Raising Up a Family to the Lord Book by Gene R. Cook Audio
Give thanks you, Sister Smith, from all the sisters of the Church, and certainly all the brethren as well. Nosotros appreciate your service and that of Sister Cannon.
Some years ago a burn erupted in the middle of the night and completely destroyed a family's dwelling house. A neighbor came by to panel a seven-twelvemonth-old, not knowing that he was about to be taught a smashing principle. "Johnny, it'southward sure too bad your home burned down." Johnny thought a moment so said, "Oh, that'southward where yous're mistaken, Mr. Chocolate-brown. That was not our home; that was but our house. Nosotros still have our dwelling house, we simply don't take whatsoever place to put it right at present."
What a great principle taught by a child well-nigh habitation. What does that word bring to your mind—home? To some, an edifice. To others, a place to slumber, a identify to eat, a place where worldly appurtenances are stored.
Yet to others more spiritually inclined, information technology might mean where family is, where my heart is, a sacred place, a peaceful place, an escape from a wicked world.
The yet small phonation whispers yet a deeper significant. Home is heaven. We are strangers hither on earth. My existent domicile is non here, but at that place. My claiming is to learn how to bring about a habitation here on earth similar to the angelic one I left. The Lord said that we were taught "even before [nosotros] were born." Nosotros "received [our] first lessons in the earth of spirits and were prepared to come up forth … to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of the souls of men." (D&C 138:56.)
Thus, we were taught to labor in the vineyard, a adept function of which, maybe the most important function, was to know how to labor at abode. We were taught by the Lord, by the best of all teachers. Perhaps, therefore, the relearning here on world, with our agency, is to largely feel and rediscover the teachings in the mankind.
How might I remember and rediscover what I in one case knew? The Lord answers, "Pray and I will make known unto you things from the foundation of the earth co-ordinate to your organized religion and holy works." (Encounter Alma 12:thirty.) "I volition bring all things back to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto y'all" (meet John 14:26 and Alma 12:xxx) "and volition enlarge the memory of this people." (come across Alma 37:8.)
At times when one speaks of home and family unit, some who are single, widowed, a unmarried parent, or a grandparent might be tempted to feel these teachings don't apply to them. Just may I remind all that when the Lord sent us hither for our private growth, he sent u.s.a. to alive with and exist nurtured spiritually and temporally by a family. The Lord organized the whole world this way. There is no other way to enter mortality.
Withal some still say, "I don't take a family. I'm all alone." May I remind you lot that you e'er were and always volition exist a member of the family of God. Y'all are his son or his daughter. It doesn't thing if your parents or spouse or brothers or sisters are members, nonmembers, living, or dead, they are still your family. And if you are righteous and faithful to the finish, no matter what your nowadays status, y'all ultimately will be blest as part of a family unit. Thus, it behooves all of usa to acquire and alive, to the degree we tin can in our nowadays situation, the principles governing family life in preparation for exaltation, whether nosotros're a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, or a child—whether we are single or married. This is the Lord's pattern, His expanded view of the word family unit.
Thus, hearken all ye families of the globe, immediate and extended families, yea, every living soul, and the Lord volition teach you of the sacredness of that heavenly organization called family unit, called dwelling house.
Brothers and sisters, for just a moment, delight imagine yourselves as if you were in the premortal existence, in that council in sky, yes, even a council of the Father's own family. Could the Father non accept spoken words such as these to all of united states of america: "My children, my children,
1. "Marriage on earth will be ordained of God unto man." (See D&C 49:15–xvi; D&C 131:1–4.)
two. "By divine decree, you will be copartners with God in bringing children to earth." (See Gen. ane:22, 28; ii Ne. two:22–23; D&C 132:63.)
3. "The family unit unit volition exist the main agency for the spiritual and temporal nurturing of the individual." (Run into Mosiah iv:14–15; D&C 68:25, 28.)
