Eternal Families

Starting with Adam and Even, we have been commanded to multiply and replenish the Earth. But what about overpopulation? What about diminishing resources? Research shows that men and women are choosing to have smaller families or no children at all. Countries that are the poorest, have least access to healthcare, and are the least educated have the highest fertility rates. What is happening with depopulation and aging? What does the future look like? This has a pretty large economic impact on our future. The large number of economically dependent individuals will need to be supported by a relatively smaller number of contributors. While it seems like a good idea economically to have less or no children, the future economy will suffer. I was really happy to read this information. It didn't make sense to me why we would be commanded to have children if it would ultimately end up destroying the Earth. While we still have stewardship of this Earth, and we need to take care of it, ...

We hear it quite a bit in this church. Father are to provide, preside, and protect. In the Proclamation to the World: The Family, it makes it clear that although mothers are the primary nurturers, parenthood is a mutual responsibility between mothers and fathers. Preside. This means to have spiritual leadership for the family. Men are to preside in love and righteousness. Teach, direct, and love. Give blessings to your children. Counsel them, uplift them, and be an influence for their good. Research on children has shown just how important fathers are for their children. Preschool children whose fathers are involved and interact positively with them display greater cognitive ability, more individual control, and more empathy than other children. Fathers prepare their children for the world that they will soon have to navigate. It was so important to me to pick a husband that would be a really great dad. I saw way too many of my friends have "daddy issues" due to their...

Women have critically important roles. The role of a mother may not be valued the way it should according to the world's standards, but the Lord knows just how important your work is. Modern ages have begun to value consumerism and individualism. Society sometimes looks at motherhood as a burden rather than a importance piece of work that is absolutely necessary. "The calling of motherhood has been identified as the most ennobling endowment God could give His daughters. It is as divinely called and as eternally inits place as the priesthood itself."     J Reuben Clark Jr. " The World would state that a woman is in a form of servitude that does not allow her to develop her gifts and talents. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could be further from the truth. Do not let the world define, denigrate, or limit your feelings of lifelong learning and the values of motherhood in the home. Motherhood is the ideal opportunity for lifelong learning. A mother’s learning grows...

"I teach correct principles, and they govern themselves."       Joseph Smith Parenting is a very serious responsibility. There are hundreds of different books and methods that people swear by. So where do we start? Who do we trust with parenting advice? Lucky for us, we live in an age where parenting methods have been scientifically tested. Scientific conclusions of what the best parenting styles are also matches up with modern day revelation on parenting. I would say that is pretty good evidence. The tricky thing is, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to parenting. We have the challenge to apply principles and adapt them to our individual families. Because of our knowledge of the pre-existence, wen now that the character of our spirit contributes to our disposition and temperament. We also have biological influences that influence the way we react to our environments. These factors plus the influence of parents all come together to make an outcome. ...

We all want our children to have successful romantic relationships as adults. How do we prepare them for that? One of the most important things to remember that before we even get into a relationship, it is crucial to be our best self. So we start by giving our children the tools they need to be the best version of themselves. Take care of their mental health. Things like depression, anxiety, and immaturity have negative effects on a relationship. It would be wise to make sure your child's negative tendencies are being taken care of in an appropriate manner, such as therapy or medication, if necessary. Teach them what really matters in a relationship. Physical attractiveness isn't even in the top five most important qualities people seek after in a long term relationship. Richard G. Scott lists some of the most important things to look for in a relationship as this "temple worthiness, someone with a deep love of the Lord and His commandments and a determination to live...