Eternal Families Don't Just Happen

It takes being vigilant against opposition. It takes being in tune with the spirit. It takes being diligent about scripture study and family prayer. It takes patience and long suffering. It takes bridling our tongues. It takes individual and collective effort. It takes putting the gospel in the foreground of our lives, instead of just living it on Sunday. It takes connecting with, understanding, empathizing and validating each of my children individually.....on their level. It takes guiding them to build their own personal relationship with the Savior and Heavenly father. It takes work.....and much more, every day.
There is so much to accomplish, so we are starting with these things.......

We want to increase the spirituality in our home.
To do this we will…….

1. Have family prayer morning (9:00am) and night.
2. Try really hard to show respect to Heavenly father by being reverent during SS, S&P.
3. Try not to yell at each other.
4. Try to be peacemakers……”Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9
5. Remember that every day is part of eternity and right now is when we are learning to be obedient.
6. Be worthy of one another’s trust.
7. Look for the good in each other.
8. Build each other up.
9. First seek to understand……then act.
10. Keep our own spiritual cup filled so we can help one another from a position of strength.

This is what I came up with after hearing every one's concerns at family council. Tonight we read this all together and everyone agreed that this was a good place to start. So we all signed it and hung it on the fridge for a constant reminder.

I read in a conference talk "Whatever level of spiritual development each of us may presently have, there always exists a higher level within our reach." Elder Keith K. Hilbig Conference Oct. 2007

That just really struck me. Even the youngest member of my family can spiritually grow.Through a trial that one of my children just happen to be facing right now, I have had a heightened awareness of the need to make the gospel more real and personal to them. It is one thing to learn the gospel, attend church, answer all the questions correctly and say we want to return to live with Heavenly Father. But it is quite another thing to internalize it and apply it to everyday life. Maybe others have this challenge, but there seems to be a gap between what we know (the gospel) and how we apply what we know. I understand that part of this comes with spiritual progression and maturity. But it's not like we are just going to wake up one day with this big strong ability to resist all evil. We are taught.....line upon line, precept on precept. For each one of us, there is a higher level within reach. I am still growing. We all are. I sense this illusion in my children that...."I'll do that or be this when I am there." Or "Not now....later." I remember thinking this way when I was a kid. This is the gap that I speak of. And you know what? It is a lie. Satan wants us to put off our progression until later.....later......until it is too late and we have missed out on an opportunity to grow.


Application means.........

1. Have family prayer morning (9:00am) and night.
2. Try really hard to show respect to Heavenly Father by being reverent during SS, S&P.
3. Try not to yell at each other.
4. Try to be peacemakers……”Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9
5. Remember that every day is part of eternity and right now is when we are learning to be obedient.
6. Be worthy of one another’s trust.
7. Look for the good in each other.
8. Build each other up.
9. First seek to understand……then act.
10. Keep our own spiritual cup filled so we can help one another from a position of strength.


I am so grateful for my children and my husband. I love them with all my heart. I will do....whatever it takes. Because I know that we are given the Gospel to help us get from here...to there. We love the Lord.


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said.....
"The scriptures tell us that “if any man love God, the same is known of him.”8 What a wonderful promise—to be known of Him. It makes the spirit soar to think that the Creator of heaven and earth could know us and love us with a pure, eternal love.
Do you love the Lord?
Spend time with Him. Meditate on His words. Take His yoke upon you. Seek to understand and obey, because “this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.”16 When we love the Lord, obedience ceases to be a burden. Obedience becomes a delight. When we love the Lord, we seek less for things that benefit us and turn our hearts toward things that will bless and uplift others.
As our love for the Lord deepens, our minds and hearts become purified. We experience a “mighty change in . . . our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”17
Brethren and sisters, as you prayerfully consider what you can do to increase harmony, spirituality, and build up the kingdom of God, consider your sacred duty to teach others to love the Lord and their fellowman. This is the central object of our existence. Without charity—or the pure love of Christ—whatever else we accomplish matters little. With it, all else becomes vibrant and alive." Conference Oct. 2007


Eternal families don't just happen.
KKS