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The story goes of a family who in the midst of house fire stood watching their home burn down
Doctrine and Covenants 52:14
“… I will give you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived.”
Pattern = example
“Because our Father in Heaven loves his children, he will not leave us to guess about what matters most in this life concerning where our attention could bring happiness or our indifference could bring sadness."
“There is only one place in heaven where there will be families—the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. That is where we will want to be.”
Family Life here is the schoolroom in which we prepare for family life there. And to give us the opportunity for family life there was and is the purpose of creation.”
Elder Henry B. Eyring Ensign Feb. 1998
The story goes of a family who in the midst of house fire stood watching their home burn down
A bystander on the scene said to one of the children, “so sorry that your home burned down.” The little boy answered –not our home—that was just our house! We still have our home—we just don’t have anywhere to put it right now!
After giving a lesson on motherhood, Janeane Baasgauard was approached by a mom who said: I have one child in preschool, one in elementary, one in jr high, one in high school, and one on a mission!
What does that make me? A Mom for al seasons? No that makes you tired!
We asked our young son how we were doing as a family. He answered, "Well, for enders we are not doing so great, but for beginners we are going great!"
“Now the word create…does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship.” “Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos…” Joseph Smith King Follett Discourse
Until the toddler years are well behind them, many parents opt for the new disposable houses.
“Out of the dreariness
Into it’s cheeriness
Come we in weariness—
Home.”
Steven Chalmers
After giving a lesson on motherhood, Janeane Baasgauard was approached by a mom who said: I have one child in preschool, one in elementary, one in jr high, one in high school, and one on a mission!
What does that make me? A Mom for al seasons? No that makes you tired!
We asked our young son how we were doing as a family. He answered, "Well, for enders we are not doing so great, but for beginners we are going great!"
“Now the word create…does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship.” “Hence, we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos…” Joseph Smith King Follett Discourse
In our homes, we seem to have plenty of chaos – so we are half way there!
Until the toddler years are well behind them, many parents opt for the new disposable houses.
“Out of the dreariness
Into it’s cheeriness
Come we in weariness—
Home.”
Steven Chalmers
Doctrine and Covenants 52:14
“… I will give you a pattern in all things, that ye may not be deceived.”
Pattern = example
“Because our Father in Heaven loves his children, he will not leave us to guess about what matters most in this life concerning where our attention could bring happiness or our indifference could bring sadness."
“There is only one place in heaven where there will be families—the highest degree of the celestial kingdom. That is where we will want to be.”
Elder Eyring Ensign Feb. 1998
Family Life here is the schoolroom in which we prepare for family life there. And to give us the opportunity for family life there was and is the purpose of creation.”Elder Henry B. Eyring Ensign Feb. 1998
“And these words… shall be in thy heart; And
thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them
when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou risest up.” Deut. 6:6-7
“Do not be discouraged because you cannot learn all at once; learn one thing at a time, learn it well, and treasure it up, then learn another truth and treasure that up, and in a few years you will have a great store of useful knowledge which will not only be a great blessing to yourselves and your children, but to your fellow men.”
G. Homer Durham, Discourses of Wilfred Woodruff, Bookcraft, l969)
“Happily, the Lord really does increase the capacity of the diligent…”
On the eve of
our oldest daughter’s marriage, my husband and I had an interview with her. She
was not only our oldest daughter, but our oldest child. The next morning she
would become the first of our seven children to marry and “leave the nest.”
“Jana, tomorrow you will be beginning a family of your own. How have we done in preparing you for this new life?”
She observed our concern, and with loving-kindness said, “Mom and Dad, we have had our challenges over the years, but I have always known that you loved me and you loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that is what matters to me.”
“…we
should build a consistent, planned program of introducing the principles of the
gospel [to our children]…Of course there are other organizations that can help,
but we should want to be certain that we know what they are learning, and that
we take the time and have the patience to determine carefully and in a planned,
organized way, that they are growing up with a sure foundation on which to
build their lives.”
