| Man's Search for Happiness |
The Family: A Proclamation to the World |
| A. YOUR SEARCH
FOR HAPPINESS Sometimes in your search for happiness, you ponder the meaning of your life. You sift your memory for beginnings, you send your mind ahead for directions, but all you really know is “now.” And you are lost in the present. |
A. Marriage and The
Family, Central to Creator's Plan We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. |
| B. WHO AM
I? -- YOU HAVE ALWAYS LIVED Who am I? How did I come to be? Time. Where does it take me? Towards death? And then what? Where did I come from? To understand why you are here, you must first your beginnings. At birth, you did not suddenly flare into existence, out of nowhere. You have always lived. In pre-earth life, you were with your Heavenly Father. There as His spirit sons and daughters, you lived until you were ready to come to earth. As the poet Wordsworth said, “Our birth is but a sleep, and a forgetting. The soul that rises with us – our life's star – hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from afar. Not in entire forgetfulness, and not in utter nakedness, but trailing clouds of glory do we come, from God, who is our home.” |
B. Heavenly Parents,
Gender Essential to Our Identity and Purpose 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. |
| C1. ENTERING MORTAL LIFE -- THIS
MORTAL BODY -- PAIN, DIFFICULTIES, DEATH, OPPOSITION Upon entering mortal life, the memory of your life before birth was blotted out, that you might life by faith and further prepare for the everlastingness of [life]. This mortal body in which your spirit now dwells, is subject to pain, to difficulties, to death. For it is in opposition that you grow in strength of character. You must know pain to appreciate well-being; difficulties to develop courage; death to understand eternal life. D1. A WONDEROUS MORTAL BODY, IN THE LIKENESS OF GOD -- A NOBLE HERITAGE WITH POSSIBILITIES BEYOND YOUR GREATEST DREAMS You then, whoever you are, are related not only to every person upon this earth who lives, who has lived, who will yet live, but to God the Father of us all, and to His Son our Savior. With your acceptance of the responsibility of earth life, you were given a wonderous mortal body, in the likeness of God. So, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.” And, “the spirit and the body are the soul of man.” As sons and daughters of God, is it any wonder that you are an eternal part of His plan and purpose; and coming from such a noble heritage, that you have possibilities far beyond your greatest dreams. Be assured that your personal search for happiness has real purpose. Be assured that your life is worth living. C2. TWO PRECIOUS GIFTS: TIME, FREEDOM OF CHOICE -- YOUR ETERNAL REWARD IS ACCORDING TO YOUR CHOSING Life offers you two precious gifts; one is time, the other freedom of choice. The freedom to buy with your time what you will. You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. You may invest it in greed. You may purchase with it vanity. You may spend your time in pursuit of material things. Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains. For in them you find no lasting satisfaction. Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for; and it is “in this life” that you “walk by faith” and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement; and your eternal award will be according to your choosing. D2. A PROPHET OF GOD HAS SAID -- JOY -- FULLNESS OF LIFE -- A LIFE DEDICATED TO SERVICE -- TRUE HAPPINESS A prophet of God has said, “Men are that they might have joy”—a joy that includes a fullness of life; a life dedicated to service; to love and harmony in the home; and the fruits of honest toil; an acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of its requirements and commandments. Only in these will you find true happiness; a happiness which doesn't fade with the lights and the music and the crowds. ("Of course. Our Father in Heaven, we thank thee for this food; we ask thee to bless it...") |
C/D. Obtain Physical Body & Gain
Earthly Experience; Family Relationships Perpetuated Beyond the Grave In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. |
| E. PRE-MORTAL
PAST -- HOPE OF RESURRECTION God has placed you on earth without memory of your pre-mortal past. But He hasn't left you without hope, or without faith in life after death. |
E. Sacred Powers
of Procreation The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. |
| F. THE RESURRECTION
This He has promised you, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” ("...that believeth in me, shall never die...") One of the best attested facts of sacred history is the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Three days following his crucifixion, the disciples were gathered together, as recorded in scripture. “Then the same say at evening, being the first day of the week, when he doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, came Jesus and stood in the midst; and saith unto them, 'Peace be unto you.' And when he had so said he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” |
F. The Sanctity of
Life We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan. |
