Building Families Upon Faith in Christ

Faith: "Confidence in something or someone. As most often used in the scriptures, faith is confidence and trust in Jesus Christ that lead a person to obey Him. Faith must be centered in Jesus Christ in order for it to lead a person to salvation." -Guide to the Scriptures

Today it has been 6 months that I have been married to my best friend!

We both agree that it has been the most peaceful and happy 6 months of our lives so far! Recently I've felt a strong desire to express gratitude for the many miracles we have already seen in our life together, and reflecting on this has brought me back to a simple gospel principle: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It has been confirmed over and over again to me that a life of peace and joy comes from building our personal life and family life upon faith in Jesus Christ. 

Faith precedes the miracle.

 I am a big believer in miracles. Miracles of all shapes and sizes. But I know that faith does not come from witnessing miracles. But miracles do follow when we exercise faith in Jesus Christ. Because He is the worker of miracles. As we have faith in Him, we allow Him to touch our hearts and lives. And with the Master's touch, our hearts and lives change in ways that are miraculous.

Jesus Christ has worked miracles in my life, and I feel that I can express my gratitude to Him by inviting others to follow Him. To do this, I'd like to share some of my own experiences in which my faith in Christ has lead to witnessing Him work miracles in my life.

When I graduated high school, choosing which college to attend was a challenge. I had three incredible options: BYU (in Utah), BYU (in Idaho), and BYU (in Hawaii)! I knew each option was very good, but I also knew I would have very different experiences depending on which one I went to. I also felt strongly that there were people I needed to meet and that which school I went to would determine the people I met. It was an act of faith for me to decide to go to BYU-Hawaii. I had no idea what it would be like! I had never even been to Hawaii (or that far from home) until Mom and I landed there to drop me off for my first semester. I feel like this was an important first step for me in learning more about faith. 

We learn in the scriptures that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (the Bible, Hebrews 11:1). For me this evidence of things not seen is often a feeling. As I prayed about attending BYU-Hawaii, there was no visible evidence that it was the right thing for me. (Although most people would think that Hawaii is obviously a great choice for anyone:)) I had no way of seeing what would happen when I got there, or what the results of the decision would be. But as I prayed about the decision, I felt a sense of peace. This feeling of peace gave me courage to go forward with my decision. And I remember having the feeling that I would meet someone important at BYU-H.

My husband and I first met at Brigham Young University-Hawaii, during my first semester there! Of all the places, we met in a Chinese 101 class, taught by his dad! Seth and I were both pretty shy, but we got to know each other a little in class, became friends, and I remember feeling really comfortable and peaceful around him. We didn't spend a lot of time together, but just saw each other in class, at church, and occasionally ran into each other around the neighborhood. 

Over my next several semesters at BYU-Hawaii, I met lots of great people, and dated a variety of people too. Seth received his mission call to serve as a full-time missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Korea! 

Meanwhile, I dated someone pretty seriously and actually got engaged. In my mind, it was the perfect path for me. But I kept having this feeling of anxiousness and uncertainty that I couldn't explain. I prayed and prayed, and instead of feeling more peace, I felt less and less peace. As I began to feel less peace, I realized that not everything in my relationship was as ideal as I was telling myself it was, even though he was a great person. But I didn't want to accept that. When I prayed, hoping for a confirmation that what I was doing (planning to get married) was the right thing for me, I instead felt a feeling that said to me, "You can go ahead with it, but this isn't the best path for you." 

This was a turning point in my life. I could go forward with what made sense to me (and what I thought I really, really wanted), or I could follow this feeling I had that I should pursue a different path. It felt to me like following that unknown path would be like taking a plunge into the dark- because I had no idea where it would take me or where I would end up. But I wanted to feel peace again. And no matter how much I thought my current path made sense in my mind and was exactly what I wanted, it did not feel peaceful in my heart. When I finally decided that I would do whatever it took to regain the feeling of peace that I wanted so desperately, even if it meant breaking off my engagement, the feeling of peace returned to me. I felt that the Lord was pleased with the step of faith I was taking. I felt that that step was a step of faith in Him, and was a demonstration to Him that I loved Him more than I loved what I wanted for myself. I didn't know what was ahead of me, but at least I knew Who was leading the way before me, and that filled me with peace. 

