The Three Big Bad Wolves

In an October 1996, LDS General Conference talk by Elder Bruce C. Hafen he talks of the 3 big bad wolves that can test a marriage. In the world today marriage and family is under attack. There are 3 areas in which Elder Hafen counsels us to watch for as these wolves want to destroy our family. 

The first wolf he talks about is natural adversity.

What is natural adversity? It is what happens in this mortal world we live in. Spouses or children getting sick, death of a loved one, your home being destroyed by natural causes, losing employment , and the list could go on. 

I can think of many times in my marriage that natural adversity has come to play. We've had house fires, floods, forest fires, children really sick, grandchildren really sick, business not doing so good, 

The second wolf he talks about is the test of our own imperfections.  

No one of us is perfect. One spouse should not degrade the other for whatever reason. We are to lift each other up. Be kind, considerate and loving. Their will be disagreements, but it's how you handle those that will make the difference. No one likes to be put down or belittled. 

Not only the imperfections of the spouses can effect the marriage , but the imperfections of the children. Many times our children can come between a husband and wife in how we decide to raise and discipline. 

The third wolf he talks about it the excessive individualism that has spawned today's contractual attitudes. He explains this best. "A seven year old girl came home from school crying. "Mom, don't I belong to you? Our teacher said today that nobody belongs to anybody - children don't belong to parents, husbands don't belong to wives. I am yours, aren't I, Mom?" Her mother held her close and whispered, "Of course your'e mine - and I'm yours, too." Then he goes on to say "Surely marriage partners must respect one another's individual identity, and family members are neither slave nor inanimate objects. But this teacher's fear, shared today by many, is that the bonds of kinship and marriage are not valuable ties that bind, but are instead, sheer bondage. 

A marriage should be one of partnership, where each spouse is willing to give 100 % and not expect anything in return. 

Marriage is not easy. But, it is something worth working at. Be watchful of the adversary who wants to destroy the covenant marriage between you and your spouse.

Marriage and Family Capstone Project Assignment

I have an assignment from my religion class. This is a project that is suppose to take 6 - 8 hours (I believe I will spend a lot more though) of my time throughout the semester. It's called "Family Citizen Capstone Project".  As the title states it should have to do with family, marriage, citizens, community, and the good of those are the capstone that holds them together. 

For my Family Citizen Capstone Project I have decided that I will post to my blog about marriage and family. I will write about what I have been learning, or have been strengthening my own views about on marriage and family from class. I will try to post once a week. It will vary whether I post about an article, or conference talk I read that week, or it may be about the case study that we had to reply too for the week. Or something altogether not from class. I hope to be able to share my thoughts, views and testimony about marriage and family. I may add personal stories to what I share, if it’s not an embarrassment to a family member. I hope to be able to share that which is what God would want me to share. Even if it’s only my own family that reads the blog, it will still be a good thing.

The Family Proclamation was read in a General Relief Society Meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on September 23, 1995 by President Gordon B. Hinckley. I want to talk about one of the many things I was inspired about by reading a talk given by President Eyring, BYU Address, 5 November 1995.  The title and heading of the Proclamation.

What is the subject of the Proclamation?

 The very first two words... "The Family" 

God deemed the family to be important that he gave his prophet and apostles this proclamation to give to the world. This proclamation explains what a family should be and why it should by that way. The first paragraph of the proclamation tells us why. 

We the Fist Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan or the eternal destiny of His children.

The family with a man and woman at it's head is for each of us. The "family" is one of the things that will help us to reach our eternal destiny to live with God, and someday be as he is, and as our Mother in Heaven. Family has been since Adam and Eve. Family will always be.

Who is the Proclamation for?

For the whole world, not just the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints, it's for the whole world. Each and every individual, every family, every government, for everyone. My husband was in the Stake Presidency of the church when the Proclamation was given, and he told me that the Stake President had to take a copy of the proclamation to the mayor of our town. 

Who proclaimed the Proclamation to us?

The prophet and his apostles. Meaning the prophet and apostles to the whole world, to all those who will listen. I sustain these men as the Lord's prophet and apostles on the earth today. I know that this Declaration is the word of God. 

I know family is important and should be honored, revered and that the institution of marriage as God has ordained is to be kept as He has outlined. 

We live in an imperfect world and their are families that are not able to have this ideal of both mother and father in the home. Or have had the opportunity for marriage. Do not despair. God is ever mindful, and as the proclamation says "Disability, death, or other circumstance may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed."  Each individual will have the opportunity either in this life or the next to be married. Continue being faithful and obedient to God's commandments. 

In Moses 1:39 tells us of God's mission "This is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

We will have every opportunity provided to us to succeed in eternal life with forever families if we but choose to do so.