The Family is Essential

In class this week, we have discussed the different family trends that have come about in the world today. Trends such as: divorce rates, age of marriage, living alone, both parents working, and cohabitation have all increased. Many household sizes have decreased as well as birth rates. This really troubled me because there are special beings in the pre-mortal existence waiting for their opportunity to come to earth, gain a physical body to progress towards eternal life just as we have. We don't want to rob them of that opportunity if we are about to have a family. Our lives are so upbeat and fast moving, sometimes we forget why we are here. In The Family, A Proclamation to the World, it reminds us what we need to do. "The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." I loved that reminder. We are commanded by our Heavenly Father to have families in a marriage between a man and a woman. I'm so grateful for the chance I have to be on Earth today. I'm grateful for the opportunity I will have to have my own family and raise special spirit sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father. Each child needs a family who will love and care for them. It's a scary world out there and I KNOW I wouldn't be where I am today without my family. The Family unit is essential to the Lord's plan.