Words to live by ~ Family...
"We now live in a culture of the temporary, in which more and more people are simple giving up on marriage as a public commitment. ~ Pope Francis
We take the commitment and the sanctity of marriage to a greater level because of our belief and understanding that families go back to before the earth was and that they can go forward into eternity.
This doctrine is taught so simple, powerfully, and beautifully by Ruth Gardner's text for the Primary song, "Families Can Be Together Forever." Pause for a moment and think about Primary children all over the world singing these words in their native tongue, at the top of their lungs, with an enthusiasm that only love of family can evoke:
Families can be together forever
Through Heavenly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.
Let me close by bearing witness (and my nine decades on this earth qualify me to say this) that the older I get, the more I realize that family in the center of life and is the key to eternal happiness."
These are some excerpts from a talk given by L. Tom Perry at the April 2015 general conference. When he spoke at general conference, it was with that same booming voice and wonderful smile that I had come to love. You would have thought that he would live forever. He still had tremendous energy. Just 55 days later he passed away from thyroid cancer that spread to his lungs and beyond. Elder Perry was the oldest and tallest current apostle. He was 92 and 6 foot 4. I always listened carefully when he spoke. I will miss him. I thought it was especially poignant that he spoke of family in his final message here on earth.
My family is everything to me, and although I fall short sometimes, they are without a doubt the center of my life and what brings me the greatest happiness.
Tim is my eternal companion. Are we perfect, no. Are we committed, yes! Tim is patient and has always given his all to provide for his family. It has always been his greatest desire to be a good husband and father. He LOVES being a grandpa.
Christopher is really one of the most generous people I know. He has lots of energy. He has become confident in his skills and abilities. This has helped him become successful with his business ventures. He will find the woman of his dreams, of this I am very sure. He loves to cook and is a good uncle. He is a very loyal but honest friend.
Mark is a devoted father. It warms my heart to see him with his family. He loves to go on adventures with Cash and Colby. Providing a good life for Tiff and the boys is his first priority. I love his sense of humor. He has become a good cook, chicken surprises being his specialty! Mark is always working on his parenting skills and is much better at parenting than we were. It's the hope of most parents that there children will be better parents than they were. He has the best smile!
Sweet, beautiful Tiffani, the best mommy in all the land. She is tireless and passionate when it comes to caring for her boys. Her love for them is boundless. Tiff loves being a mom and that shows in everything she does. It takes a lot of work to keep up with three little boys but she does it with patience and love. I know she feels that nothing is more important than what she is doing right now. Tiff is smart and clever. She is such a blessing to our family.
How we love Cash. He is growing up so fast. He is very smart and loves to create things. He has a tender heart and is a good big brother. I love to play games with him.
Colby is a little dynamo. He is not afraid to try anything. He wants to do everything that Cash does. He gives the best hugs and I love his smile. It melts my heart. We love him so much.
Grey is a happy, sweet baby. I love to hold him and see him smile. Cash and Colby adore him. He lights up when he sees them. We love him.
I wish I were more eloquent and could express more fully how much I love my family. I can only hope that my actions show the deep love I have for each one of them. Like Elder Perry, the older I get the more I realize that family is everything. I always want to be with my own family...
