THE ETERNAL FAMILY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO The Eternal Family Reading Packet The Eternal Family Reading Packet The Eternal Family Reading Packet The Eternal Family - Reading Packet Contents * Day One Reading Intro Families in the Church,” Handbook 2: Administering the Church 7 Sister Julie Beck, “Teaching the Doctrine of the Family” 11 Elder Bruce C. Hafen, “How We Lost the Plot” 18 Unit 1: Truth & Law (Proclamation Paragraph 1) Study Guide (Unit 1) 25 Unit 1 Scripture Reading Block 27 *Selected Readings, “As God Is” 29 *Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “What Is Truth” 31 *Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Why Marriage, Why Family” 36 Elder Henry B. Eyring, “The Family” 39 Elder Robert D. Hales, “The Eternal Family” 45 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “No Other Gods” & “As He Thinketh” 48 Unit 2: Gender & Eternal Identity (Proclamation Paragraph 2) Study Guide (Unit 2) 53 Unit 2 Scripture Reading Block 55 *Elder David A. Bednar, “Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan” 57 *LDS Church, “The Divine Institution of Marriage” 61 Elder Richard G. Scott “Finding Happiness” (excerpts) 66 Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Moral Force of Women” 70 Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “Brethren We Have a Work to Do” & “Let Us Be Men” (excerpts) 73 Elder Boyd K Packer “For Time and All Eternity” (excerpts) 77 Unit 3: Covenants & Ordinances (Proclamation Paragraph 3) Study Guide (Unit 3) 81 Unit 3 Scripture Block 83 *Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Power of Covenants” 85 *Elder Boyd K. Packer, “Covenants and Ordinances” (excerpts) 89 Elder Bruce R. McConkie, “Celestial Marriage” 92 Elder Bruce C. Hafen, “Covenant Marriage” 97 Elder David A. Bednar, “Honorably Hold a Name and a Standing” 100 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Divorce” 103 Elder Richard G. Scott, “Receive the Temple Blessings” 106 The Eternal Family Reading Packet Unit 4: Chastity & Sanctity of Life (Proclamation Paragraphs 4 & 5) Study Guide (Unit 4) 109 Unit 4 Scripture Block 111 *Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments” 113 Elder David A. Bednar, “We Believe in Being Chaste” 119 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Pornography” 122 Elder Richard G. Scott, “Making the Right Choices” 126 Elder David A. Bednar, “Things As They Really Are” (excerpts) 129 “Statements on Intimacy in Marriage” Institute Manual 135 “Birth Control,” True to the Faith and Handbook 2: Administering the Church 137 Unit 5: Happiness in Family Life (Proclamation Paragraphs 6 & 7) Study Guide (Unit 5) 139 Unit 5 Scripture Block 141 *Selected Statements, “To the Mothers in Zion” (Selected Teachings) 143 *President Ezra Taft Benson, “To the Fathers in Israel” 149 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Priesthood Authority in the Family and in the Church” 152 Elder Dallin H.Oaks “Keys and Authority of the Priesthood” 155 Sister Julie B. Beck, “Mothers Who Know” 158 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Love and Law” 160 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Good, Better, Best” 163 Unit 6: Protect The Family (Proclamation Paragraphs 8 & 9) Study Guide (Unit 6) 167 Unit 6 Scripture Block 169 * Elder Robert D. Hales,“Christian Courage: The Price of Discipleship” 171 *Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, “Defenders of the Family Proclamation” 174 Elder Jeffery R. Holland, “Israel, Israel, God Is Calling” 177 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Protect The Children” 183 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Truth and Tolderance” 187 Elder Robert D. Hales, “Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom” 194 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Challenge to Become” 197 The Eternal Family Reading Packet FAMILIES IN THE CHURCH Handbook 2: Administering the Church 1.1 God the Father’s Plan for His Eternal Family to prepare us for eternal life. 1.1.1 The Premortal Family of God Parents have the vital responsibility to help their children The family is ordained of God. It is the most important unit prepare to return to Heavenly Father. Parents fulfill this in time and in eternity. Even before we were born on the responsibility by teaching their children to follow Jesus earth, we were part of a family. Each of us “is a beloved spirit Christ and live His gospel. son or daughter of heavenly parents” with “a divine nature and destiny” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” 1.1.5 The Role of the Church Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). God is our Heavenly Father, and we The Church provides the organization and means for lived in His presence as part of His family in the premortal teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to