Week 4: The Family: A Proclamation to the World

I bet that at this very moment you have a "Family Proclamation" hanging on your wall. In your living room, family room, dining room, maybe even your bathroom. The Family: A Proclamation to the World was given to us by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and read by President Gordon B. Hinckley at the General Relief Soceity meeting in September 1995. It's message isn't just for the members of the church but as stated in it's title is is a proclamation for ALL THE WORLD.

Earlier this month my four-year old asked me why we had it on our wall, what it meant, was it about Jesus, where did we get the frame, who gave it to us, can we read it......and the list of questions went on. I realized in that moment that I really hadn't taken the time to familiarize myself with it's message and that although I had read it many times I really had never READ it. Sure I knew all the key points and could rattle off typically used phrases but I really, really never studied it the way scripture should be studied. This month I decided to truly study and dissect it. I realized this was something that my family really had been needing. It helped me reaffirm my meaning here as a daughter of heavenly parent and understand my duties and my goals as a mother. It reminded me how important covenants and ordinances are, and that the road to happiness in our families is through our Savior Jesus Christ. How often do we pass by the Proclamation on our wall and not even think about the beautiful truths and promises that are contained therein?

Directly before giving us the proclamation President Hinckley made a statement regarding the reason why such a Proclamation was generated. He said, "With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history."

I felt deeply inspired to choose THE FAMILY: A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD, as my my first Talk of the Week for the new year. I hope that as you listen to it and maybe even follow along with that poster on your wall (you know,the one in the beautiful frame), that you will feel impressed and inspired to "maintain and strengthen" your family.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

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