Forever Families

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 ...

In every family system, individuals as well as groups play a special role. These roles may consist of comforter, leader, supporter, mediator, or distractor. What roles do you play in your own family? I would like to share some of my own personal experiences about this topic in hopes to help you get an idea of what role you may play in your family. I feel like my role is the peacemaker, friend, and comforter. If you were to ask anyone who knew me when I was little they would say that I was always the one reaching out to those in need. I never wanted to be apart of contention and I would do all I could to avoid it or help others figure out their problems. I feel as though the roles I play in my family are also gifts I have been given. They have been strengthened through experiences in my life. My dad played a big role in helping me to become a better friend. In my younger years I played on a club soccer team. My dad came to most of my games and practices and he began to notice that our k...