Eternal Families

Preparing to enter the temple to start their eternal family unit.

This morning I read President Eyring's conference talk from the priesthood session - Eternal Families. Actually, I read it yesterday morning and felt it was so important I needed to devote a bit more time to pondering his message. He reminded us that everything we do should have celestial marriage as its focus and purpose. That reminded me of Elder Nelson's comment that all church meetings and classes and activities are means to the end of an exalted family. (Here are my thoughts on that from a few years ago.)

President Eyring quoted from Elder Bruce R. McConkie's 1970 conference talk - Salvation is a Family Affair. I'm writing this post to remember some of those quotes:

The great work of God our Father was creation. He brought us into being; we were born as members of his family; and by his power the earth and all things thereon came into existence. And God has done his work perfectly.

The great work of Christ was redemption. Through his atoning sacrifice all men are raised in immortality, while those who believe and obey the whole law of the whole gospel are raised unto eternal life. And Christ has done his work perfectly.

The great work of every man is to believe the gospel, to keep the commandments, and to create and perfect an eternal family unit. And the Latter-day Saints are seeking to do their work as near to perfection as they can.

Every major decision should be made on the basis of the effect it will have on the family unit. Our courtship, schooling, and choice of friends; our employment, hobbies, and place of residence; our social life, the organizations we join, and the service we render mankind; and above all, our obedience or the lack of it to the standards of revealed truth—all these things should be decided on the basis of their effect on the family unit.

There is nothing in this world as important as the creation and perfection of family units of the kind contemplated in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

13 August 2016

I am grateful for my eternal family and look forward to seeing it continue to grow and become stronger as the years pass.