Family

"We believe that marriage and family ties can continue beyond the grave—that marriages performed by those who have the proper authority in His temples will continue to be valid in the world to come. Our marriage ceremonies eliminate the words “till death do us part” and instead say, “for time and for all eternity.”

 -Elder L. Tom Perry, "Why Marriage and Family Matter-Everywhere in the World" April 2015
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/why-marriage-and-family-matter-everywhere-in-the-world?lang=eng

"As members of the Church, we have the responsibility to preserve and protect the family as the basic unit of society and eternity. The prophets have warned and forewarned about the inevitable and destructive consequence of a deterioration of family values."

-Elder L. Tom Perry, "Finding Lasting Peace & Building Eternal Families", October 2014
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/finding-lasting-peace-and-building-eternal-families?lang=eng

"Family commitments and expectations should be at the top of our priorities to protect our divine destiny. For those who are looking for more fruitful use of the Sabbath day for the family as a whole, the hastening of this work is fertile ground."

-Quentin L. Cook, "Roots & Branches", April 2014 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/roots-and-branches?lang=eng

"I believe that Heinrich Eyring knew then that what I am teaching you today is true. He knew that the happiness of eternal life comes through family bonds which continue forever. Even when he had so recently found the Lord’s plan of happiness, he knew that his hope for eternal joy depended on the free choices of others to follow his example. His hope of eternal happiness depended on people not yet born."

-President Henry B. Eyring, "A Priceless Heritage of Hope", April 2014 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/a-priceless-heritage-of-hope?lang=eng

"There is no better setting for rearing the rising generation than the traditional family, where a father and a mother work in harmony to provide for, teach, and nurture their children. Where this ideal does not exist, people strive to duplicate its benefits as best they can in their particular circumstances."

-Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "The Moral Force of Women", October 2013 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-moral-force-of-women?lang=eng

"I believe the mission statement for mortality might be “to build an eternal family.” Here on this earth we strive to become part of extended families with the ability to create and form our own part of those families. That is one of the reasons our Heavenly Father sent us here. Not everyone will find a companion and have a family in mortality, but everyone, regardless of individual circumstances, is a precious member of God’s family."
-Elder M. Russell Ballard, "What Matters Most is What Lasts the Longest" October 2005 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/what-matters-most-is-what-lasts-longest?lang=eng&query=family

"We hope that by flooding the Church with family-oriented media, members of the Church will be assisted and encouraged to build stronger and better families. We hope it will cause a conscious and sustained effort in building an eternal family unit. An abundance of Church materials will be available for you from which to pick and choose useful ideas. At least by seeing family issues mentioned so often, we all will be reminded to focus our attention on the most important organization the Lord has established here on earth."
-Elder L. Tom Perry, "The Importance of Family" October 2003 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-importance-of-the-family?lang=eng&query=family

"In the February letter, the First Presidency taught that by teaching and rearing children in gospel principles, parents can protect their families from corrosive elements. They further counseled parents and children “to give highest priority to family prayer, family home evening, gospel study and instruction, and wholesome family activities. However worthy and appropriate other demands or activities may be, they must not be permitted to displace the divinely-appointed duties that only parents and families can adequately perform” (First Presidency letter, 11 Feb. 1999; cited in Church News, 27 Feb. 1999, 3).

 -Elder Robert D. Hales, "Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty" April 1999 General Conference
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng&query=family


"One of the great messages of the gospel is the doctrine of the eternal nature of the family unit. We declare to the world the value and importance of family life, but much of the confusion and difficulty we find existing in the world today is being traced to the deterioration of the family. Home experiences where children are taught and trained by loving parents are diminishing."
-Elder L. Tom Perry, "Therefore I Was Taught" April 1994 General Conference  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/therefore-i-was-taught?lang=eng&query=family


"The family is safe within the Church. We are not in doubt as to the course we must follow. It was given in the beginning, and guidance from on high is renewed as need may be."
-Elder Boyd K. Packer, "The Father and the Family" April 1994 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/the-father-and-the-family?lang=eng&query=family

 Position Statement

I have a strong and deep testimony that the family is central to the plan of happiness and that families are forever. My family is my everything. They are my main focus, concern, my first thought of the day. Most of my energy is spent raising my children to be kind, loving, obedient and faithful individuals who will also someday have families of their own and will hopefully raise their children in that same way. Reading these talks has helped further my testimony of eternal families and of the sacred responsibilities my husband and I have in strengthening our families. I also know that Satan will do everything in his power to destroy families. For this reason I take my responsibilities of strengthening my family very seriously. No matter how busy I am my family will always remain my main focus. My relationship with each one of my children is so precious to me and I do all that Heavenly Father asks so that I may raise them to "walk uprightly before the Lord." They are my heart and soul and my reason for being.