Eternal Family: Family Relationships
How can I
nourish and serve my family today?
INTRODUCTION
Once
you have nourished yourself spiritually and physically, you are prepared to
nurture and create joy for others.
President Gordon B
Hinckley said, “Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than
the children who have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no
greater mission than to rear them in light and truth, in understanding and
love; that she will have no greater happiness than to see them grow into young
men and women who respect principles of virtue, who walk free from the stains
of immorality and from the shame of delinquency.” (Conference Report, Oct 1993,
The Gospel and the Productive Life Student Manual, 41)
The
home is the best place to teach, learn and apply gospel principles. As gospel
principles are taught and applied, with the Spirit, home becomes a spiritual
sanctuary for our children as well as ourselves.
As
we strive to watch over and nurture our families, we can have the influence and
guidance of the Spirit to assist us day by day.
POINTS TO PONDER
· A
mother’s influence can draw the spirit into her home and touch the lives of her
family members.
· Cultivating
the Spirit in my heart helps me become more able to teach my children by the
Spirit.
· My
home can be a spiritual sanctuary; a place where all that enter therein may
feel peace, joy, love and security.
SUPPORTING
SCRIPTURES AND QUOTES
A mother’s influence can draw the
Spirit into her home and touch the lives her family members.
Spirit into her home and touch the lives her family members.
“I
have no greater joy that to hear that my children walk in truth.” (3 John 1:4)
“Husbands
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 where
ever they live.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World, Paragraph 6)
“Motherhood lies at the foundation of
happiness in the home, and of prosperity in the nation.” (Joseph F Smith, Gospel
Doctrine, 288–89, Eternal Marriage Student Manual, 14)
“The spiritual rewards of motherhood
are available to all women. Nurturing the young, comforting the frightened,
protecting the vulnerable, teaching and giving encouragement need not – and
should not – be limited to our own children.” (Russell M Nelson, Lessons from
Eve, Ensign, Nov 1987, 86)
“When you observe kind and gentle mothers in
action, you see women of great strength. Their families can feel a spirit of
love and respect and safety when they are near her as she seeks the
companionship of the Holy Ghost and the guidance of His Spirit. They are blessed
by her wisdom and good judgment. The husbands and children whose lives they
bless will contribute to the stability of societies all over this world.
Grateful daughters of God learn truths from their mothers and grandmothers and
aunts. They teach their daughters the joyful art of creating a home. They seek
fine educations for their children and have a thirst for knowledge themselves.
They help their children develop skills that they can use in serving others.
They know that the way they have chosen is not the easy way, but they know it
is absolutely worth their finest efforts.” (Margaret D Nadauld, The Joy of
Womanhood, Ensign, Nov 2000, 14-16; Eternal Marriage
Student Manual p. 71)
“I look upon these
mothers in Israel, who have been endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, who
have been born again… the daughters of Israel have been born of the water and
of the Spirit, and they have been endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the
laying on of hands of those who had authority to convey that power and that
gift to the daughters of Zion, as well as to the sons in Zion. I believe that
every mother has the right to…know what to do in her family and in her sphere,
over her children, in their guidance and direction; and that mother and every
mother possessing that spirit has the gift of revelation, the gift if
inspiration and the gift of knowledge, which is the spirit of prophecy, the
spirit of discernment, a gift of God to them, to govern their households and
lead their children in the path of righteousness and truth.” (Teachings of the
Presidents of the Church, Joseph F Smith, 37)
“Upon you [mothers] depend the
training and the direction of the thoughts and inspiration of the hearts of
your children, for they drink into the spirit of their mothers, and the
influence of the mother over the children is the most enduring impression that
can be made. There is nothing so imperishable as the influence of the mother;
that is when she is good and has the spirit of the Gospel in her heart, and she
has brought up her children in the way they should go.” (Teachings of the
Presidents of the Church, Joseph F Smith, 33)
“You can recognize women who are
grateful to be a daughter of God by their reverence for motherhood, even when
that blessing has been withheld from them for a time. In those circumstances,
their righteous influence can be a blessing in the lives of children they love.