Breaking off the engagement was extremely hard. Even though my heart felt peaceful again, there were many days filled with tears, and many nights filled with heartache. 

During that time of heartache after breaking off the engagement, I had thoughts like, "Why did this all have to happen? Why do I always date the wrong guys? Are there any guys out there who truly exemplify those qualities I hope for in a companion? Where are those guys?" As I prayed about this and expressed my discouragement and confusion to my Heavenly Father, a little thought came to mind that said, "What about Seth? He's that kind of guy!" It suddenly hit me that indeed, Seth was that kind of guy! I had always hoped to someday marry a young man who loved the Lord with all His heart, who was gentle and kind, and faithful in living the gospel. It struck me that Seth was that kind of person, and that thought brought me a tremendous amount of comfort. There were young men out there who had those qualities. Even though at that time I had no idea I would end up marrying Seth, I felt a strong desire to write him a letter, just to thank him for his example to me. In a time that I was discouraged, thinking of Seth's example and love for Jesus Christ really encouraged me. 

So I decided to write him a letter! This was another small act of faith that has brought forth great miracles in my life. I am eternally grateful that I trusted in that little answer to prayer ("What about Seth? He's that kind of guy!"), and acted on that feeling to write him a thank you letter.

It was a blessing that his dad was my very favorite teacher at BYU-Hawaii, which made it very possible to get Seth's mission address! I e-mailed his dad, telling him I'd like to write a letter to Seth and asking for the address. Then I wrote a letter to Seth, simply telling him I had gone through a hard time, but that when I remembered Seth's good example I had been comforted, and thanking him for being that example to me. Seth wrote back! 

Before I had gotten engaged, I had been seriously considering serving a full-time mission for the Church. After breaking off the engagement, it became clear to me that serving a mission fit in the Lord's plan for me. As I prayed and considered going on my mission, I felt tremendous peace. I had practically already finished my mission application before getting engaged, so it was an easy process to finish it up and send it off. I received my mission call to the Belem, Brazil Mission. (And later I would be delighted to also serve in the San Antonio, Texas Mission while waiting for my visa to be approved). 

Seth and I continued writing back and forth. Those letters continued throughout my entire mission. Through our letters, we shared our testimonies of the gospel and the experiences we were having on our missions. There were many times on the mission where at the end of a particularly hard and emotionally draining day, a letter from Seth would arrive in the mail. Reading his testimony of Jesus Christ, reading about his experiences, and reading his funny jokes always lifted my spirit. We became the best of friends.

After we both returned from our missions, we both found ourselves at BYU (in Utah) and began dating. By the end of last year, we were married for time and all eternity in the Manti, Utah temple. Every single day, I am grateful for the guidance and direction the Lord gave me in helping me to marry the right person, in the right place, at the right time. I cannot imagine a happier path for me than the one the Lord has guided me to be on. And I cannot imagine being married to a more wonderful man. We truly complement each other, and I know that the Lord knew how happy we would be together, so He helped us to end up together. My marriage to Seth has been one of the greatest miracles in my life, and it's incredible to think that the Lord has brought to pass such a wonderful miracle because I simply tried to have faith in Him in small and big ways (like going to BYU-Hawaii, breaking off an engagement, writing Seth a letter to say thanks, serving a mission, etc). 

One thing that I always really, really liked about Seth (even from when I first met him at BYU-Hawaii) is his love for family. Aside from Jesus Christ, he loves family more than anything! 