| E. YOU CONTINUE
TO LIVE AFTER DEATH Just as you lived before mortal birth, just as you now live in this life, so thru the love and sacrifice of your Savior do you continue to live after death. |
E. Children “An Heritage
of the Lord,” A Sacred Duty Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations. |
| C1. BIRTH/DEATH -- THE SEPARATION
OF DEATH Like every member of the human race, you were born and you must die. Your birth is a matter of record, you take it for granted. But death, that uncertain door that leads ahead, has been for man an awesome mystery. Life's greatest test comes with the death of a loved one. And without faith in the immortality of the soul, the separation of death looms forever comfortless. D1. A PLACE OF REAWAKENING -- LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES After death, though your mortal body lies in the earth, you, your spirit self—being eternal—continue to live. Your memory of this life will remain with you, and the knowledge of your life before birth will be restored. Like coming out of a darkened room into light–through death you will emerge in a place of reawakening–and find loved ones waiting to welcome you. There with your loved ones, you will await the resurrection—which is the reuniting of your spirit and your body. There you will continue towards the limitless opportunities of everlasting life. C2. HERE YOU ARE ON EARTH So here you are on earth, with no memory of what went before, and only faith to whisper what comes after. ("Are you ready? Yeah. Let's go.") D2. BY A STILL SMALL VOICE WITHIN YOU, AND THROUGH REVELATION TO APPOINTED PROPHETS, GOD GUIDES Be assured that you are here, not by accident or chance; but as part of a glorious everlasting plan. By a “still small voice” within you, and through revelation to his appointed prophets, God our Eternal Father guides the affairs of His children, today as in the past. In 1830 God reestablished His Church, and restored the fullness of His Gospel once more among men, through a modern prophet, Joseph Smith. |
C/D. Birth, Death; Fathers Preside,
Provide; Mothers Nurture as Equal Partners The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed. |
| B. SALVATION
AND EXALTATION -- EXPLORE, TEST, PRAY, SEARCH, SERIOUSLY CONSIDER By revelation, our Savior made known again, the Plan of Salvation and Exaltation. Salvation comes as a gift to every man through Jesus the Christ. But Exaltation, which is the highest of eternal opportunities, you must earn. It is not enough just to believe in Jesus Christ, you must work and learn, search and pray, repent and improve, know his laws and live them. This is the way to peace and happiness, and the fullness of everlasting life. It is your Heavenly Father's way. We invite you to explore it, to test it, to pray and search and seriously consider. “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good.” Only if you are unafraid of truth can you find it; but it leads to limitless opportunities—with your loved ones with you—always and forever. |
B. Fulfill Family
Responsibilities, Covenants We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. |
| A.
EVERY MAN'S SEARCH -- THE KEY TO HAPPINESS -- A DEEPER HAPPINESS, BEYOND
THE UNDERSTANDING OF MAN... OF ETERNITY Therein lies your happiness; a happiness deeper than passing pleasure; a happiness beyond the understanding of man; a happiness, not of the moment, but, of eternity. This is every man's search; this is the purpose of life; this is the key to happiness—for the God and Father of us all has said, “This is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” |
A. The Family is
the Fundamental Unit of Society We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. |
| Outline A. Your Search for Happiness B. Who Am I? -- You Have Always Lived C1. Entering Mortal Life -- This Mortal Body -- Pain, Difficulties, Death, Opposition D1. A Wonderous Motal Body, In the Likeness of God -- A Noble Heritage with Possibilities Beyond Your Greatest Dreams. C2. Two Precious Gifts: Time, Freedom of Choise -- Your Eternal Reward is According to Your Chosing D2. A Prophet of God Has Said... -- Joy -- Fullness of Life -- A Life Dedicated to Service -- True Happiness E. Pre-Mortal Past -- Hope of Resurrection F. The Resurection E. Your Continue to Live After Death C1. Birth/Death -- The Separation of Death D1. A Place of Reawakening -- Limitless Opportunities C2. Here You Are on Earth D2. By a Still Small Voice Within You, and Through Prophets, God Guides B. Salvation and Exaltation -- Explore, Test, Pray, Search, Seriosly Consider A. Every Man's Search -- The Key to Happiness -- A Deeper Happiness, Beyond the Understanding of Man; Of Eternity |
Outline A. Marriage and The Family, Central to Creator's Plan B. Heavenly Parents, Gender Essential to Our Identity and Purpose C/D. Obtain Physical Body & Gain Earthly Experience; Family Relationships Perpetuated Beyond the Grave E. Sacred Powers of Procreation F. The Sanctity of Life E. Children “An Heritage of the Lord,” A Sacred Duty C/D. Birth/Death; Fathers Preside, Provide; Mothers Nurture as Equal Partners B. Fulfill Family Responsibilities, Covenants A. The Family is the Fundamental Unit of Society |