The Family

"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 martial 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."

-The Family: A Proclamation to the World-

 

 

I love the sentence in The Family: A Proclamation for the World, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities." I think the part that stands out to me in this sentence is the parts of the gospel, faith and repentance. One of the first principles we teach as missionaries is how the gospel blesses families no matter the type or style. Every family is so different, some would seem nearly perfect while others wear the visual effects of neglect. Something that has always impressed me about the gospel is how when we incorporate it into our lives we can then in turn bless our family. When each individual member of the family is working towards improving themselves by developing qualities of love, respect, compassion and many other Christ like attributes we naturally turn out from ourselves and to turn to those around us. I remember as a young girl I was home by myself with my father. He had gone out to start preparing a tractor to rake hay while I took a nap after a long week. My father was always a very hard worker and I knew that he wore himself down providing for our family. He had said that I could sleep until he had it already then he would come in and get me to take the tractor out to rake so that he could get caught up with his job. I slept for a while and when I finally work up it was about two hours later and the tractor was gone. I realized that my dad had sacrificed all the other chores he had to do so that I could sleep. That has never left me and I have always known the love my father had for me and for all of my siblings and my mom. While it was so small, it left a huge impact on me! I can remember seeing my mom doing her scripture study late at night before she went to bed and I knew how important scripture study was by her example! I am so grateful that God gave us families and whether or not your family is close or distant, we each have people who we can lean on and fill that role of family and most importantly we can improve ourselves through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end to bless our families and all those around us. I know that family is ordained of God and so sacred to him! May we each try to improve our family life so the Spirit of the Lord can reside in our homes!

Individual

 I hope this post comes out the way that I am thinking it so bear with me! I have been thinking a lot lately about individual worth and how important it is for each of us to come to understand who we are, especially as children of God. Ether 12:27 comes to mind about weaknesses and the Lord helping to make our weaknesses strengths. I could spend so much time talking about that but I would rather focus on how we can uses those strengths and weaknesses to allow the Lord help us turn those weaknesses into strengths and how that truly does make us so individual. It all goes back to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Actually farther back than that. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden they had two commandments, don't eat of the forbidden fruit and multiply and replenish the earth. They were given their agency to choose what they wanted to do and eventually they partook of the fruit, opening the way for each of us to come to Earth and learn and grow from experiences that we would have. What a blessing it is that they did partake of the fruit. Could you imagine where we would be without that? God knowing that because of the fall we would all be in a fallen state provided a Savior for each of us, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins and provide a way for us to learn from our mistakes rather than to be condemned by them. We could use this time to grow and learn about what a physical body can do for us. We could experience joy and pain, sorrow and happiness.

I had an experience this last week that taught me so much about this principle. As a missionary there is some sort of image that missionaries have and sometimes it even seems like a mold that a missionary should fit. Before I left of my mission I wanted so badly to fit that perfect missionary mold. I spent so much of my time striving for it and doing all that I could to become that missionary mold. Then something happened. As I was praying to know how I could "fit the mold" better I received distinct instruction to spend time understanding who God wanted me to be. I had always assumed that the perfect missionary was what God had wanted me to be.  I came to understand that I had been given very specific gifts and talents that are uniquely me. They make up who I am and everyone else on the Earth has their own unique gifts that make them uniquely them. Heavenly Fathers goal is to help us to magnify our talents and strengths and to help us make them the best they can be then to do the same with our weaknesses. We cant be some one we aren't and will never become who we think we should be because that it not what the Lord has in mind for us. But his plan for us is so much better than anything that we could ever want. I am reminded of a story from C.S. Lewis. He talks about a cute little cottage that would represent each of us. A carpenter comes to the cottage and begins to make changes. At first it is alright but eventually the cottage notices that he is knocking down walls and making a lot of changes, some that hurt. When the carpenter is done he has made a mansion! The Lord is the carpenter and we are the house. He is making something great of us, something much better than we can make of ourselves! I testify that God lives!! He loves us and has our best interest in mind! I am so grateful for the challenges and opportunities he gives to each of us to grow and to learn the essential skills that will make us so much better! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real! He knows what we go through on a daily basis and desires to help us! We need to open the door and allow him too!!

The Witness

 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

Ether 12:6

I am so excited to start up my blog again about what I have been learning and studying!! There is so much and I am not sure where to start! Yesterday at a meeting with our mission President, President Taylor taught us about faith in Jesus Christ and what that really means. Growing up in the church I knew the common definition as found in Alma, "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things. Therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true." (Alma 32:21) As we drove home from our meeting it hit me. True faith in Jesus Christ is the solution to every problem we encounter and every problem that the world encounters.

A quote came to mind from President Ezra Taft Bensen, "The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature." Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to change our nature to become more in harmony with his teachings. He has provided access to a reservoir of spiritual solutions, studying the scriptures, developing talents and Christ like attributes, and becoming permanently  steadfast in him. He cares about our temporal well being but cares more about us become spiritually and temporally self reliant.

A few examples from the scriptures. Lehi and his family left their temporal wellbeing and comforts when the Lord asked Lehi to leave Jerusalem. He asked him to leave behind his riches and live in a tent for who knows how long. As a result of Lehi and his family leaving they gained a spiritual strength in the Lord. They didn't see the city of Jersusalem to be destroyed but their own spiritual strength increased. They came to know the fruits of the spirit and that it is good!

The same is true for us today! Faith is believing that he lives; that he is an actual being. It is coming to know the true character of Christ through diligent scripture study and daily prayer. That he is our Redeemer and is the only way for us to return to live with our Father in Heaven! It is coming to know that the path we are following is consistent with his will and what he wants us to do. That is faith in Jesus Christ and it never ends. We continue to increase in faith as we study his life and his character, evaluate where our lives are and how we can live in accordance to his will. This is the solution! Faith in Jesus Christ will make the broken whole! I know that I don't truly understand if all the way and will probably never in this life but what I DO know has changed my life! This is the most important thing anyone could know. It goes a lot deeper than the Restoration of the Gospel and having on a prophet on the earth today. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to true love, divine Godly love that comes from a loving Father who loves each of his children and desires them to come home to him. He wants us to truly know his son and be made whole! He tells us "come unto me...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30) I feel like there are a thousand things that I would like to write! I hope that you will learn something from reading this and that it will help you to better improve your relationship with Jesus Christ and increase your faith!! I know he lives!! He loves us and cares for us more than we could ever know! He is mindful of each of us and our situations! Faith in Jesus Christ will change the world!! Let it change you!! Do what it takes to increase and improve your faith!! You will see miracles!!