Eternal Families

Not only are families eternal, but that God did not create families.  Families have been of existence forever. The family is under constant attack by the adversary.  President Ezra Taft Benson Taught, "Eternal life may be obtained only by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel."  He advised us to teach these principles in our homes.  I think, that is one description of earthly families being patterned after our eternal family.  What would that mean in terms of how we view and organize our families?  I think that President Benson addressed this well.  We need to those things that build us “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of order, a house of God.” (D&C 88:119.)

This is a great scripture to pattern our lives after.  The spirit is present in this type of house.

What is it with you Mormons? How come you are always making such a big deal about families anyway?  This is a good question.  For somebody who hasn't been taught the principles of the gospel, the family wouldn't seem like such a big deal to them. The family gives reason to our moral lives.  Sister Beck said, “Without the family, there is no plan; there is no reason for mortal life."  I would tell this person about "The Family: A Proclamation to the World."  And that in it we learn that, "The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." 

 Ezra Taft Benson's address: “Salvation--A Family Affair”, Ensign, July 1992

http://www.lds.org/ensign/1992/07/salvation-a-family-affair?lang=eng

Sister Beck's address, “Teaching the Doctrine of the Family”, Ensign, March 2011

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2011/03/teaching-the-doctrine-of-the-family?lang=eng

David E. Bednar’s address, “Things as They Really Are”

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4830-1,00.html