Families Are Forever

Families are part of Heavenly Father's plan of salvation. Adam and Eve were married by God while in the Garden of Eden and commanded to have children (see Genesis 1:28). God revealed that providing mortal bodies for His spirit children is one of the purposes for marriage. Men and women are partners with Heavenly Father in creating families. God sends His spirit children to earth to receive mortal bodies and to experience life on earth. Bringing children into the world is the way that parents help Heavenly Father carry out His plan.

Heavenly Father wants each new child to be welcomed into a family with gladness. He wants parents to remember that each child is also a child of God. He wants parents to take time to enjoy their children, to play with them, and to teach them. President David O. McKay, a modern-day prophet of God, said "With all my heart I believe that the best place to prepare for … eternal life is in the home" ("Blueprint for Family Living," Improvement Era, Apr. 1963, 252). It is at home with our families that we can learn self-control, sacrifice, loyalty, and the value of work as well as to learn to love, to share, and to serve one another.

Fathers and mothers are charged with the responsibility to teach their children about Heavenly Father. A good way to teach their children is by the parental example. When children see that mother and father keep God's commandments because they love Him, they come to an understanding of how to show love to God. Parents also have the responsibility to teach their children how to pray.

Because families can be together forever, it is critical that the right steps are taken. When a couple is married in the temple by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood, their marriage and family life can continue after death. Marriages performed outside the temples will end when one of the partners dies. By keeping their covenants with God, families will be united eternally as husband, wife, and children.

If husband, wife and children want to be together for all eternally, they must learn to be thoughtful and kind to each other and how to develop greater harmony in their home. They should never say or do anything to hurt each other and try always to make each other happy. As parents learn more about God and become more like Him, they will teach their children to love one another.
King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon taught his people, "Ye will not suffer your children … [to] fight and quarrel one with another….
"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).

I know that family members can help each other to be more confident by sincere encouragement and praise. When parents show interest in each child and show love and concern for each child, then every child should feel important to the family. Children should also show love and kindness to their parents and bring honor to their parents by living good lives.

President Harold B. Lee, another modern-day prophet, said, "The most important of the Lord's work you will ever do will be within the wall of your own homes" (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2001], 134).
Satan understands that families are important to Heavenly Father and in bringing about His plan. Satan wants to destroy individuals and families by keeping them away from God, and he will tempt us to say and do things that will destroy our families.

We must remember that "Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God…. The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World, Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities" (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102).

Here are some time-tested ways to develop happy, successful families: 1) Kneel together in family prayer every night and morning. Pray together as husband and wife. 2) Hold family home evening every week and teach your children the gospel of Christ. 3) Study the scriptures as a family regularly. 4) Work and play together as a family. 5) Practice being kind, patient, long-suffering, and charitable. 6) Attend Church meetings together regularly. 7) Follow the counsel of God in Doctrine and Covenants 88:119: "organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God." 8) Receive the sealing ordinances of the temple, keep a family history, and perform temple work together regularly.

The family is the basic unit of society and the most important unit in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church exists to help families gain eternal blessings and exaltation and has organizations and programs that are designed to strengthen us individually and help us live as families forever.