Their exemplary teachings can echo the voice of a faithful home and resonate
truth in the hearts of children who need another witness. Grateful daughters of
God love Him and teach their children to love Him without reservation and
without resentment.” (Margaret D Nadauld, The Joy of Womanhood, Ensign, Nov
2000, 14)
“This eternally important work falls
to mothers and fathers as equal partners. I am grateful that today many fathers
are more involved in the lives of their children. But I believe that the
instincts and the intense nurturing involvement of mothers with their children
will always be a major key to their well-being. In the words of the
proclamation on the family, ‘Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture
of the children.’” (M Russell Ballard, Daughters of God, Ensign, May
2008, 108-10)
“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the
highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its
holy calling and service next to the angels.” (Russell M Nelson, Our Sacred
Duty to Honor Women, Ensign, May 1999, 38)
“…Show
me a mother who prays, who has passed through the trials of life by prayer, who
has trusted in the Lord God of Israel in her trials and difficulties, and her
children will follow in the same path. These things will not forsake them when
they come to act in the kingdom
of God
Cultivating the Spirit in my heart helps me
become more able to teach my children by the Spirit.
“And ye will not
suffer your children that they… transgress the laws of God… 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.” (Mosiah 4:14-15)
“And
they shall also teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before the
Lord.” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:28)
“The pure in heart have a distinctive
way of looking at life. Their attitudes and desires cause them to view their
experiences in terms of eternity. This eternal perspective affects their
choices and priorities. As they draw farther from worldliness they feel closer
to our Father in Heaven and more able to be guided by his Spirit. We call this
state of mind, this quality of life, spirituality” (Pure in Heart, 111;
Dallin H Oaks, Eternal Marriage Student Manual p. 82)
“I say to parents, seek for the Spirit
of God. Make impressions upon the minds of your children by the humble, meek
and lowly lives that you lead.” (Heber J Grant, Teachings of Presidents of the
Church, 206)
“We hear the words of the Lord most
often by a feeling. If we are humble and sensitive, the Lord will prompt us
most often through our feelings. That is why spiritual promptings move us on
occasion to great joy, sometimes to tears.” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson,
Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988, p. 77)
“We regard children as gifts from God,
committed to our care for loving, nurturing and careful training.” (David B
Haight, Ensign, May 1984, 12-14)
“We promise you great blessings if you
will follow the Lord’s counsel and hold regular family home evenings. We pray
constantly that parents in the Church will accept their responsibility to teach
and exemplify gospel principles to their children. May God bless you to be
diligent in this most important responsibility.” (Message from the First Presidency, Family Home
Evening Resource Book, iv)
“As
we cultivate the Spirit in our own hearts, we become more able to teach, to
reach other hearts by the Spirit (see 2 Nephi 33:1). On the other hand, if we
lack the Spirit, our children may perceive insincerity, even though we say all
the right words. We may come across as trying to force them into obedience, and
they may resist us. (Helping Children Hear the Still Small Voice, Ensign, Mar
1994, 19)
“One
who regularly turns to the word of God for spiritual strength and enlightenment
will find it good – delicious to the spiritual taste.” (Dean L Larsen, Winding
Up Our Spiritual Clocks, Ensign, Nov 1989, 61)
My home can be a spiritual sanctuary; a place
where all that enter therein may feel peace, joy, love and security.
“Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.”