The Father, perhaps continuing, might take said: "When you go to globe—
4. "Teach your children to beloved the Lord thy God with all thine heart" (come across Deut. half dozen:5–7),
5. "And to love and to serve i another." (See Mosiah 4:xv.)
six. "Pray in your families, both morning, mid-day, and evening, and I volition quicken your memory of these teachings." (See 3 Ne. eighteen:21; Alma 34:21, 27; D&C 68:28.)
vii. "On globe, teach them repentance, religion in Christ, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, priesthood covenants, and temple ordinances." (See D&C 68:25, 27; D&C 132:19.) Grandparents, uncles and aunts, you tin can assistance.
eight. "Consecrate your family unit resources to the Lord. Be free with your substance." (See D&C 42:thirty–31; Jacob 2:17; D&C 119:1–7.)
9. "Provoke not your children to wrath" (see Eph. vi:4),
x. "Neither endure that they fight and quarrel one with another, thus sowing seeds of contention." (See Mosiah 4:14.)
Perhaps He continued, saying:
11. "Fathers to exist, y'all will learn what true spiritual leadership is by and large at habitation, not so much in the globe.
"Mothers, yours will be a sacred telephone call different any other, to raise these little children and so that they volition be like I am. Unless you all go as little children, you will not be able to return home to me."
12. "Learn your duty from living prophets and from the scriptures."
xiii. "Lastly, because of the sacred nature of parenthood, I volition personally teach you, through the Holy Ghost, those things that affair near. Stay close to me; humbly inquire for help."
Perhaps the Father continued, saying, "My children, there are as well a number of cautions I would requite y'all, because the influence of the world volition be so potent."
one. "There will exist heavy influence to maintain families small. Even so, remember, 'As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children. … Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.'" (Ps. 127:4–5.)
2. "On world, remember to continue your family unit responsibilities as a priority. There will exist many who will want to encroach upon your responsibility for teaching and providing activities for your family. Never forget that yours is the primary responsibility and that your ultimate success in all other endeavors will be in direct proportion to the attending given these divinely appointed relationships." (See D&C 88:119.)
iii. "Strive to be together. Avert activities and those that would pull you apart. Remember, where beloved runs deep, so tin hurt feelings and frictions, as love may become frustrated." (Encounter 2 Ne. 1:xiv, 21.)
4. "As children, exist sure to give mind to your father and mother, remembering that I, the Lord, have placed them over yous. Honor them." (See Ex. xx:12.)
5. "When you go to earth, children, remember that in one case you are a parent you lot will always exist a parent. Whether information technology exist a grandparent, a corking-grandparent, or a parent equally I am. Your responsibilities to preside go on through the generations to assist in turning the hearts of the children to their fathers. Resist the temptation to be uninvolved, retiring from your family and doing your ain affair. Equally grandparents, your wisdom and vision volition allow you to depict together your whole family unit which I, the Lord, accept given yous." (See Mosiah 2:v.)
Brothers and sisters, perhaps he ended,
half dozen. "My children, don't be too concerned about remembering these things. You will notice that when these things are taught to you they will seem strangely familiar, equally if you always knew them. Y'all did, considering you lot experienced it all here in your heavenly habitation." (Run into ane Ne. xv:8, xi.)
"You will suffer disease with your children in assuasive them to grow and develop, just every bit I have suffered affliction with you lot. (Meet D&C 133:52–53.) Only don't be agape; I accept given mine angels charge concerning you. Those sent from my very presence to be round about y'all, to carry yous up. (Run into D&C 84:42, 88; D&C 133:53.) This is your opportunity to experience what we have taught you. Follow the promptings. We love you."
Brothers and sisters, in conclusion may I say, where possible:
Parents, whatever you are doing, return home.
Children, wherever you lot are, no matter what your failure, problem, or sin, you lot will always be loved by your family. Go home.
Grandparents, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, draw your families together. Return abode. May the concept of home be exalted, because the Lord so organized it in the beginning.
I pay tribute to my grandparents, to my parents, especially to my wife, and to my children, in having made my home the best place in all the earth. In that location's no place in all the earth I would rather be than at home.
And lastly, may the day come when these praises about home and family unit we volition all sing:
O my Father, K that dwellest
In the high and glorious place,
When shall I regain thy presence,
And once again behold Thy face up?
In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason, truth eternal
Tells me I've a mother there.
When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal past,
Father, Mother, may I come across yous
In your royal courts on high?
Then, at length, when I've completed
All you sent me along to do,
With your common approbation
Let me come [home] and dwell with you.
("O My Father," Hymns, no. 139.)
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/05/home-and-family-a-divine-eternal-pattern?lang=eng
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