God’s presence.” (Eyring, Henry B. “Gathering of the Family of God.” General Conference. April 2017.)

6) The consummate power of the priesthood has been given to protect the home and its inhabitants. The father has the authority and responsibility to teach his children and to bless and to provide for them the ordinances of the gospel and every other priesthood protection necessary. He is to demonstrate love and fidelity and honor to the mother so that their children can see that love. (Packer, Boyd K. “These Things I Know.” General Conference. April 2013.)

7) “Our precious relationships with families, friends, the Lord, and His restored Church are among the things that matter most in life. Because these relationships are so important, they should be cherished, protected, and nurtured.” ((Ballard, M. Russell. “To Whom Shall We Go?” General Conference. October 2016.)

8) “The happiness of our spouse is more important than our own pleasure. Helping our children to love God and keep His commandments is a primary priority…As our spiritual antennas is pointed heavenward, the Lord guides us to those we can help.” (Anderson, Neil L. “Overcoming the World.” General Conference. April 2017.)

9) “There are no perfect marriages in the world because there are no perfect people. But our doctrine teaches us how to nurture our marriages toward perfection and how to keep the romance in them along the way.” (Robbins, Lynn G. “Agency and Love in Marriage.” Ensign. October 2000.)

10) “The joining together of a man and a woman to be legally and lawfully wed not only is preparation for future generations to inherit the earth, but it also brings the greatest joy and satisfaction that can be found in this mortal experience” (Perry, L. Tom. “Becoming Goodly Parents.” General Conference. October 2012.)

Position Statement

In conjunction with this class, Teachings of the Living Prophets, I decided to take Marriage Skills. Both of these classes have been very uplifting and inspiring. However, they both had something in common: family. I never really noticed how often prophets and apostles would mention the family until now. The gospel is truly about families. Families are the ultimate way to share the gospel and get back to Heavenly Father. Love is so much more than what we make of it. Throughout these talks and quotes that I have gathered, I have learned that the best way to get back to Him is by helping those we love come closer to Him. I know that marriage is ordained of God. He gave us this gift of marriage and family to help us be happy and give us a way back.