Dear Reader,
Today marks a very important celebration for everyone on earth. Twenty years ago today, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stood in a General Relief Society meeting and read aloud "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." This document has so much substance and inspiration. In honor of this anniversary and also of the family, I wanted to share with you what I know about "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."
Firstly, the title itself is very direct and has several underlying messages. Since the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there have been 4 official declarations or proclamations made by apostles and prophets. While normally declarations such these are directed at the members of the church for their improvement. However, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is exactly that; it is a proclamation to the world. The truth contained in this document is intended to be heard around the world, not just by members of the church. The counsels and declarations put forth are for each person that lives on this earth.
What does this document say, exactly? I hope you already took the time to read it by clicking the link above or searching it out. Before getting into the main ideas of the document, it is important to note the language that "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is written in. The words used are meant to be clear and direct. The First Presidency of the church and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles purposefully used words such as 'proclaim,' 'declare' and 'warn.' The main message portrayed by this language is that the institution of family is a critical piece of our society and family values are not just another good idea. With that in mind, there are several main points to highlight.
Our identity is laid out in the first two paragraphs. We learn that we are "created in the image of God" and that "the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave." We are children of God. We are all family. As families, we can be sealed together forever.
One of the shortest paragraphs is one of the most important: "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." Every life is important, no matter how long or short it is.
Another key principle to draw from this document is that "husband and wife have the solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children." The same paragraph then describes the roles of each in the home. It strikes me that nowhere does it say that women are more important than men or that men are more important than women. In reference to marriage and to the family, the husband and wife are always encouraged to work as a unit, as a team. Never is one ruler over the other.
As for the family, there is one important sentence that contains the basic principles that homes should be based on. "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." I encourage you to take the time to analyze each of these aspects in your home and with your families.
Although there are many more concepts to draw from "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," the last one to mention here is the warning given by the Prophets and Apostles. "We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets." It is evident that the family is vital to our communities.
Happy anniversary to the proclamation. May we apply the principles it teaches during the next twenty years and help our children grow up properly in today's world. To listen to the discourse given by President Hinckley in 1995, click here.
Today marks a very important celebration for everyone on earth. Twenty years ago today, President Gordon B. Hinckley of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stood in a General Relief Society meeting and read aloud "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." This document has so much substance and inspiration. In honor of this anniversary and also of the family, I wanted to share with you what I know about "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."
Firstly, the title itself is very direct and has several underlying messages. Since the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there have been 4 official declarations or proclamations made by apostles and prophets. While normally declarations such these are directed at the members of the church for their improvement. However, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is exactly that; it is a proclamation to the world. The truth contained in this document is intended to be heard around the world, not just by members of the church. The counsels and declarations put forth are for each person that lives on this earth.
What does this document say, exactly? I hope you already took the time to read it by clicking the link above or searching it out. Before getting into the main ideas of the document, it is important to note the language that "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is written in. The words used are meant to be clear and direct. The First Presidency of the church and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles purposefully used words such as 'proclaim,' 'declare' and 'warn.' The main message portrayed by this language is that the institution of family is a critical piece of our society and family values are not just another good idea. With that in mind, there are several main points to highlight.
Our identity is laid out in the first two paragraphs. We learn that we are "created in the image of God" and that "the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave." We are children of God. We are all family. As families, we can be sealed together forever.
One of the shortest paragraphs is one of the most important: "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." Every life is important, no matter how long or short it is.
Another key principle to draw from this document is that "husband and wife have the solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children." The same paragraph then describes the roles of each in the home. It strikes me that nowhere does it say that women are more important than men or that men are more important than women. In reference to marriage and to the family, the husband and wife are always encouraged to work as a unit, as a team. Never is one ruler over the other.
As for the family, there is one important sentence that contains the basic principles that homes should be based on. "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." I encourage you to take the time to analyze each of these aspects in your home and with your families.
Although there are many more concepts to draw from "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," the last one to mention here is the warning given by the Prophets and Apostles. "We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets." It is evident that the family is vital to our communities.
Happy anniversary to the proclamation. May we apply the principles it teaches during the next twenty years and help our children grow up properly in today's world. To listen to the discourse given by President Hinckley in 1995, click here.
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