Forever Families

Parenting is a world that I have not come to yet. I have however been the child in a home with parents. Every single home and set of parents, rear their children a little different; obviously because they have different children, different needs, different cultures, etc. However, there is defiantly some "better" ways to parent. As a parent, you are to provide children with their needs and the opportunity to grow into good human beings and ultimately eternal beings. It is a great responsibility, yet an even greater blessing. I would like to share with you a basic pattern in helping parents to help fulfill their children's needs and recognize why children may be acting the way they are. All people have needs in their lives. These needs are even greater for children and teens from their parents. Where there is a need, their is ways to seek to fulfill that need for good and bad. This pattern has three connecting factors which consist of needs of child/teen, child's mistak...

What do you think when you hear the word work? In the world today, work is something that people try to avoid. I hear people say, I should get payed for doing this, I hate my job, why do I have to do chores, I want to grow up and marry a rich man, etc. Yes, work is hard sometimes, it is time consuming, you will fail, and you will have to sacrifice, but what it teaches you is worth it all. In the For The Strength of Youth book it states, "Work is honorable. Developing the capacity to work will help you contribute to the world in which you live. It will bring you an increased sense of self-worth. It will bless you and your family, both now and in the future. There are many ways to teach work in a family unit; through chores, working in the yard or garden, service, etc. I believe that the actual task is not what is important, yet the lessons that can be learned are things that will carry with you into the future. These may include... Learning to rely and trust in each other. Shared g...

 Challenges and trials are guaranteed to every single person who is born onto this earth; however, the way we respond to them are a choice WE get to make. As I reflect back on the challenges my family and I have faced, I am reminded of God's tender mercies. We were never left alone, and we had an opportunity to grow and learn in every single situation we were placed in. I would like to share one of these experiences with you today. When my sister was about 8 years old, she went through a trial that was unexpected and caught us all off guard. She was at church one day and she began to feel pretty severe pain in her stomach so she left her class and went into the hallway. My dad was substituting a primary class that day, which was a rare occasion, and noticed her in the hallway. After accessing the situation my dad rushed her home and off to the hospital. After church, the rest of us, along with my mom went home and were told what was going on. I don't remember fully processing w...

When I hear the word engagement I think about a ring and a huge announcement. A young man sets up a fake activity and secretly has the family there with them. Then he gets down one one knee and proposes. This is one part of engagement; however, there is a lot more that should happen before their marriage. One thing that should be done in this period of their relationship is communication about the future and about each other. This should be happening throughout the entire relationship, but especially now. Now, you may be thinking well our relationship is always going to be perfect and fun, so why the need to talk about it. Well if you are thinking this you are dead wrong. Marriage is beautiful, but it is in no way perfect. Some things you may want to discuss are how many kids you would like, money/spending, working, house chores, sex life, and talking about each others expectations. My mom and dad have taught me a lot about the importance of communicating with your spouse and kids. My ...

Dating! Does this mean boyfriend and girlfriend, one fun date, hanging out, marriage, and sexual relations? I think that this has become more of a debate in the last several years. When my parents and grandparents talk about dating, it consisted of going out with a variety of different people. They would simply ask someone out to a fun night playing games, going out to eat, or talking. There was no expectation because of the date. There was no commitment to take things forward or that there had to be a second date. After dating many people, they would come to find one person they would like to date exclusively. This consisted of continuing to go on dates to get to know that person more. If things worked out this would lead to courtship, marriage, and a family. Now days, all these steps are combined into one or are not even taken. I think one main thing about dating now days, it that it is not happening. In my high school, the word dating meant that you were boyfriend or girlfriend. Peo...

"All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose." - Gordan B. Hinkley Have you ever asked yourself, who am I really? Do I have a purpose? Where did I come from? Why am I here? You are not alone! Many people have asked this question. This is what I have come to learn about my identity and my purpose in life... I believe everybody has the opportunity to discover the answers to these questions for themselves. Once you come to discover who you really are and who you can become, your life will be changed for the better.  I know that I am a daughter of God. I have believed this since I was a little girl. As I got into my teenage years there was a lot of confusion in the world about this truth. However, what I know is that t his knowledge  makes me h...

What is family culture? When most people hear the word CULTURE, they think about their nation's traditions including arts, music, food, and ways of life. This is true in one sense of the word however family culture is something different. Family culture can be described in this way, " a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, judging, and acting" within the home and family unit. I would like to share with you what has shaped my family’s culture. When I look back at the 18 years I spent in my home, my family culture was largely centered on living as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Our values, our beliefs, the way we treated others, the ways we viewed life were all based on our belief to become more like Jesus Christ. This is one aspect that I want to take with me into my future family. I want to have religion at the center of my family unit. I would like to share with you one example of this...  My dad is the provider for my family. When him ...