(Chapter 29)
On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinkley announced and read "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" at the annual general Relief Society Meeting. Many people did not understand the significance of this proclamation at the time. However, since that time the family has been under heavy attack. Heavenly Father knew this attack would become greater in the latter days, so he prepared the world and his people for this fight by giving them this document as a source of strength and truth regarding the family.
"A culture of throwaway relationships; familial apathy and permissive values; and secularism, selfishness, and immorality has made the responsibility to build strong families more challenging and more important, The eternal truths in the proclamation counteract this culture and provide individuals and families with a guide and a standard, a kind of Liahona or compass to chart their course."
My kids often ask me how they think life will be when they start to have families. Do I think it will be harder to raise a righteous family in the increasingly wicked world? When we adhere to the principles taught in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we have nothing to fear. The family is the central unit to God's plan, so therefore we need to know that Satan has it under attack. However, if we understand this and wholeheartedly fight back with God on our side, the family will overcome the evil.
A wife and husband’s role in the family plays such an essential part in making the family a success. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” teaches of these responsibilities. It says ” 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.” We, as mothers and fathers, need to take these responsibilities seriously because this is where the fight against Satan comes into play. If we fail to do these things, Satan will wiggle his way in and begin to destroy our families. So the question is.....
How can we use the proclamation in our homes to help strength our families?
1. Teach the proclamation in the home.
"Truly, understanding and internalizing the principles in the proclamation changes our perspective, our goals, and our entire approach to family life"
- Break the proclamation down into sections. By doing this, it provides opportunities to more fully understand and study each principle.
- With young children, provide activities such as coloring, role playing, sharing pictures of our wedding day as well as other family history information.
- With older children, invite them to pick a principle and then teach it to the family. This can be done using single paragraphs from the proclamation and then centering a lesson on that paragraph to teach to the family.
- Refer to the proclamation often in family discussions. This can be done when talking about current events, family issues, or other gospel principles.
2. Display the proclamation in the home for people to see often.
- This gives us the opportunity to share our testimony and understanding of the principles found in the proclamation.
- It also stands as a reminder of what we are working towards as a united family.
"The proclamation speaks to the hearts and minds of our neighbors, friends, and those who care about the strength of the family as it declares the sacredness of family life and calls upon us to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society".
I bear testimony that this proclamation teaches true principles regarding the sanctity of the family. I know as mothers, fathers, and children adhere to these principles their families with develop true love within the family unit. I testify that families are forever because of sacred ordinances and covenants found within the walls of the holy temples. As we partake of these ordinances, if we stay true to the covenants, Heavenly Father will bless us in our individuals lives and within our families.
Love,
your friend,
your mamma, and
your eternal wife.
Hawkins, A.J., Dollahite, D.C., & Draper, T.W. (2011). Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives. Utah: Brigham Young University.
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