I would always laugh when I would see a commercial about families, especially the ones that the LDS church would put out. You may have seen them before, some sort of situation in which a father would come home late from work, the kids would be anxiously awaiting his arrival, and he wouldn't have time to visit or play with them because he was too busy. By the end of the commercial, he would have taken another look at his schedule and decided that his family was far more important than getting ahead of everyone else at work. The commercial would then end with the narrator saying, "Family...isn't it about...time?"
Sure, the commercials may have been a little bit corny, but as I have gotten older, I have more than just enjoyed watching those commercials, I have embraced them for the truths that they show. The family is the most important social unit that our Heavenly Father has created for us. After all, we are all brothers and sisters to a loving Heavenly Father. I love my family,and I have realized over the years just how much they have done for me. The reason why I value the relationship that I have with them is because of the time my parents took to teach us to choose the right. Of course we had our disagreements, but who doesn't? I always knew that I could turn to my family for help and support and that no matter what, my family would always be there and would always love me.
In 1995, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints brought forth a marvelous revelation for members of the church and for the whole world titled, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". In it, the Lord reveals how relationships should be in the family, the blessings that can occur in the home, and the roles of family members.
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." (True to the Faith, pgs. 60,61)
Our Heavenly Father loves us so he puts us in family units. The Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families as it shows us how to treat one another in love and respect. As we learn to love God, we learn to love one another and our family relationships will grow and strengthen as we center our lives and actions upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. I don't know what I would do without my family and with the sealing power that binds families together forever, we are able to be sure that death can never break the family. Families are eternal and ordained of God and as we make time for them, our familiess will be blessed.
To learn more about Eternal Families, visit www.mormon.org.
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