all of God’s children. life. There we learned our first lessons and were prepared for It provides the priesthood authority to administer the mortality (see D&C 138:56). ordinances of salvation and exaltation to all who are worthy and willing to accept them. 1.1.2 The Purpose of Mortality Because of God’s love for us, He prepared a plan that included our coming to the earth, where we would receive 1.2 Returning to the Father bodies and be tested so that we could progress and become more like Him. This plan is called “the plan of salvation” 1.2.1 The Gospel of Jesus Christ (Alma 24:14), “the great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), and The plan of salvation is the fullness of the gospel. It includes “the plan of redemption” (Alma 12:25; see also verses 26–33). the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and all the laws, ordinances, and doctrines of the gospel. It provides The purpose of God’s plan is to lead us to eternal life. God the way for us to experience joy in mortality (see 2 Nephi declared, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass 2:25) as well as the blessing of eternal life. Through the the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed and sanctified Eternal life is God’s greatest gift to His children (see D&C from sin and prepare to enter again into the presence of our 14:7). It is exaltation in the highest degree of the celestial Eternal Father. To receive this blessing, we must follow the kingdom. Through the plan of salvation, we can receive principles and ordinances of the gospel (see Articles of Faith this blessing of returning to God’s presence and receiving a 1:3). We must: fullness of joy. 1. Exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only 1.1.3 The Atonement of Jesus Christ Begotten Son of God. In order to gain exaltation in the kingdom of God, we must 2. Turn to God through sincere repentance, having a overcome two obstacles of mortality: death and sin. Because change of heart and confessing and forsaking sins. we cannot overcome either obstacle by ourselves, Heavenly 3. Receive the saving ordinance of baptism for the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior and remission of sins. Redeemer. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice made it possible 4. Be confirmed a member of the Church and receive the for all of God’s children to overcome physical death, be gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. resurrected, and gain immortality. The Atonement also made 5. Endure to the end by keeping sacred covenants. it possible for those who repent and follow Him to overcome spiritual death, return to God’s presence to dwell with Him, These principles have been taught since the days of Adam. and obtain eternal life (see D&C 45:3–5). As we come to understand and believe these truths and gain a firm testimony of Jesus Christ, we strive to obey His 1.1.4 The Role of Families in God’s Plan commandments and want to share our blessings with our As part of our Heavenly Father’s plan, we were born into family and others (see 1 Nephi 8:9–37). With this secure families. He established families to bring us happiness, to foundation of testimony, other elements of Church activity help us learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and follow naturally. 7 The Eternal Family Reading Packet Intro Personal spiritual growth takes place as we draw close the authority of the priesthood—also known as temple to God through prayer, scripture study, pondering, and marriage—is a sacred privilege and obligation that all should obedience. Nephi taught: strive to receive. It is the foundation of an eternal family. “After ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I The nature of male and female spirits is such that they would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye complete each other. Men and women are intended to have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ progress together toward exaltation. with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. The Lord has commanded husbands and wives to cleave to each other (see Genesis 2:24; D&C 42:22). In this “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in commandment, the word cleave means to be completely Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of devoted and faithful to someone. Married couples cleave to God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, God and one another by serving and loving each other and feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, by keeping covenants in complete fidelity to one another and behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 to God (see D&C 25:13). Nephi 31:19–20). A couple is to become one in establishing their family as the Each of us is accountable before God to learn and keep His basis of a righteous life.