I have been thinking about the family a lot this week and decided to share a few of my thoughts. Sometimes I hear leaders of the Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints) speak about the doctrine of the family, and many say we need to defend the doctrine of the family. My first question was "what is the doctrine of the family?", and here is at least a partial answer:
• We all lived as members in God’s family before we came to this earth. We had a Father, Mother, brothers, and sisters. We are still spirit sons and daughters on this earth.
• Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the Priesthood of God, our family relationships can be perpetuated beyond the grave.
• Gender is an eternal characteristic; males and females are the two required part, which compliment and complete each other.
• Parents will be held accountable before God for their responsibilities as a spouse and parent.
• God’s plan for His children is carried out in and through families (premortal, mortal, postmortal).
Elder Hales said "The doctrine of the family begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them."(“The Eternal Family,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 64–65)
I realized that the family theme can be seen through every step in the plan of happiness. We lived in a family before we were born, we came to earth into a family, have the opportunity to start our own family while here, we seal ourselves to our family (past, present and future family members), we are held accountable for our conduct in our families, and if we have been faithful and true, we keep our family for eternity, which family continues to grow and become exalted.
But it doesn't stop there. The family is not simply a thread that is woven throughout God's plan, it is the very fabric of that plan. Sister Julie B. Beck said "Without the family, there is no plan; there is no reason for mortal life." (Teaching the Doctrine of the Family, August 4, 2009). Those are strong words, but not as strong as the Lord's words when he said the earth would be "utterly wasted" at His coming if it were not for families being sealed together through the Priesthood.
Being a young single adult, I don't really have a family of "my own" per se. Inspite of this, or possibly because of this, I have been able to recognize in some degree the power that comes only from being in a family. Family provides the substance, the joy, the sorrow, the feeling, the progression, the love, the compassion, the strength and the happiness of the plan.
So what? Well, we have been asked to defend the doctrine of the family. My invitation is that however or wherever, or in whatever circumstances you find yourself, defend the family.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Moving Day
“We need 5-10 brethren to help move furniture in the temple tomorrow morning from eight to noon.” This was among one of the many announcements and a dozen or so sustainings that were read yesterday morning in my ward. Move furniture in the Temple? Why not? Sounds like a good way to spend Memorial Day morning. So my friend Nate and I get to the Salt Lake Temple this morning at 8:00 AM sharp, the temple workers give us some white jumpsuits to change into, and we sit in the baptistery chapel to await instructions. There were twenty nine of us total, representing a few different YSA wards in the new Holladay YSA stake.
The brother in charge comes in and begins to explain what we will be doing. We will be going to the fifth floor and handling some very old furniture, even some of the furniture that was originally placed in the East Towers when it was built. Really? And all they can get is us? When we got up to the fifth floor we started in the Solemn Assembly room and moved some furniture from the rooms above and behind the pulpits down onto the floor. That was my first time in that room, and it is incredible. We also moved some things into this storage area under the pulpits. There is more storage in the Salt Lake temple than you would ever believe.
We also went up to the seventh floor to get more miscellaneous furniture and some very large murals (which they weren’t sure would fit down the spiral staircase because the frames were built up there) from different rooms in the towers. One room was used as the First Presidency’s office when the temple was first built. But the neatest part for me was when we went into the “Talmage room”. As you probably know or guessed, it is the room that James E. Talmage wrote Jesus the Christ. We moved his desk down to the basement. Very carefully. There was also this VERY large and old dictionary, which the brother in charge said Talmage had used to write Jesus the Christ. Apparently, he would look up every word, even if he felt he already knew the meaning, because he wanted to make positive that he was expressing exactly what he felt and meant with every word. We moved the dictionary too.
Overall it was a priceless experience. It just isn’t every day that you get to handle furniture that old, or go into rooms that relatively few ever get to enter. My testimony of the temple has grown as well. The temple is a place where the Spirit of God dwells, even as you move furniture.
The brother in charge comes in and begins to explain what we will be doing. We will be going to the fifth floor and handling some very old furniture, even some of the furniture that was originally placed in the East Towers when it was built. Really? And all they can get is us? When we got up to the fifth floor we started in the Solemn Assembly room and moved some furniture from the rooms above and behind the pulpits down onto the floor. That was my first time in that room, and it is incredible. We also moved some things into this storage area under the pulpits. There is more storage in the Salt Lake temple than you would ever believe.
We also went up to the seventh floor to get more miscellaneous furniture and some very large murals (which they weren’t sure would fit down the spiral staircase because the frames were built up there) from different rooms in the towers. One room was used as the First Presidency’s office when the temple was first built. But the neatest part for me was when we went into the “Talmage room”. As you probably know or guessed, it is the room that James E. Talmage wrote Jesus the Christ. We moved his desk down to the basement. Very carefully. There was also this VERY large and old dictionary, which the brother in charge said Talmage had used to write Jesus the Christ. Apparently, he would look up every word, even if he felt he already knew the meaning, because he wanted to make positive that he was expressing exactly what he felt and meant with every word. We moved the dictionary too.
Overall it was a priceless experience. It just isn’t every day that you get to handle furniture that old, or go into rooms that relatively few ever get to enter. My testimony of the temple has grown as well. The temple is a place where the Spirit of God dwells, even as you move furniture.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Moab
My exploration of southern Utah continues. This weekend we had a multi-YSA ward camping trip to Moab. I drove down Friday night with some friends and right when we got there, around 10pm, we took a hike up to Delicate Arch. It is the arch that you see on Utah license plates, if you have ever seen one. This is a picture a friend of mine took.
This is a group of friends I went hiking with on Saturday. We went up to Landscape Arch and to a little water hole in the afternoon.
Here is landscape Arch, as well as Wilford Arch below it. Wilford Arch is not quite as old, or sturdy, but I thought it was picture worthy as well.
This is a group of friends I went hiking with on Saturday. We went up to Landscape Arch and to a little water hole in the afternoon.
Here is landscape Arch, as well as Wilford Arch below it. Wilford Arch is not quite as old, or sturdy, but I thought it was picture worthy as well.
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