Seth and I both grew up in incredible families. We were blessed with loving and kind parents (who taught us how to follow Jesus Christ), and with awesome siblings. 

Growing up, we both always knew we wanted to have a family and that that was very important to us. During our dating, we learned that we both had strong desires to begin a family shortly after marriage. It was a desire we had both already had for a long time. 

We weren't really sure how everything would work out. Getting married can deplete a person's savings! And we knew we wanted to be responsible in our decision making. We wanted to be able to support our family and be financially independent. We decided we would do our very best, and trust that the Lord would continue to guide us. 

It wasn't long after getting married that we felt it was the right time to invite a child into our family. At that time, we had a lot of questions. Questions about finances, our preparedness, and how things would come together. But as we prayed, we continued to feel a great sense of peace about starting our family. In the Bible and Book of Mormon, we learn that if we keep His commandments, the Lord will provide for us and bless us. We both believed this was true, and felt the Lord would guide us and take care of us if we did what He asked us to do.

As soon as we made the decision to take a step of faith and welcome a child into our family, the miracles quickly followed!  

Our first shopping trip together, we ran into a friend of Seth's who he grew up with as a kid, but hadn't seen in many many years. We talked with him, told him we had just gotten married, and it was fun to visit with him. We saw him several times throughout the grocery store. By the time we were checking out, he had just finished checking out too. To our surprise, he wheeled his full cart of paid-for groceries over to us, left it next to me, and while walking out of the store with only one or two bags in his hand, said, "This is for you guys! Congratulations on getting married!" 

We were so touched, we both felt like we might cry. We both had the same deep impression that this was a sign from the Lord- He was telling us that He would provide for our family, just like He had promised.

Several weeks later, we found out that we were expecting a baby! 

That experience at the grocery store was only the first of a chain of miracles that has continued every day of our marriage. Miracles have come in the forms of great job opportunities, scholarships, help with doing well in school, gifts people have given to us, joy and peace in our marriage, and so many other ways! We started out full of faith but without knowing the details of how things would work out, and every day it becomes clearer and clearer to us that the Lord is happy with our decision and is working out the details for us. We have been so blessed and are eternally grateful for Jesus Christ. 

I know without a doubt that it is upon faith in Jesus Christ that we can build happy families. That means that sometimes we will have to do things that don't completely make sense to us, but that we feel are right. It means that we have to continue our whole lives to do our best to follow Jesus Christ, and to follow the guidance He gives us. It also means having a life that is filled with joy and peace. And filled with miracles. Because miracles follow faith in Christ. And Jesus Christ LOVES us and our families.

We are so excited to meet our baby boy around October 3rd!

I invite both you and me to trust a little more in Jesus Christ, and to follow Him in faith.

A True Companion: Thoughts on Companionship and Marriage

I love reading about Alma and Amulek in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon and Bible truly contain some of the most incredible and powerful examples of companionship.

Alma and Amulek became united in the work of teaching the gospel to a people who initially hated them. Alma had already been thrown out of the city once, but was commanded by the Lord to go back and teach the people there again. When he went back to the city, he was received by Amulek, a man who lived in the city and had been prepared by an angel to receive Alma. Amulek cared for Alma, gave him food and shelter, and then joined him on his journey to teach the people.

They experience amazing things together! They passed through trials (probably the most intense trials they had ever faced) together, and also experienced inexplicable joy together! Their experiences remind me of my days on the mission and of my life now with my wonderful eternal companion!

There is so much that we could write about Alma and Amulek and their companionship -the countless times they defended and supported each other while being verbally attacked by all those around them, the times they felt incredible surges of the spirit together, and the times they encouraged each other to keep enduring as they suffered in prison- but I want to focus on just one moment that they shared together, found in Alma chapter 15, verse 18:

"Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord."

Two things stand out to me in this verse. Firstly, the words "all these things"...

