“Come, Follow Me: The Family,” New Era, Aug. 2014, 41–42
Come, Follow Me
The family is the pattern of heaven.
Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge
Of the Seventy
April 2014 general conference
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(Download a sheet of two for handouts.)
Eternal Families
Elder Corbridge taught, “Marriage and family are not conventions of men until only death do us part. They are intended to be made eternal through covenants we make with God. The family is the pattern of heaven.”
Families can only be eternal when sealed by temple covenants (see D&C 131:1–3; 132:15, 18–20, 46).
What can you do right now to keep yourself worthy for temple attendance today and for a temple marriage in the future?
The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children can be happy at home.
President Boyd K. Packer
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
April 2014 general conference
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(Download a sheet of two for handouts.)
Happy at Home
The scriptures teach that “men are, that they might have joy” (2 Nephi 2:25). Have you ever thought about how that relates to finding joy and happiness at home? Here are some points to ponder:
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Why is happiness at home so important that it’s “the ultimate end of all activity in the Church,” as President Packer taught?
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How do the things you do in the Church add to happiness at home, such as family home evening, Personal Progress, Duty to God, seminary, Sunday lessons, and Mutual? What can you do each week to use these activities to bring more happiness to your home?
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What do the scriptures and hymns teach about how we should live in love at home? (For example, see Mosiah 4:13–15; D&C 88:119; and “Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth” [Hymns, no. 298].)
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What can you do as a family to bring even more happiness into your life?
We need to put more quality time and effort into strengthening family relationships.
Elder Michael John U. Teh
Of the Seventy
April 2014 general conference
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(Download a sheet of two for handouts.)
Quality Time and Effort
As you “put more quality time and effort” into strengthening your family, as Elder Teh taught, remember the old adage that quality not just quantity time matters. So how can you make the most of your time together? Look for ways to develop the principles of successful families as defined in the family proclamation:
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Faith
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Prayer
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Repentance
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Forgiveness
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Respect
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Love
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Compassion
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Work
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Wholesome recreational activities
What can you do with your family to live these principles?
(Examples: show compassion for a sibling struggling with math by helping her with homework, express respect for your brother’s hobby by supporting him at a competition, show forgiveness by not fighting back and develop faith by talking about the gospel together.)
The Family
You’ll be studying about the family in your Sunday classes this month. As you study and discuss family, you may ponder these questions: Why do Church leaders emphasize family so much? What is the place of family in Heavenly Father’s plan? How does family help make us happy?
To find some answers to these questions, see the family proclamation near the back of your Personal Progress or Duty to God booklet or online at lds.org/go/familyNE8. You’ll also find teachings about family relationships in general conference talks at conference.lds.org.
Give yourself an easy reminder to prepare for your Sunday lessons on the family. Just place these cards in your scriptures, locker, or bedroom. You can also download or share them online at lds.org/go/cardsNE8.