"Families Can Be Forever"~

  

Jackson is an awesome young man. He is a senior this year and he will be turning 18 in July. He plans to serve a mission. He is a very talented young man. He loves to write and is actually working on a novel. I look forward to his first book. He is a wonderful brother, son and grandson. We are extremely proud of him  

This past Sunday my husband and I went to Sacrament meeting at our Son's ward so that we might hear our Grandson, Jackson give a message. My  heart was touched by his words. I felt the spirit strongly and I told him later that a sign of a good talk is if his grandmother cries. I then asked if he would let me share his message on my blog. He was a little reluctant but did consent. I told him he would be my guest blogger so here are portion of his thoughts.
     "The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of his children. The living prophets tell us why. The Family is ordained of God. Marriage is between a man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. The family unit is fundamental not only to society and to the Church but also to our hope for eternal life. We begin to practise in the family, the smaller unit, what will spread to the Church and to the Society in which we live in this world, which will then be what we practice in families bound together forever by covenants and by faithfulness." ( Quote found in The Family Proclamation To The World).     
    "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" (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a scared 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...."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. (The above quotes are found here in the The Family Proclamation To The World).    
      King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon stated in Mosiah 4: 14-15; "And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness. But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another."
     The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:1-2; "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. "
     Many problems in the home come from family members speaking and acting selfishly or unkindly. Instead, seek to be a peacemaker. Show love for your family members each day.
    Honor your parents by showing love and respect for them. Obey them as they lead you in righteousness Willingly help in your home. Participate in wholesome family activities and traditions. Join your family in family prayer, family scripture study and family home evenings.
     Elder Henry B. Eyring, teaches us how we may achieve happiness in family life. "We cannot control what others choose to do, and so we cannot force our children to heaven, but we can determine what we will do. And we can decide that we will do all we can to bring down the powers of heaven into that family we want so much to have forever."
     A key for us is in the Family proclamation: "Happiness sin family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." 
     Again from the Proclamation on the Family: "Successful marriage and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.
     In General Conference talk given in April 2003; Elder L. Tom Perry taught us the importance of the Family. "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. Families lie at the center of our Heavenly Father's plan. "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." 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."
     The home is the most important place for gospel learning.....Our Latter-day prophets have repeatedly called on parents to nurture their children with love and gospel teaching. They have promised that our dedication to the Family Home Evening program will help protect our families against the evils of our time and will bring us abundant joy now and throughout the eternities.
     In closing Jackson said the following; Let us make a resolve this year to make our homes a safe refuge from the storm."
     This is a challenge for us all to make our top priority. The storms surround us and this is the way to make it through safely. I am so grateful to have a strong and true Grandson. He will soon be preparing for a mission and he will make a great missionary for our church.
Thank you Jackson for a wonderful message - It did cause Grandma to cry from the feelings of the spirit and great joy from you.