This verse comes after chapters of suffering. Alma and Amulek had finally seen success in teaching some of the people. This group of people who listened and accepted their teachings came to know their Savior and became truly converted to His church. But there were still those who hated these missionaries and the new converts to Christ's church. They forced Alma and Amulek to watch as they took all of the new converts (women and children) and burned them in fire. They also burned all of the holy records and scriptures that the people held sacred. Witnessing this had such a deep impact on Amulek that he said to Alma (I imagine him saying it almost hopefully): "...perhaps they will burn us also." Alma and Amulek were then beaten and thrown in prison.

Also, just a few versus before this one, we learn about some of the sacrifices Amulek made when he left his home to join Alma to be a missionary. This verse gives a tiny glimpse of what he gave up:

"And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;.." (Alma 15:16)

Amulek didn't just give up his property and riches, but he was rejected by his own family and loved ones when he accepted Christ.

And this is where true companionship comes in... Alma was with him through all of these things. "Alma having seen all these things..." Alma knew how Amulek was suffering, because Alma was there for Amulek. He was with him.

Elder Holland, a living apostle of the Lord today, said in a recent broadcast (LDS young adult face to face broadcast), "Love is what we go through together."

Love isn't just what we feel in a moment as we look at someone we are attracted to, and it's not just what we feel when someone gives us a nice present or box of chocolates, and it's not the feeling we have for our favorite food ("I love ice cream!")...

Love is being a true companion. It is being willing to go through anything to be there for the one you love, to stay true and loyal to them, and to lift their burdens. Alma was a true companion to Amulek because of what he went through together with Amulek.

The second principle that strikes me from Alma 15, verse 18, is that Alma took Amulek to his own house and "did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord." Alma had gone through his own fair share of suffering. He must have felt physically and emotionally drained and broken after what he had just gone through. His natural man probably would have liked to go home, stop worrying about the rest of the world, and sleep for the next week. But this is the opposite of what he did. His focus was on his companion, Amulek, who he had developed a deep brotherly love for. He focused all of the time, energy, and attention necessary on helping his brother by administering unto him and strengthening him in the Lord. I imagine this included physical, emotional, and spiritual care. I imagine the tears they shed together and the healing that happened as Alma cared for his brother.

These two principles are powerful in any companionship and define love in the way that I believe God truly intended love to be expressed and understood:

1.) Truly being there for each other. Always. Being fiercely loyal. Being willing to pass through anything with your companion. Never fleeing when things get hard. It's sad, but the divorce rates today suggest that it is more popular for people to have this attitude of "when things get tough for me, I'm out of here" than to have the kind of love and devotion that Alma had for his friend and companion, Amulek.

2.) Putting your companion before yourself. When Amulek was suffering, Alma was suffering too. This isn't only because Alma was also in prison and being beaten. It is always this way in a family. Family science research shows that families are interconnected in such a way that when one member suffers, each individual in the family is also affected. When another person in your family is suffering, and so you are likewise being affected, it is easy to focus on your own suffering. It is easy when we are suffering to turn inward and look for ways to help ourselves, but a true companion turns first to their companion and looks for ways to support them. A true companion worries about lightening the burdens of their companion before settling on feeling sorry for himself/herself.

While many of us look at these principles (Be there for your companion and Put your companion first), we will think, "I sure wish my husband/wife treated me that way." This is our natural man/woman speaking to us. Those are the exact thoughts we need to change within ourselves. I know that as we learn to forget ourselves (meaning to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, to stop thinking of our needs as our highest priority, to stop dwelling on how unfair our life is), and as we begin to start putting our companion as our focus and priority (like Alma did), that we will begin to find true joy. Instead of asking ourselves, "Why doesn't my husband/wife do that for me?", we can learn to ask ourselves, "What can I do today to lift my husband/wife's burdens? What can I do today that would make my husband/wife feel incredibly loved and happy? What can I do today that will make his/her day brighter?"

