FAMILY

CAPSTONE: I love my family more than anything and I want to raise my children with knowledge of the gospel and that they know how much they mean to me.  I want to build a home of reverence and kindness with the Savior’s love ever present.  Right now, that is not my home.  I find that the struggles of life, church callings, and pure laziness, keep me from accomplishing this goal.  These quotes I found are the first step in helping me achieve my dream.  They remind me to not be selfish, by putting myself first, but to show true love by teaching, taking time, being an example, and patience.  Elder Scott said it best when he said, “Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts.”  I’m taking the easy way out instead of using my time to make my family better.  So these quotes are my inspiration, the guide I will use to bring my family back together and to make my home a “refuge from the storm” that Elder Perry talked about.  The first thing I plan to do is put up some pictures of our Savior.  We only have one small one in our home and I believe that if my children see more pictures of Him, it will bring reverence to their souls.  I also plan to give them framed copies of their favorite temples, this will not only bring the sacredness of that holy place, but it will give them a dream of what could be. -becki johnson

1.       “Don’t rationalize away future happiness by taking shortcuts instead of applying sound gospel principles.”

-Richard G. Scott, “For Peace at Home,” April 2013 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/for-peace-at-home?lang=eng

2.       “While wholesome pleasure results from much we do that is good, it is not our prime purpose for being on earth. Seek to know and do the will of the Lord, not just what is convenient or what makes life easy. You have His plan of happiness. You know what to do, or can find out through study and prayer. Do it willingly.”

-Richard G. Scott, “First Things First,” April 2001 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/04/first-things-first?lang=eng

3.       “We need to make our homes a place of refuge from the storm, which is increasing in intensity all about us. Even if the smallest openings are left unattended, negative influences can penetrate the very walls of our homes.”

-L. Tom Perry, “The Importance of the Family,” April 2003 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-importance-of-the-family?lang=eng

4.       “If we are concerned about our tomorrows, we will teach our children wisely and carefully, for in them lie our tomorrows.”

-M. Russell Ballard, “Teach the Children,” April 1991 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1991/04/teach-the-children?lang=eng

5.        “Persistence in reading the scriptures daily as a family is the key. Persistence is the answer, and a sense of humor helps. It requires great effort from every family member every day, but it is worth the effort. Temporary setbacks are overshadowed by persistence.”

-Quentin L. Cook, “In Tune with the Music of Faith,” April 2012 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/in-tune-with-the-music-of-faith?lang=eng

6.        “For you and me, the disciples of Christ, these moments of building faith in the lives of our children must be strengthened. We will at times fall short as parents. I know I do. But we must begin again. The Lord sees our righteous efforts and will open the blessings of heaven as we give our families our highest priority. My brothers and sisters, there are spiritual mole crickets at work on our roots, and we must be even more serious in our family stewardship.”

-Neil L. Anderson, “Prophets and Spiritual Mole Crickets,” October 1999 General Conference  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/10/prophets-and-spiritual-mole-crickets?lang=eng

7.         “The greatest joys and the greatest sorrows we experience are in family relationships. The joys come from putting the welfare of others above our own. That is what love is. And the sorrow comes primarily from selfishness, which is the absence of love.”

-Henry B. Eyring, “Our Perfect Example,” October 2009 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/our-perfect-example?lang=eng

    

8.       “Evidence should provoke a renewal of commitment in every parent: “I must be about my Father’s business.” Children learn through gentle direction and persuasive teaching. They search for models to imitate, knowledge to acquire, things to do, and teachers to please.”

-Thomas S. Monson, “Teach the Children,” October 1997 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1997/10/teach-the-children?lang=eng

9.        “Perhaps most significant of all classrooms is the classroom of the home. It is in the home that we form our attitudes, our deeply held beliefs. It is in the home that hope is fostered or destroyed. Our homes are the laboratories of our lives. What we do there determines the course of our lives when we leave home.”

-Thomas S. Monson, “Precious Children-A Gift from God,” October 1991 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1991/10/precious-children-a-gift-from-god?lang=eng

10.    “In choosing how we spend time as a family, we should be careful not to exhaust our available time on things that are merely good and leave little time for that which is better or best.”

-Dallin H. Oaks, “Good, Better, Best,” October 2007 General Conference https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/good-better-best?lang=eng