In a reading I did this morning for my Strengthening Marriage and Family Class, this quote stood out to me:
“There is nothing in this world as important as the creation and perfection of family units” -Elder Bruce R. McConkie.
Bruce R. McConkie teaches us of two things that are of vital importance in this life:
1.) Creating family units
2.) Perfecting family units
The idea of perfecting the family unit is very beautiful to me. Every family has struggles- whether they struggle with each other, or they struggle together against hard situations life has dealt them.
In the Book of Mormon, we learn about a father named Lehi who passed through struggles with his family. There were times his family struggled with contention, times they had to sacrifice together, and times they just had to do really, really hard things together.
Our families go through similar experiences and trials.
At one point, Lehi is talking to his young son, Jacob. Jacob was born in the wilderness, in a time of great sorrow for Lehi and his family. Not only did he grow up in the wild, but Jacob had struggled a lot because of the way his older brothers treated him. ("...And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren." -2 Nephi 2:1) It sounds like a very extreme case of a younger brother being bullied by older brothers.
Yet despite living in the wild, being hungry, and seeing his sons constantly fighting and causing contention in the family, Lehi knew that he was expected (as we are) to work on perfecting his family. I can imagine this could seem like a daunting task for a parent. But the source of hope: Christ. Jesus Christ is the only one who can perfect us as individuals and as families.
I love these words of comfort that Lehi gives to young Jacob:
"Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain" -2 Nephi 2:2
There is nothing as meaningful and important in this life as creating and perfecting ourselves and our families! It will not be an easy journey for any of us. But the great comfort is that Christ is the one who can perfect us, and he will help us. He will consecrate all of the hard and unfair things we face in this life to be for our gain! That means that the struggles we go through can actually benefit us, and turn from sour to sweet as we are healed and changed by Jesus Christ. I know that he truly can perfect our families- slowly but surely- if we turn to him and invite him into every aspect of our lives. Only he can make bitter turn to sweet. He can make our family become our heaven.
To read the article I read this morning, called "Marriage and the Great Plan of Happiness" by Elder Joe. J. Christensen, click here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/1995/05/marriage-and-the-great-plan-of-happiness?lang=eng&query=Joe+J.+Christensen
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Thursday, January 14, 2016
"When all is said and done, this is what the gospel is about."
"When all is said and done, this is what the gospel is about. The family is a creation of God. It is the basic creation. The way to strengthen the nation is to strengthen the homes of the people.
...
You will know no greater happiness than that found in your home. You will have no more serious obligation than that which you face in your home. The truest mark of your success in life will be the quality of your marriage."
-Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church, April 1998
...
You will know no greater happiness than that found in your home. You will have no more serious obligation than that which you face in your home. The truest mark of your success in life will be the quality of your marriage."
-Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church, April 1998
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
"...and call her blessed..."
This morning as I was studying in the Book of Mormon, some questions came to my mind, and I found myself in the Bible, reading in Luke. I read this verse:
"For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." -Luke 23:29
Today this verse struck me in a different light than it ever had before.
In my Family Processes class yesterday, a few of the many topics we discussed were changing trends in marriage and fertility rates around the world.
Modern research shows that the way people think about marriage is becoming increasingly disconnected from child-bearing. Many people don't feel there is or needs to be a connection between the two.
As far as re-population rates, most Western countries are far below the fertility rate (2.1- meaning that 2.1 children per woman are required to keep our population at the same number) required to repopulate their own country. Some countries are so far below the 2.1 rate (at 0.7) that they fear their entire population will be made of foreigners in less than 20 years. Governments of countries who are concerned about their re-population rates try to give their people incentives to have children (like writing out a check for thousands of dollars for a couple who has a baby, or guaranteeing up to 3 years of maternity leave and a guaranteed position at their job for 7 years after that for a mother who has a baby, or even matching any amount that parents put in a saving account for their new baby). Yet despite these high incentives, the re-population rates have not improved.
Now back to the scripture in Luke. As I read it, it struck me that this exact thing is happening today. "...they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." While many (if not most) individuals still believe in families and desire to have a family, our society and perhaps much of our world are sending us this message... "blessed is a woman who is free from the responsibility of motherhood, who can be independent, who has an incredible career, who can travel whenever she wants, who can do what she wants..."
While it can be wonderful for a woman to have a great education and career, to travel, and to work towards her individual dreams and goals, it seems that today there is so much emphasis on this idea of a woman's "freedom" that motherhood is looked down upon. Being a wife and mother are often seen as limiting or binding.
After reading that verse and seeing what much of our media and society believe about mothers, I wanted to study a bit more about what God thinks of mothers and motherhood...
"Mother: A sacred title referring to a woman who bears or adopts children. Mothers assist in God's plan by providing mortal bodies for God's spirit children." -LDS Guide to the Scriptures
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
-Proverbs 31:28, 30-31 (Bible)
"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" -John 19: 26 (Bible)
"...yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." -Alma 56:47 (Book of Mormon)
"Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all, And our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God." -Doctrine and Covenants 138:38-39 (Latter-day Saints believe the Doctrine and Covenants to be modern scripture and revelations from God)
While we could go into great detail about every one of these verses, they all teach us that God loves mothers. And He always will, regardless of what the rest of the world says. He sends mothers to the earth to play an important role in His plan. He sends them here to teach their children, our future generations, to nurture and love, to testify of Jesus Christ through their deeds. In the world's eyes, a woman who escapes motherhood is blessed, but in God's eyes, mothers are blessed. Regardless of whether a woman has already born children or not, if it is her desire to be a righteous woman and mother, I believe that God is pleased with her desires and will someday (in His timing) bless her to play the sacred role of mother.