Elder
L. Tom Perry Ensign Nov. l988
“Do not be discouraged because you cannot learn all at once; learn one thing at a time, learn it well, and treasure it up, then learn another truth and treasure that up, and in a few years you will have a great store of useful knowledge which will not only be a great blessing to yourselves and your children, but to your fellow men.”
G. Homer Durham, Discourses of Wilfred Woodruff, Bookcraft, l969)
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the
palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
And Eternity in an hour.”
“For verily, verily I say unto you, he
that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is
the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with
anger, one with another” (3 Ne. 11:29)
re·plen·ish (r
-pl
n
sh)
-plnsh)
v. re·plen·ished, re·plen·ish·ing, re·plen·ish·es
v.tr.
1. To fill or make complete
again; add a new stock or supply to: replenish the larder.
2. To inspire or nourish: The music will
replenish my weary soul.
v.intr.
To
become full again.
“…seek
me diligently and ye shall find me…”
(D&C 88:63)
“Search diligently, pray
always, and be believing, and all things shall
work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the
covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.” (D&C
90:24)
“But if ye will
nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to
grow, by your
faith with great diligence, and with patience,
looking
forward to the
fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a
tree springing
up unto everlasting life.
“Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith,
and your
diligence, and patience, and
long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring
Neal A. Maxwell,
“Wisdom and Order,” Ensign, Jun 1994, 41
“As our
sons were growing up, our family did what you have done and what you now do. We
had regular family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening. Now, I am sure what I am about to describe has
never occurred in your home, but it did in ours.
Sometimes
Sister Bednar and I wondered if our efforts to do these spiritually essential
things were worthwhile. Now and then verses of scripture were read amid
outbursts such as “He’s touching me!” “Make him stop looking at me!” “Mom, he’s
breathing my air!” Sincere prayers occasionally were interrupted with giggling
and poking. And with active, rambunctious boys, family home evening lessons did
not always produce high levels of edification. At times Sister Bednar and I
were exasperated because the righteous habits we worked so hard to foster did
not seem to yield immediately the spiritual results we wanted and expected.
Today if you could ask our adult sons what they remember about family
prayer, scripture study, and family home evening, I believe I know how they
would answer. They likely would not identify a particular prayer or a specific
instance of scripture study or an especially meaningful family home evening
lesson as the defining moment in their spiritual development. What they would
say they remember is that as a family we were consistent.” David A. Bednar, “More
Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov 2009
“Jana, tomorrow you will be beginning a family of your own. How have we done in preparing you for this new life?”
She observed our concern, and with loving-kindness said, “Mom and Dad, we have had our challenges over the years, but I have always known that you loved me and you loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that is what matters to me.”
"We cannot control what others choose to do, and so we cannot force our children to heaven, but we can determine what we will do. And we can decide that we will do all we can to bring down the powers of heaven into that family we want to have forever." Elder Eyring Ensign, Feb. 1998
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Family Home Evening, family prayer, Scriptures, Sunday time, wholesome family recreation (see First Presidency letter
"...it is clear that no matter where a family lives, it is family life and gospel living, intimately intertwined, that most help teenagers become competent, spiritually strong, and faithful Latter-day Saints." Brent L. Top and Bruce A. Chadwick, "Helping Teens Stay Strong" Ensign, March 1999
"We must build a consistent, planned, program of introducing the principles of the gospel... It rests solely upon the shoulders of parents to establish a gospel foundation in the lives of their children. Of course, there are other organizations that can help, but we want to be certain that we know what they are learning, and that we take the time and have the patience to determine carefully, and in a planned way, that they are growing up with a sure foundation on which to build their lives." Elder L. Tom Perry Ensign, Nov. 1988
"True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior." Pres. Packer Ensign, Nov. 1986
"We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, and we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." 11 Nephi 25:26
"...the hearts of you fathers and mothers must be turned to your children right now, if you have the true spirit of Elijah, and not think that it applies merely to those who are beyond the veil. Let your hearts be turned to your children ... If you are neglecting your family home evening, you are neglecting the beginning of the mission of Elijah just as certainly as if you were neglecting your genealogy research work." Harold B. Lee Priesthood genealogy seminar, 1973; quoted in Leaun G. Otten and C. Max Caldwell, Sacred Truths of the Doctrine and Covenants Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company 1982
