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 Each of us was born to a family
here on earth. That family can take on a variety of forms from
a single mother to something more elaborate and traditional.
While earthly families come in all shapes and sizes, there is
one common denominator: a mortal mother and father—it takes
both to bring a child into the world.
The Commission of Families on Earth
The Lord has commanded all of his children to “Organize
yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a
house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of
faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of
order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119).
The family is the most important entity in the Church of Jesus
Christ and one that can last forever in the eternities. The
main purpose of the Church is to assist families in achieving
this goal, to obtain eternal blessings, and return back to our
Heavenly Father. The Church as its organization, leadership,
programs and activities are intended to strengthen families
and their members and support this purpose and mission for all
families on earth.
Children as Part of the Family
Since the time of Adam and Eve, where the commandment was
given to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth”
(Gen. 1:28), Heavenly Father has willed that married parents
provide tabernacles of flesh for his spirit children. Once in
the world, God’s children are then to be raised by parents in
a family in collaboration with Heavenly Father in order to
bring to pass his purposes and plan.
To reach its full potential in the Lord, a family operates
with each member carrying out a set of temporal and spiritual
responsibilities. These responsibilities include those given
to a father and mother individually, parents together, and
children.
The Role of the Father in the Family
A father should fully assume his patriarchal role as the head
of the family by exercising his priesthood and taking serious
all of the responsibilities associated with these callings
with “long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love
unfeigned” (D&C 121:41). Fathers are to lead by example.
Fathers lead the family in prayer, scripture reading,
attending church meetings, and other activities as prescribed
by the Church. It is the father’s responsibility to support
the family in all of their temporal needs. This is often
accomplished by the father as being the primary income of the
home, or at least being a steady and strong contributor of
income in conjunction with the mother or others under certain
circumstances.
The Role of the Mother in the Family
A mother will not only bring children into the world
physically in partnership with God, but is called to teach and
care for children in a special and specific role separate from
that of the father. The prophet David O McKay taught: “The
noblest calling in the world is motherhood. True motherhood is
the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all
professions. She who can paint a masterpiece, or who can write
a book that will influence millions, deserves the admiration
and plaudits of mankind; but she who rears successfully a
family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters, whose
immortal souls will exert an influence throughout the ages
long after paintings shall have faded, and books and statues
shall have decayed or have been destroyed, deserves the
highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of
God” (Pathways to Happiness, comp. Llewelyn R. McKay (1957),
116).
Mothers teach the gospel to children through work and play,
helping children comprehend life and the world they live in.
Mothers are the primary home-makers in creating a loving and
nurturing environment within the home, while helping children
build strong and appropriate feelings of self-esteem.
The Role of Parents Collectively
As parents there are many things that both fathers and mothers
perform within the family together as “equal partners…to
provide for the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and
physical needs of the family” (Gospel Principles, 236).
Parents lead and teach their children by example starting with
love, thoughtfulness, and kindness towards each other to
demonstrate the joys of marriage. Parents together are given
serious charge to teach their children the gospel—failing to
do so will bring grave consequences upon the heads of the
parents (D&C 68:25). Parents are to teach siblings to love one
another and to abstain from arguing and quarrelling and to
“teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness… to
love one another, and to serve one another” (Mosiah 4:14-15).
Parents should be kind, loving and respectful of children, but
with a spirit of firmness and diligent resolve.
The Role of Children in the Family
A child should share the vision and responsibility of their
parents to create a healthy and joyful home. Children should
obey all of the commandments of God and contribute to the
harmony in a home through cooperation, love, and work. An
important commandment for children of all ages is to “Honor
thy father and thy mother…” (Exodus 20:12). To honor means to
love, respect, and obey. Paul told the Ephesians, “obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).
The Family is Under Constant Attack
Satan is well aware of the importance of families and the
impact they can have on thwarting his plan of evil. Satan
desires to destroy families through a variety of means that
include temptation, contention, and pride. To remain strong
Christian leaders urge families to pray together daily, have
family scripture study daily, to hold weekly family home
evenings, to serve one another, and to spend time together in
wholesome, unifying activities.
One must also look for initiatives where the Christian Church
supports and nurtures the family. The Family Home Evening
program was instituted in 1915, where families were asked to
designate one night a week for teaching and sharing time as
family. In 1970 the prophet Joseph F. Smith designed Monday
night as the official night for Family Home Evening.
Conclusion
Christian leaders should constantly exhort families to pray
and read the scriptures together daily. Families should be
encouraged to sing together, play together, and do other
uplifting things that will bring them closer together and
nearer to Jesus Christ. Strengthening families is about
applying the principles of the gospel and installing a
sustainable routine that will protect children from the
influences of Satan and provide practical tools for husbands
and wives as couples and as parents.
On September 23, 1995, the First Presidency and the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints published The
Family, a Proclamation to the World, providing a
concise and inspired framework of families on earth and in the
eternities. The proclamation is shown below.
Doctrinal
Study: Eternal
Families: Earthly Families
Download the
Sword Series™ essay on Earthly Families
THE FAMILY
A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY AND COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES
OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
We, the
First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim
that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and
that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the
eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of
God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly
parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.
Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal,
mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and
worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by
which His children could obtain a physical body and gain
earthly experience to progress toward perfection and
ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of
eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family
relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred
ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it
possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and
for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained
to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We
declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply
and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare
that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation
are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded
as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be
divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its
importance in God's eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care
for each other and for their children. "Children are an
heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred
duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to
provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them
to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of
God and to 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.
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. By divine design, fathers are to
preside over their families in love and righteousness and are
responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection
for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the
nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities,
fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal
partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may
necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should
lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity,
who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family
responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God.
Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will
bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the
calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government
everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and
strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.
This
proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part
of his message at the
General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Download the Family Proclamation |
