I think
I mentioned Bobby in my last email, we gave him a Book of Mormon the other
week. Had a way fun lesson with him the other day. He was raised "in
the hood" so everything we teach he relates it back to himself by
making a gangster analogy. For example, the church is like the mafia cause
we are family and watch out for each other haha. And how the bishop is our don
haha. Bobby also gets way into it when we read with him. He had an
awesome rendition of 3 Nephi 3:7. They should record him reading for
an audiobook. Haha it's absolutely hilarious!! But he is making amazing
progress. He is better coming to know Jesus Christ not only as his Savior, but
as his friend.
"The Fundamental Unit of Society"
I would like to talk today of
things that matter most. We all want to be successful in life, in what ever
aspect it may be. We want happiness and joy in our lives. Lehi once said that,
"men are that they might have joy." (1) Our very existence is to be
happy. There are only a few things in this life that bring us true and lasting
joy. And I believe the most important one is our family. They are our best
friends. The following is a declaration from modern and living prophets and
apostles. Please read it slowly and pay attention to every sentence to get as
much as you can out of it.
The
Family: A Proclamation to the World
By The
First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage
between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to
the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human
beings--male and female--are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved
spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine
nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal,
mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the
premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their
Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a
physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and
ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine
plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the
grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it
possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to
be united eternally.
The first
commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for
parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His
children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further
declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be
employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the
means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the
sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Husband
and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for
their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents
have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide
for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one
another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever
they live. Husbands and wives--mothers and fathers--will be held accountable
before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The
family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His
eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and
to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete
fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded
upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families
are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness,
respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By
divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and
righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and
protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the
nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and
mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death,
or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families
should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of
chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family
responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn
that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities,
and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We
call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote
those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the
fundamental unit of society.
This
proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at
the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995. (2)
Obviously none of our families
are perfect, nor will they ever be in this life. As we strive to model our
family after what we have just read, we will find more peace and joy in this
life then earthly words can describe.
Our families can be together
forever, through our sacred temples. We can be with our loved ones for
eternity, through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I would like to tell my
family how much I love each and everyone of them. I wish I would have realized
how important they are to me before I left. Being separated from them for this
short amount of time, has forced me to see how much of a blessing they are to
me. I love you.
To the rest of you, please
don't make the mistake I did. Love, cherish, spend every second with your
family. You'll regret it whether you know it or not. Stop being rude, let them
know you care about them and want to be with them. Be forgiving.
In this, as in all things,
Christ is our perfect example. Even after his suffering in the garden of
Gethsemane, betrayed by his loved apostle, and being crucified he still was
thinking about others, in particular his family. As Christ was on the cross he
told his beloved apostle to watch and take care of his mother, Mary. He said to
him "behold thy mother!" (3)
May we all strive to be like
our Savior. No matter how hard our day has been, we must love our family. I
know Christ lives. May we have his love with us in our hearts. Let us watch and
take care of our family, especially our mothers. Let us not be distracted with
things that don't truly matter, "But rather seek ye the kingdom of God;
and all these things shall be added unto you." (4) In the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
Elder
Philip R. Bredsguard
Thermopolis,
WY
Notes
1. 2
Nephi 2:25
2. The
Family: A Proclamation to the World
3. John
19:27
4. Luke
12:31