"I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase- mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity-the pure love of Christ-will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.” Marion G. Romney Ensign May 1980
"There are those hours on Sunday and in a family home evening on Monday the opportunity to combine genuine caring, teaching the gospel, and the bearing of testimony. Across the earth there are families who love and understand their covenants who do that. There is a caution I would give and a promise I would offer about such choices of how to us family time. For a person not yet a member of the Church, to fail to provide such moments of love and faith is simply a lost opportunity. But for those under covenant, it is much more. There are few places where it can matter more for those for whom we are accountable. For members of the church, my caution is that to neglect those opportunities is a choice not to keep sacred covenants. Because God always honors covenants, I can make a promise to those who in faith keep the covenant to create experiences of giving love and bearing testimony with their families. They will reap a harvest of hearts touched, faith in Jesus Christ exercised unto repentance, and the power to keep covenants strengthened. I bear solemn testimony that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ, in which the ordinances and the covenants are offered, which if accepted and honored produce peace in this life and assure us eternal life in the world to come."
Elder Eyring Ensign Nov. 1998
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In the beginning there were two families with many children. And it came to pass that these two families dwelt in the very same ward in the land of Salt Lake City, Utah.
Yea, the the son of the family Anderson was much impressed with the daughter of the family Clark - she being extremely fair (having no suntan). Likewise, the daughter of the family Clark was in great awe of the son of Anderson - he being very kind, intelligent, handsome and large of stature (to her anyway).
And they got to know each other through serving, learning, and singing together. Not to mention playing, reading, attending church, and working together. Oftimes, they would even take younger brothers and sisters on dates with them - to movies and to the park and places like unto those. They also loved to dance together, and dream about the future.
And in but a few years (after the son Anderson did serve a mission to the land of Germany while the daughter Clark kept busy and accomplished much back in the country of America) the will of the Lord was made manifest, and Scott (the son Anderson) did take Angelle (the daughter Clark) to be his wife. And yea, they did seal their love and marriage in the temple of their Heavenly Father.
And they dwelt in an apartment...but that is a story for another day. :)
And it came to pass that after much tribulation and joy, they brought forth many children. Janalyn was born in 1972, the year of seeking the University of Utah degree while dwelling in the apartment. Jonathan was born in 1974, the year of the first Seminay teaching job. Scott and Angelle discovered that having two children was not only more fun than only one child, but more work, too. But they did not mind the work, so they added a third child in the bi-centennial year of 1976. Angeli was born two months prematurely weighing just over three pounds -teaching that miracles sometimes come in small sizes. Spencer tipped the scales in the opposite direction weighing in at ten and seven ounces. Shortly after his birth (which taught that miracles also come in large sizes), the family moved to the "farm" and Scott began teaching and attending college at Brigham Young University. In the year 1983, Lolly was born in the midst of Scott and Angelle (and various helpers) building a new home, Scott finishing a doctoral degree in marriage and family therapy, and a term as bishop of the Bluffale 2nd Ward. Nate was born in the year 1987, and the next year, year both Angelle and Scott walked through the BYU graduation line - he with a PhD and she with a BA. The year 1990 brought in a new decade and the last of the seven children born to Scott and Angelle. Jenali was destined to be the most spoiled of all of the children, but she has always enjoyed having it that way. And all of these children were born of goodly parents who love them more than they have words to say.
And it came to pass that these children brought forth children, and behold! The joy of their parents in becoming grandparents was great!!!
And yea, were the days of the Anderson family always rosy? I say unto you, nay. But they learned much and will learn much more in course of their days, and there will continue to be much need for rejoicing in the land of their inheritance.
Through missions, marriages, and more generations to come, the Book of Anderson is being written - a book of beginnings and a story that has no end.
And thus we see that those who diligently strive to do the will of the Lord are blessed beyond measure, and that by small and simple things...great things come to pass!
