"The family is central to the Creator's (God's) plan for the eternal destiny of His children." So God put us in our own specific family unit for a reason. They are so important, so critical to our growth and our happiness now and into eternity.
"The divine plan of happiness* enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Families can be together forever, united eternally." Isn't that amazing? Families are forever. They go beyond death. Think of your spouse...think of your children...think of your parents and siblings, your grandparents and aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews; wouldn't it be great to be able to talk to them and always have their company available?
"Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and to care for each other and for their children. 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." It's a lot of responsibility to be a parent. But if we don't take on that responsibility and do the best that we can, we will be held accountable for our children's lack of understanding. Parenting is a big deal, and in today's society it's being degraded. But it is of such great worth!
"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." Without a proper, lasting marriage, families won't last into the eternities. Not only that, but children are more likely to go a little nuts. It's crazy and weird...to think that two people (mother and father) can have such an impact on their children when they love each other.
"The disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations many great calamities." I think that we can see this happening all around us in our world today. The family is being attacked on all sides, and we need to strengthen them by strengthening the people in our families.
-The Family: A Proclamation to the World (with some comments from me)
Families are our support system, our safe haven, our sacred refuge. It is within our families that we should be able to turn and find peace, hope, love, charity, guidance, and strength. We should be grateful for the families we do have, be happy for the people that do have good families, and love the people who don't have happy families to turn to.
*The divine plan of happiness is also referred to as the Plan of Salvation. It is the plan that God has made. It's the purpose of life (to gain a physical body, to develop Christ-like attributes, to learn to choose between good and evil), the method to the seeming madness. It is the knowledge that we lived with God before we were born on earth, that God is the Father of our Spirits. It is the knowledge that there is life after death, that we can live with God again if we are righteous on this earth. I know it's true, and I know that our Heavenly Father would never leave us alone. Click here for more details.
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