(Bible Dictionary under Temple
“Home
can be a heaven on earth when we are filled with love, bringing happiness and
joy, rich blessings from above – warmth and kindness, charity, safety and
security – making home a part of heaven, where we want to be.” (Home Can Be a
Heaven on Earth, Hymns, 298)
“The
home should be a place where reliance on the Lord is a matter of common
experience, not reserved for special occasions. One way of establishing that is
by regular, earnest prayer. It is not enough just to pray. It is essential that
we really speak to the Lord, having faith that he will reveal to us as parents
what we need to know and do for the welfare of our families.” (Spencer W
Kimball, Teachings of Presidents of the Church, 210)
“In
the plan of salvation, all families are precious instruments in the
Lord’s hands to help direct His children toward a celestial destination. The
righteous molding of an immortal soul is the highest work we can do, and the
home is the place to do it. To accomplish this eternal work, we should make our
homes gospel centered. When peace and harmony abound, the Holy Spirit will ever
be present. The storms of the evil one can be stopped at the very entrance of
our homes.” (Joseph B Wirthlin, Spiritually Strong Homes and Families, Ensign,
May 1993, 68)
“Keep
the peace. A consistently serene atmosphere is essential in creating an
immersion setting for teaching spiritual things. Because the Spirit speaks in
‘a still small voice’ (1 Nephi 17:45), it is difficult to discern spiritual
feelings amid commotion, especially contention. We parents need to start with
ourselves in this matter; by repentance and faith, we should strive always to
be peacemakers in our families. We should speak softly and respectfully,
express love and appreciation, apologize and forgive readily, and be cheerful.
Success in these efforts may not come quickly, but home is the perfect place
for practicing a better way again and again. Success will come more easily if
we rid our homes of worldly influences, including television programs, videos,
music, and reading materials that offend the Lord’s Spirit.” (Helping Children
Hear the Still Small Voice, Ensign, Mar 1994, 19)
“There
are places where it is easier to feel the Spirit. Testimony meetings and
general conference are some of those places. Certainly temples are another. The
challenge for each of us is in providing an environment where the Spirit can be
felt daily in our homes and weekly at church.” )Vicki F Matsumori, Helping
Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2009, 11)
“There
should be no other place where the Spirit of the Lord is more welcome and more
easily accessible than in our own homes.” (Dean L Larsen, Winding Up our
Spiritual Clocks, Ensign, Dec 1974, 63)
“We all need the
fortification available through the Holy Ghost. Mothers and fathers should
prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in their dedicated homes. Having
the gift of the Holy Ghost helps family members make wise choices—choices that
will help them return with their families to their Father in Heaven and His
Son, Jesus Christ, to live with Them eternally” (Robert D Hales in Conference
Report, Oct. 2000, 6; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 8).
“A true Latter-day Saint
home is a haven against the storms and struggles of life. Spirituality is born
and nurtured by daily prayer, scripture study, home gospel discussions and
related activities, home evenings, family councils, working and playing together,
serving each other, and sharing the gospel with those around us. Spirituality
is also nurtured in our actions of patience, kindness and forgiveness toward
each other and in our applying gospel principles in the family circle. Home is
where we become experts and scholars in gospel righteousness, learning and
living gospel truths together.” (Spencer W Kimball, Teachings of Presidents of
the Church, 210)
APPLICATION
· How
can I as a mother, better draw the Spirit into my home?
· What
can I do to ensure that the Spirit touches the lives of my family members?
· How
can cultivating the Spirit and love of God within my heart help me to better
teach my children the gospel?
· Can
I be a better living example of the things I believe?
· Is
my home a sanctuary, where my children feel safe and secure?
· How
can I work toward making my home like a temple where the Spirit is always
welcome?
GOALS AND IMPRESSIONS
Use
this space to set goals that will help you evaluate and strengthen your family
relationships through the Spirit. Record
any notes or impressions you may have had as you pondered the quotes and
references.
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SOURCES
· The
Standard Works
· Eternal
Marriage Student Manual Religion 234 & 235, 2003
· Teachings
of Presidents of the Church: Heber J Grant; Joseph F Smith, Spencer W Kimball,
Wilford Woodruff
· Conference
Ensigns and Church Magazines
· Family
Home Evening Resource Book
· The
Family: A Proclamation to the World
· Bible
Dictionary
· Hymns
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints
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