While these principles are important in all of our relationships, I know they are especially essential in marriage. Our marriage partner is our most important companion, after God and Jesus Christ alone.

The secret to happiness in life really isn't a secret at all! In fact, God gave us the recipe in the first two commandments: Love God, then love your neighbor/brother/sister/husband/wife/mother/father/teacher/stranger!

I am so grateful to God for the incredible examples of companionship that He has placed in my life: my parents, my sister, my treasured relatives and friends, my mission companions, and most of all my husband, who will be my companion for eternity!

(photo w/ quote made by Seth!)

(gemsofwisdomquotes.blogspot.com)

Then Ye Will Always Abound in Good Works

We had an excellent lesson in my SFL 100 (Strengthening Marriage and Family) class today about "The Meanings and Blessings of Family Work."

When Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, Adam wasn't cursed by having to begin working... the ground was cursed "for his sake." The fact that the ground would now bring forth thistles and briers instead of automatically flourishing with fruits and life enabled Adam the opportunity to work for his family and with his family. Work is intended to be a blessing to us and our families!

Some interesting facts about how family work has changed since industrialization:
-fathers' work went from centered in the home to taking him away from the home
-housework and homemaking are considered menial tasks...and now those tasks are looked down upon. Work that requires complete focus and brain activity is valued far more in our society than the everyday menial tasks of maintaining a home.
-children (because they started working away from the home, and then were sent back to the home after child labor laws were passed) are no longer expected to work the same way as part of the family. Their privilege is playing while mom does the housework. Many think that if they do work, they should be paid.
-Industrialization increased isolation in family work. Instead of all of the family members working together to maintain the household, fathers leave the home, mothers work to maintain the home, children play or do homework, etc.
-the home is no longer a producing place, but a consuming place.
-children are seen as liabilities rather than assets.
-modern technologies meant to make housekeeping easier have actually made mom's work more demanding. She feels more isolated now, there are higher expectations for the home, home's are bigger and require more maintenance, and more time is actually required for housework than before in order to meet those expectations.
-Time is worth so much in our minds these days that we are more worried about getting the jobs done rather than enjoying the journey. The focus is on efficiency.

These are just a few ways that family work has changed over the years. But we don't have to let these modern changes squelch the potential for great family work in our own homes!

Here are some ways we can enjoy and take advantage of family work today!:

-Take advantage of the menial tasks that don't require lots of brain work. Doing these jobs as a family, or with a few family members, actually enables family members time to connect and bond. Because your mind isn't required to do the work, your mind is available to interact and connect with your family! Nowadays we often like to keep our brains busy in every possible second (checking our phones, using social media), but having a time when your mind is free to wander and connect with loved ones is extremely valuable and healthy for you and your family!
-Instead of stressing about efficiency, we can make our time spent doing work more effective by using it to teach our children and connect with our family members. It may not be efficient to let your 4 year old help you do the dishes, but it is one of the best ways to teach your child valuable lessons, to create special bonds, and to maintain a family focus even while doing chores.
-Teach children that work is a lifestyle! It isn't something they can just do at home whenever they want when they want to earn some money. It's great to offer extra opportunities for children to earn some money when they are saving up for something, but by teaching them that there is always basic work required, your children will be more prepared for a productive and happy family life in their future.
-Dad's can remember that their work doesn't end when they come home from their job. Just like for mom, the work never actually ends. Dad's work just changes from the work environment to the home environment.

It could seem discouraging for both parents and kids to look at work as something that never ends, but this is a more recent negative perspective change that we can potentially reverse. Back when work was required of all family members on a regular basis (on the farm, etc), families learned to enjoy their work together! It wasn't just seen as an endless list of to-do's, but they spent the time talking, laughing, and sometimes making games out of the work. It was industrialization that largely contributed to the new idea we have that work and the rest of our lives should be separate, and that work cannot be enjoyed.