Blessed are mothers.
"For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." -Luke 23:29
Today this verse struck me in a different light than it ever had before.
In my Family Processes class yesterday, a few of the many topics we discussed were changing trends in marriage and fertility rates around the world.
Modern research shows that the way people think about marriage is becoming increasingly disconnected from child-bearing. Many people don't feel there is or needs to be a connection between the two.
As far as re-population rates, most Western countries are far below the fertility rate (2.1- meaning that 2.1 children per woman are required to keep our population at the same number) required to repopulate their own country. Some countries are so far below the 2.1 rate (at 0.7) that they fear their entire population will be made of foreigners in less than 20 years. Governments of countries who are concerned about their re-population rates try to give their people incentives to have children (like writing out a check for thousands of dollars for a couple who has a baby, or guaranteeing up to 3 years of maternity leave and a guaranteed position at their job for 7 years after that for a mother who has a baby, or even matching any amount that parents put in a saving account for their new baby). Yet despite these high incentives, the re-population rates have not improved.
Now back to the scripture in Luke. As I read it, it struck me that this exact thing is happening today. "...they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." While many (if not most) individuals still believe in families and desire to have a family, our society and perhaps much of our world are sending us this message... "blessed is a woman who is free from the responsibility of motherhood, who can be independent, who has an incredible career, who can travel whenever she wants, who can do what she wants..."
While it can be wonderful for a woman to have a great education and career, to travel, and to work towards her individual dreams and goals, it seems that today there is so much emphasis on this idea of a woman's "freedom" that motherhood is looked down upon. Being a wife and mother are often seen as limiting or binding.
After reading that verse and seeing what much of our media and society believe about mothers, I wanted to study a bit more about what God thinks of mothers and motherhood...
"Mother: A sacred title referring to a woman who bears or adopts children. Mothers assist in God's plan by providing mortal bodies for God's spirit children." -LDS Guide to the Scriptures
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."
-Proverbs 31:28, 30-31 (Bible)
"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!" -John 19: 26 (Bible)
"...yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them." -Alma 56:47 (Book of Mormon)
"Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all, And our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God." -Doctrine and Covenants 138:38-39 (Latter-day Saints believe the Doctrine and Covenants to be modern scripture and revelations from God)
While we could go into great detail about every one of these verses, they all teach us that God loves mothers. And He always will, regardless of what the rest of the world says. He sends mothers to the earth to play an important role in His plan. He sends them here to teach their children, our future generations, to nurture and love, to testify of Jesus Christ through their deeds. In the world's eyes, a woman who escapes motherhood is blessed, but in God's eyes, mothers are blessed. Regardless of whether a woman has already born children or not, if it is her desire to be a righteous woman and mother, I believe that God is pleased with her desires and will someday (in His timing) bless her to play the sacred role of mother.
Blessed are mothers.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
The Closest I Have Ever Been to Heaven
December 22nd of 2015 was the happiest and most important day of my life so far.
The drive to Manti, Utah, was slow, serene, peaceful. The snow was clean and white on the landscape around us as we drove on snow sprinkled roads through the falling sleet and snow. White was everywhere! Almost as if God was sending me an invitation to reflect on the white building I would soon be entering, the white clothing I would soon be wearing, and the purity that resides in the House of the Lord that we would soon enter.
Being sealed to my best friend was an experience I cannot forget. Being in the temple together, with family gathered in the room, a deep sense of peace and light filled me. I felt so close to Heaven.
When we exited the temple, it was still sleeting and snowing, but somehow the cold didn't feel as cold as usual. The warmth felt in the temple still lingered in our hearts. The same warmth that I imagine fills the space of Heaven.
Reflecting on the day, I realize that the reason I felt so close to Heaven was not because of how beautiful the building we were in was, nor how elegant the decorations were, nor because I felt like a princess in the beautiful dress my mom carefully made for me. I felt close to Heaven because of the individuals around me and the gospel of Jesus Christ that enabled that moment to happen. We were in the temple! A place so pure that the Savior Himself could appear there and walk the halls (after all, it is His house). An ordinance was performed there and a covenant was made- these beautiful experiences and promises only possible because Jesus is the Christ and His perfect gospel has been restored to the earth! I felt close to Heaven because my heart was filled with the Holy Spirit of God, witnessing to me that God was pleased with the decision and was rejoicing with us.
But even if I had been in the exact same place, feeling the exact same sweet and wonderful feeling, it couldn't quite have been Heaven without the family and loved ones that were there.
I felt close to Heaven because I was surrounded by people who I love. I felt so close to Heaven because a new family was being formed. And families are of God. Heaven is family! Heaven is being in the presence of our Father. The Creator of our spirits and bodies! Heaven is being with the people we love, who all are our brothers and sisters! Our earthly parents and siblings! Our grandparents, our aunts, uncles, cousins, extended families! Extended families beyond extended families! Our ancestors and our posterity! Most importantly, our spouse.
I felt closer to Heaven than I had ever been before because I was being sealed to my new husband- and being with him will make Heaven Heaven for me.
I am forever grateful for my eternal companion.
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