Why is this so important in today's society?

Paragraph 1: Marriage is only ordained by God if between a man and woman and family is important for His plan for families.

Paragraph 2: We were created in His image. Gender is an important part of this because if we were a spirit daughter or son in heaven then we that on Earth.

Paragraph 3: We worshiped God as our Heavenly Father in the premortal realm and by doing so we accept the calling to receive a mortal body and go to Earth and experience life like our brother Jesus Christ and follow God's plan. So we can work towards perfection and work towards our divine destiny. Which makes us work toward having the eternal family we are promised.

Paragraph 4: We should make she that we procreate and replenish the Earth just like Adam and Eve. In doing so we need to make sure that we are doing this a husband and wife not just as people in relationships. It hurt the world too much when it is not done according to the Lord's plan.

Paragraph 5: Life is so important (no matter who you are). It is essential to the Lord's plan.

Paragraph 6: Husband and wife have the responsibility to love and care for each other and their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" Psalm 127:3, we need to to be the example that our children look to. We need to make sure we are doing the right thing for them at all times so that we can make sure that they know the right way to be and the example that they will once be for the next generation.

Paragraph 7: 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. There isn't a better way to say this. This tells me it is truly a divine proclamation from the Lord to show and teach us to be better.

Paragraph 8: You will be held accountable for your actions. We need to keep the sanctity of marriage and family because if we don't the calamities foretold by prophet both current and of old will come to head.

Paragraph 9: Everyone is responsible to uphold these standards not just church members. We need to make sure that we try to get others to see this so we can live in a world that God wants not the one that people feel needs to be created.

As I reflect on the proclamation given to us I am so glad that we have people on the Earth that can lead us and show us the right way. I still love those who do not follow the plan because they are still people and may one day see the errors of their ways, until then I will continue to pray for them and hope they will come to the side of the Lord. We can all be in his love.

Family

This semester we have to do a capstone project...I've been procrastinating as usual. I was not sure how I wanted to do it...So to start I will post The Family...A Proclamation to the World...

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 worshipped 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 their divine destiny as heirs 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” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred 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. 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.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World:head1-p12

Climbing a Mountain to get over adversity

In my digger deeper portion of my class I got to watch a video clip about three families affected by some tragedy. Death, getting hurt and lack of being able to pay bills and provide for family fully. I have personally been through two of these. When my mom died it was very hard. I love her very much. She was our glue for the family. I wasn't sure what was going to happen. As time went on I knew that we would be okay because the Lord has plan. Life is different without mom but all of us will see her again.
Then we have not being able to care for the family. We had hard times when we had some medical issues, we were lucky enough to have the church to help and some family members. We made it through. Again though the plan of the Lord we were okay. No one suffered.

Listening to Learn...

This week we had to listen to to a very good talk about listen to learn. Russell M Nelson gave the talk in the April 1991 conference. This was a great talk. I think it hits home because of the pathway program. I listen so I can learn. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to do the program because I already have a degree, why do I need another one? As I prayed and heard the voice it didn't seem to matter that I had a degree, I had to do this. I could not even figure out what course to take. As the weeks got closer to start the classes I knew that family history genealogy was what I needed to study. 

I again am listening to learn. I may not know the exact reason why I need to follow that path yet but it will make sense later. I was so happy that I will be able to follow this path no matter what. because the Lord has told me this is it. 

So listen to learn, no matter what the voice says it is for a reason.

Clustering...

Clustering is such a great to cross reference the scriptures. I love that I can find them so easily in the footnotes. A few months back we had a conference at our ward and the speaker told us about an App he uses, called LDS scripture citation index. This gives you a good reference to each scripture and even talks given on those scriptures. It has been so helpful when trying to prepare a talk or even share at school this semester.

This week for school we talked about 3 Nephi 12-17. 3 Nephi 13:9-13 stands out to me right now. Starting at verse 9, After this manner therefore pray ye, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen

This is the same as Matthew 6:9-13, After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

While they aren't exactly the same they are almost the same and when you use the scriptures you can cross reference them easily. I love clustering when you want to figure out where things are and how to show non Mormons.

Things I've learned...Pondering

1 Nephi 11:1 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen,and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen,  and upon which had before set my foot.

As you ponder with intent you will get what you desire. However sometimes what we desire is not what we need. When you get the answer of "no" you need to ponder and figure out why the answer was a no or just accept it and the answer to why will come to you. Even at times we get the answer of yes, we still have a lesson to be learned. We must endure the bad to get to the good. We have to understand that we will endure to the end no matter if we have an easy or hard time getting to the end. The scriptures are a great way to help us to see this simple but true lesson.

Learning

My classes have been a good way to reflect on faith. Faith is more than what you follow. Faith is linked to you as a person. Faith is what we need to endure what we are dealt. No matter if it is a simple trial or a hard one. Our faith is what gets us to the end result.

We may not understand why we go through these trials. The hard ones we sometimes go through so we can help someone else get through it. Sometimes we go through it grow as a person. When we have issues with faith it usually a person thing not a Lord thing. We are people in the world instead of of the world. We tend to follow what happens in the world instead of trying to be the light of the world.

Over the last few weeks I have watched a few close friends go through some very hard things. The worst so far is having to watch a young mother prepare to bury her 7 week old son. She has great support from many and is doing well but I know part of her is questioning. I'm questioning why. As the time passes she may get answers, she may not. As her faith is tested i know she has a strong testimony in the Lords work so I'm sure her faith will remain safe. As the outsider looking in I can offer my prayers for her continued comfort and offer any support I can to her and her family.

As my own faith has seen some trials I have been able to get through them with the knowledge that my heavenly father has a plan even if I may not understand why. I just made sure that I kept reading and trying to get a better understanding of the plan of salvation. We all have a plan for us from heavenly father. He supports us, even when we don't follow him. He still keeps us with him. He never gives up on us, so why give up on him.

Just a few thoughts over the last few weeks.

Right back at it...

With the start of the semester I'm going to be adding some posts maybe weekly. It all depends on how I decide to do my assignment that week...

This week in our studies we read Alma 30-35. As I studied I figured out what I would teach (talk about in class). I continued to study the block of scriptures and Alma 30 really stuck out to me.

Someone at work had put on the History Channel and it was on an alien show. This lead to the subject of if we are alone in the universe. I managed to change it to a conversation about how things were created.

Someone said can you believe in Christ and not the Devil? The group of us that were there agreed the answer is no. I asked about the fact that several religious groups talk about an anti-Christ...for the most part we agreed that many times in history we could see an anti-Christ. Some disagreed as they have never seen it in their time.

As read more of the chapter, I became enraged (might change that word) that people could really think the word of God is not true. I don't know what could truly cause this thought. I know people who have not lost their faith through so really hard and tragic times. I feel if they could go through their trials and tribulations and mange to keep their faith then what could have been so bad for someone to not have it?

This brings into my thoughts the plan of salvation. God has a plan for all of us. We may not know what that plan is or even understand why we must go through the hard time. We have to endure to the end to understand the full plan that the Lord has for us. We need to keep in mind that the Lord does truly know what we can handle so we need to just work through it.

I look forward to continued growth this semster.