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 marital 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 Proclaimation to the World

In My Life

Some people may not deem me qualified to speak on this subject because I do not yet have children of my own. I know that I cannot speak as a parent; however, I can speak as a child.

These are things I remember from my early childhood.

Founded Upon the Teachings of Christ

1. I know that the happiest times of my childhood occurred when the gospel of Christ was taught in my home. 
2. I remember gathering as a family every Monday night to spend time together, to laugh together, and to learn together. 
3. On Sundays, we would come home from church to the smell of Mother's roast filling the house. Everyone helped to prepare for dinner. Even the little ones.

Faith, Prayer, Repentance

1. From my amazing mother, I learned the principles of faith, prayer, and repentance. 
2. As a 9 year old, getting up at 5 AM to have family prayer and scripture study before the older kids went off to early morning seminary was not my favorite thing in the world. (Some people may know how long it takes me to get out of bed in the morning.) 
3. However, I look back on that time with fondness. 
4. That time spent together helped me grow closer to my family and feel more secure.
5. It was something I could count on, just like Sunday dinner.

Forgiveness

1. We were also regularly taught to love and care for each other. 
2. When one person was hurt during a game, as often happens in a family of twelve, even if it was an accident, we had to apologize to and forgive each other. 
3. We had to mean it when we apologized.
4. If we said sorry in a mean way, we had to come back later to apologize again.

One time, I had been sent to my room for hitting my sister. I sat on my bed angrily justifying my actions. "She did it first. It's not fair!" I repeated over and over. Then, my eye caught the set of scriptures lying by my pillow. They had been a gift from my grandmother to celebrate my baptism. I did not want to let go of anger, but was getting bored in my room. I picked them up and began to read. I turned to Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10. It read,

"Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men." 

This scripture was exactly what I needed to hear. To this day, I still keep a bookmark at that page of scripture. It has given me strength in times of trouble and helped me find greater peace as I let go of anger towards others.

Hard Work

1. Teach children to work alongside you, as parents. 
2. Gradually, society is losing focus on the value of hard work. 
3. If children do not learn it in the home, where will they?

In a class of 25 college students, when asked what their favorite family memories were, about 1/3 of the answers had to do with working. Interestingly enough, most of that work was outdoors and was not enjoyed fully in the moment. I know that when I was in elementary school, Saturday yard-work was not my biggest priority. I regret to say that I complained a lot to my poor mother. Now, I miss those times working side-by-side with my mother and siblings.

Wholesome Recreation

So, I may be a bit biased here, but I have seen the power of recreation to transform individuals and families. It is amazing.

I am very much looking forward to becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

Coming soon is a new tab completely devoted to recreation.