A wise husband was once was confronted by a woman and asked, "Tell me, do you really believe that a woman's first place is in the home?"
The wise husband replied boldly, "Yes." Then continued, "And so is a man's."

As we learn to have these changes in perspective- that family work can be enjoyed, that it is an important part of our home life, that it should be focused on effective (with teaching moments and  connecting moments) rather than efficiency- I believe we can create a more positive and hard working culture for our future families and generations.

"And see that ye have faith, hope and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works."
-Alma 7:24 (The Book of Mormon)

The Everlasting Father

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we very commonly speak of Jesus Christ as our Brother. We love to know that we, like him, are each a child of our Heavenly Father. But in all of our excitement to acknowledge that he is our Brother, many of us may have become uncomfortable with the idea of calling Christ our Father. 

In one of the most well-known scriptures of the Bible (as heard in Handel's Messiah!) we learn the doctrine that Christ is our Everlasting Father. 

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6

The doctrine that Christ must become our Everlasting Father is taught in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants.

John 5:43 (Bible)

1 Corinthians 4:15 (Bible)

Mosiah 7:27 (Book of Mormon)

Mosiah 15:3

Mosiah 15:11

Mosiah 16:15

Helaman 14:12 (Book of Mormon)

Ether 3:14 (Book of Mormon)

Doctrine and Covenants 11:30

Doctrine and Covenants 50:41

Doctrine and Covenants 76:24

Christ is our Father in three ways:

1. He is the Father of the heavens and earth because He created them!

2. He is the Father in the fact that He comes representing His Father and speaking in His Father's words.

3. He becomes our Father when we are baptized in His name. 

We have three Fathers, and each one offers us a new life. 

1. Our Heavenly Father: the Father of our spirits. He offered us life as He created our spirits!

2. Our mortal fathers: the father of our physical body. He offers us mortal life with a physical body for our spirit.

3. Jesus Christ: the Father who offers us eternal life! He offers us spiritual rebirth!

We cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless Christ becomes our Father. I know that He truly is (or must become) our personal Everlasting Father. We must become His sons and daughters through our baptism. This is a rebirth, becoming His child. 

At first it was a little hard for me to think of my Brother also being my Father....but then it struck me: My mortal father, for me: Jon, was also my brother before he participated in offering me new life. Jon is a spiritual son of our Heavenly Father. He and I are and were spiritual brother and sister. We have the same Father of our spirits. But when Jon offered me the opportunity to come into this mortal life and gain a physical body, he forever became my father! My mortal father. 

Jesus Christ can be thought of in a similar way. He lived with us before this life in the presence of our Heavenly Parents. The Father of His spirit is also the Father of our spirits. (The difference being that our Heavenly Father is also Christ's mortal Father! Christ was physically begotten by our Heavenly Father.) But when Christ participated in offering us new life (when He came to earth as our Savior, and performed the Atonement in our behalf) He became our Father. If we accept Him as our Father, He will help prepare us for life in our Heavenly Father's presence.

I know these things are true. I am eternally grateful for each of my Fathers. I am eternally indebted to my Savior- who is also my Brother, but who saves me as my Everlasting Father.

"...but his hand is stretched out still."

I was reflecting recently on how we can increase our sense of hope in the future.

I was studying in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi chapters 19 and 20. These chapters quote Isaiah 9 and 10. At first glance, the last message they seem to give is that there is hope. These chapters are filled with prophecies of how wicked the people will become and how they will turn away from the Lord over and over again.

But as I was reading, I began to focus on one phrase that I noticed was reoccurring:

"...but his hand is stretched out still."

This is the message of hope! No matter how bad the world becomes, no matter how wicked society becomes, or how many trials we go through, the Lord will always stretch His hand out to us. We simply need to accept that hand- to reach out and grab hold of Him.

There is incredible hope in the consistency of the Savior. I know He lives, and that He is our source of hope. As long as He lives, there will always be hope. And He will always live!

Creating and Perfecting Families

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

"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