“ …only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.”
-President Spencer W. Kimball
In communities all around the world we are seeing a dangerous trend surrounding the family. From media to news we are getting shown a view of the world where the family is merely something to have when it’s convenient. The high rates of divorce, cohabitation, and out of wedlock births proves that many people have adopted this narrative. I have heard so many women say that they don’t ever want to have kids, and so many men thinking that marriage would be the ultimate burden. But without the family, we can’t find true joy.
According to research, married people have higher rates of happiness, more financial stability, and have more frequent and better sex. Children who have two biological, married parents in the home have lower rates of delinquency, teen pregnancy, and mental illness. So where did this new anti-family narrative come from? The simple answer is that it’s the influence of the adversary. He knows that without strong families it will be much harder for children to learn about the gospel. He also knows that broken families will cause the greatest amount of heart ache and misery in the world. His ultimate goal is to cause us to sin and become miserable like him, and what better way to do it than to break apart the family.
I have seen the tragic effects of divorce firsthand when my father left my mother for another woman. That one choice has caused years of heartache for our family and influenced some of my siblings negatively. If you are considering divorce, consider this, your children will be impacted throughout their entire lives. If you and your spouse aren’t getting along there are people out there who can help you if you put in the work. