Inspirational Quotes
Family
Take Especial Care of
Your Family
Neil A. Maxwell
April 1994
1.
Before citing some challenges to family life, consider, first,
brothers and sisters, how living without God in the world brings a functional
lack of consistent perspective. If there were no eternal truths, to what
principles would mortals look for guidance? If not accountable to God, to whom
are we ultimately accountable? Furthermore, if nothing is ever really wrong,
then no one is ever really responsible. If there are no fixed boundaries, then
there cannot be any excesses. Why should we be surprised, then, at so many
disturbing outcomes, including the lack of community, when every man does that
which is “right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6; Judg. 21:25) and seeks not the righteousness of
the Lord but instead walks “in his own way”? (D&C 1:16).
2. As parenting
declines, the need for policing increases. There will always be a shortage of
police if there is a shortage of effective parents! Likewise, there will not be
enough prisons if there are not enough good homes.
3. The hard
doctrines, however, insist that we ask some hard questions. How can a nation
nurture family values without consistently valuing and protecting the family in
its public policies? How can we value the family without valuing parenting? And
how can we value parenting if we do not value marriage? How can there be “love
at home” without love in a marriage? So many selfish tugs draw fathers and
mothers away from each other and away from their children.
4. Latter-day
Saints therefore have no choice but to stand up and to speak up whenever the
institution of the family is concerned, even if we are misunderstood, resented,
or brushed aside.
5.
In the healthy family, first and best, we can learn to listen,
forgive, praise, and to rejoice in the achievements of others. There also we
can learn to tame our egos, work, repent, and love. In families with spiritual
perspective, yesterday need not hold tomorrow hostage. If we sometimes act the
fool, loving families know this is not our last act; the curtain is not rung
down.
The Eternal Family
Robert D. Hales
October 1996
6. “And again,
verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and
by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit
of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and
the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth
in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first
resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms,
principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be
written in the Lamb’s Book of Life … and shall be of full force when they are
out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are
set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed
upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the
seeds forever and ever” (D&C 132:19).
As
taught in this scripture, an eternal bond doesn’t just happen as a result of
sealing covenants we make in the temple. How we conduct ourselves in this life
will determine what we will be in all the eternities to come. To receive the
blessings of the sealing that our Heavenly Father has given to us, we have to
keep the commandments and conduct ourselves in such a way that our families
will want to live with us in the eternities. The family relationships we have
here on this earth are important, but they are much more important for their
effect on our families for generations in mortality and throughout all
eternity.
7. By divine
commandment, spouses are required to love each other above all others. The Lord
clearly declares, “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt
cleave unto her and none else” (D&C 42:22).
8.
While our individual salvation is based on our individual
obedience, it is equally important that we understand that we are each an
important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be
received only within an eternal family. When families are functioning as
designed by God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of
mortality. The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will
continue into the eternities. Being one in a family carries a great
responsibility of caring, loving, lifting, and strengthening each member of the
family so that all can righteously endure to the end in mortality and dwell
together throughout eternity. It is not enough just to save ourselves. It is
equally important that parents, brothers, and sisters are saved in our
families. If we return home alone to our Heavenly Father, we will be asked,
“Where is the rest of the family?” This is why we teach that families are
forever. The eternal nature of an individual becomes the eternal nature of the
family.
A Legacy of Testimony
Henry B. Eyring
April 1996
9. Our families
can be given a gift to know what God would have them do and to learn it in a
way that will encourage them to do it. God has provided such a guide. It is the
Holy Ghost. We cannot give that to our family
members as a companion, but they can earn it.
10. What we can
do to create and transmit that legacy comes from an understanding of how
testimony is instilled in our hearts. Since it is the Holy Ghost who testifies
of sacred truth, we can do at least three things to make that experience more
likely for our families. First, we can teach some sacred truth. Then we can
testify that we know what we have taught is true. And then we must act so that
those who hear our testimony see that our actions conform with what we said was
true. The Holy Ghost will then confirm to them the truth of what we said and
that we knew it to be true.
11. Some of the
greatest opportunities to create and transmit a legacy of testimony cannot be
planned. Tragedy, loss, and hurt often arrive unanticipated. How we react when
we are surprised will tell our families whether what we have taught and
testified lies deep in our hearts. Most of us will have taught our children of
the power of the Savior to carry us through whatever befalls us. These words
are from the Book of Mormon: “And he will take upon him death, that he may
loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their
infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh,
that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to
their infirmities” (Alma 7:12).
12. Sadly, each
of us knows that even teaching, testifying, and living true to that testimony
may not pass on the legacy. Great and good parents have done that and then seen
their families or some in their families reject that testimony. There is reason
for us to have great hope and optimism. It comes first from our testimony of
the nature of our Heavenly Father: he loves our family members; he is their
Heavenly Father as well as ours. It also comes from our testimony of the
mission of Jesus Christ: he paid the price to redeem them. And it comes from
our testimony of the restoration of priesthood keys. Because of that, the power
is on the earth again to make covenants with God, which seals families
together, covenants which God honors.
The Father and The Family
Boyd K. Packer
April 1994
13.
Brethren, do you understand that we emphasize the teaching of
the scriptures because they are the constant? From them we learn the purposes
of life, the gifts of the Spirit. From them we learn about personal revelation,
how to discern good from evil, truth from error. The scriptures provide the
pattern and the basis for correct doctrine.
