The teachings of the Proclamation apply to you.

By Teresa W.

Imagine with me, if you will, an airplane leaving an airport with a complete journey mapped out. The pilots and crew know where they are going, and they won’t get off course or fail to reach their destination, unless weather or mechanical troubles interfere. Now, imagine another airplane with a captain and crew but no flight plan. The engines are started, and the plane moves down the runway. Yet as it begins to climb, the pilot doesn’t know whether to turn east or to turn west. If you are on that airplane, you will have little to no chance of arriving at your destination. It is clear on your journey that you probably want to be on a plane with a flight plan.

And so it is with our lives.  For Latter-day Saints, there is a flight plan based upon God’s commandments called the Plan of Salvation which explains where we came from before we got on the plane, why we are on the plane, and where we are going while traveling on the plane.  Because we have been blessed with an understanding of the plan of salvation we have a unique perspective on marriage and families.  It would be correct to describe Latter-day Saints as "family- oriented" people.

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles in years past knew the importance of the family unit and the challenges that families were facing then and would eventually face within society.  As a result, The Family: A Proclamation to The World was written.  Before reading the Proclamation at the General Relief Society Meeting in September 1995, President Hinckley stated:

"With so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout its history."

In our last General Conference, Dallin H. Oaks summarized the contents of The Proclamation by saying:

“Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the fullness of eternal exaltation. We know this is possible only in a family relationship. We know that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God’s plan. Only this marriage will provide the approved setting for mortal birth and to prepare family members for eternal life. We look on marriage and the bearing and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan and a sacred duty of those given the opportunity to do so. We believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.”

I am certain that most of you have read the Proclamation, probably on more than one occasion. In the last few years, it has almost been like a second patriarchal blessing for me because I have turned to it for comfort and direction, much like I would my own patriarchal blessing. It is scripture that has helped me sort through some personal challenges and has hopefully helped me comfort and direct others.

In President Hinckley’s quote, I want you to notice that he proclaims that the Proclamation is for members of the Church as well as the World.  I know of or have spoken to a number of people who struggle with the teachings of the Proclamation.  

I have a good friend who says the Proclamation is not for him.  His father died when he was a young boy.  His mother raised him and his numerous brothers and sisters with little help from extended family. His family did not fit norm. I know there are others who feel that they do not fit the norm-single moms and dads, childless parents, singles members who have not had the opportunity to marry. Heavenly Father’s plan still applies to you. Study the Proclamation and find out how it applies to you. You may not fit the norm at this particular time in your life, but the teachings of the Proclamation apply to you.

I have other friends and extended family members who struggle with the Proclamation because it does not recognize same gender relationships as family units.  This has become an even greater struggle since the legalization of same gender marriage in some states and countries. Bear in mind that legalization should not bolster our attitude toward social trends. There are a number of activities that are legal in which members of the church do not participate nor do they promote such as smoking, drinking, adultery, gambling, abortion, etc.

Our commitment to love and serve God requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior and that we keep His commandments.   Matthew 22: 37 reminds us: 

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”  

The second commandment is a reminder to be kind and respectful to those who disagree with our resolve to be obedient.  President Monson encouraged us to remain obedient when he said:

“Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”

It is not always popular to stand by your standards and your convictions, but we must.  It is not always easy to be unique and to stand out, but Latter-day Saints do.  In a recent Facebook conversation a group of mothers were swapping stories about different reactions they have gotten from people in public places when they see these moms out with their children. The stories were about comments they had gotten from total strangers about the number of children they had, others were comments about the closeness in age of their children, and some were comments about the courage these moms possessed to even go out in public places with all of their children.  The stories were all told in a spirit of fun, but LDS women are unique and are noticed for their commitment to home and family. I could sense that these women were happy to a part of God’s plan.  They are living the dream. They are the mothers that are talked about in the Proclamation, nurturing and  teaching children in homes built upon faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. They are part of families that are blessed by the power of the priesthood with loving husbands who are protect, provide and rear  families in homes of righteous. Are these families perfect? No!  But they are following the plan.

Material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But the union that I have with my husband and my children can endure through blessings of the temple.  At the beginning of this year I could not think of one single New Year’s Resolution that I wanted to take on.  There are plenty of things that I certainly can certainly do, but I wanted some spiritual direction in making my decision so I did pray about what I should do.  I wanted a goal that would be significant and something I wouldn’t abandon.  A few weeks ago, it came to me as clearly as if light coming on in a room. I decided to get the information I had already collected for my father’s genealogy and enter it into Family Tree. As I have been working, I have had my ancestors’ spirits sitting with me, helping me find and organize their information so that their temple ordinances can be completed for them. I’ve had a few glitches that the kind people at Technical Support have walked me through as well. But, I know that my ancestors understand the importance of families and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve them so that they can be eternal families.

When we understand the plan of salvation, the Proclamation on the Family brings peace and certainty. The message of the Proclamation brings comfort to parents who may be questioning their roles in the home.  It will bring security to children as they are raised by parents who love them and understand them. And it will bring lasting joy to families. It is a Christ-centered plan that allows us to follow the teachings of the Savior and ultimately return to our Father in Heaven if we are obedient.

How do the teachings of The Family: A Proclamation to the World impact you?