From
doctrine, we learn principles of conduct, how to respond to problems of
everyday living, even to failures, for they, too, are provided for in the
doctrines.
14.If you understand the great plan of happiness and follow it,
what goes on in the world will not determine your happiness. You will be tried,
for that is part of the plan, but “thine afflictions shall be but a small
moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high.” 9
15.
You are responsible, unless disabled, to provide temporal
support for your wife and children. 11 You are to devote,
even sacrifice yourself to the bringing up of your children in light and
truth. 12
That
requires perfect moral fidelity to your wife, with no reason ever for her to
doubt your faithfulness.
Never
should there be a domineering or unworthy behavior in the tender, intimate
relationship between husband and wife. 13
Your
wife is your partner in the leadership of the family and should have full
knowledge of and full participation in all decisions relating to your home.
Lead your
family to the Church, to the covenants and ordinances.
What Matters
Most is What Lasts Longest
M. Russell
Ballard
October 2005
16. Crisis or transition of any kind reminds us
of what matters most. In the routine of life, we often take our families—our
parents and children and siblings—for granted. But in times of danger and need
and change, there is no question that what we care about most is our families!
It will be even more so when we leave this life and enter into the spirit
world. Surely the first people we will seek to find there will be father,
mother, spouse, children, and siblings.
17. Today I call upon members of the Church and
on committed parents, grandparents, and extended family members everywhere to
hold fast to this great proclamation, to make it a banner not unlike General
Moroni’s “title of liberty,” and to commit ourselves to live by its precepts.
As we are all part of a family, the proclamation applies to everyone.
18. Our family-centered perspective should make
Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us
enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it
should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our
families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our
own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another
within the family.
19. Now, one may ask, How do we protect and
preserve and strengthen our homes and families in a world pulling so hard in
opposite directions? Let me make three simple suggestions:
. 1. Be
consistent in holding daily family prayer and weekly family home evenings. Both
of these invite the Lord’s Spirit, which provides the help and power we need as
parents and family leaders. The Church curriculum and magazines have many good
ideas for family home evening. Also consider holding a family testimony meeting
where parents and children can express their beliefs and feelings to each other
in a private and personal setting.
. 2. Teach the
gospel and basic values in your home. Establish a love for reading the
scriptures together. Too many of our parents are abdicating this responsibility
to the Church. While seminary, auxiliaries, and priesthood quorums are
important as a supplement to parental gospel instruction, the main
responsibility rests in the home. You might want to choose one gospel subject
or a family value and then watch for opportunities to teach it. Be wise and do
not involve children or yourselves in so many activities out of the home that
you are so busy that the Spirit of the Lord cannot be recognized or felt in
giving you the promised guidance for yourself and your family.
. 3. Create
meaningful family bonds that give your children an identity stronger than what
they can find with their peer group or at school or anyplace else. This can be
done through family traditions for birthdays, for holidays, for dinnertime, and
for Sundays. It can also be done through family policies and rules with natural
and well-understood consequences. Have a simple family economy where children
have specific chores or household duties and receive praise or other rewards
commensurate to how well they do. Teach them the importance of avoiding debt
and of earning, saving, and wisely spending money. Help them learn
responsibility for their own temporal and spiritual self-reliance.
The
Importance of the Family
L. Tom Perry
April 2003
20. In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is
more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the
top of our priorities.
21. We need to make our homes a place of refuge
from the storm, which is increasing in intensity all about us. Even if the
smallest openings are left unattended, negative influences can penetrate the
very walls of our homes.
22. We remind you that parents are to preside
over their own families.
23. “Just then a thought came to mind: ‘Family
home evening is one of your callings. In fact, it is part of your most
important calling—motherhood!’ I reflected on that insight. ‘If I can make the
time to magnify my callings as newsletter editor and visiting teacher, I can
surely magnify my family home evening calling.’” 3
24. We hope that by flooding the Church with
family-oriented media, members of the Church will be assisted and encouraged to
build stronger and better families. We hope it will cause a conscious and
sustained effort in building an eternal family unit. An abundance of Church
materials will be available for you from which to pick and choose useful ideas.
At least by seeing family issues mentioned so often, we all will be reminded to
focus our attention on the most important organization the Lord has established
here on earth.
24. “President Brigham Young explained that our
families are not yet ours. The Lord has committed them to us to see how we will
treat them. Only if we are faithful will they be given to us forever. What we do
on earth determines whether or not we will be worthy to become heavenly
parents.” 5
25. The Church has established two special times
for families to be together. The first is centered around the proper observance
of the Sabbath day. This is the time we are to attend our regular meetings
together, study the life and teachings of the Savior and of the prophets.
“Other appropriate Sunday activities include (1) writing personal and family
journals, (2) holding family councils, (3) establishing and maintaining family
organizations for the immediate and extended family, (4) personal interviews
between parents and children, (5) writing to relatives and missionaries, (6)
genealogy, (7) visiting relatives and those who are ill or lonely, (8) missionary work, (9) reading stories to children, and (10) singing Church
hymns.” 6
The
second time is Monday night. We are to teach our children in a well-organized,
regular family home evening. No other activities should involve our family
members on Monday night. This designated time is to be with our families.
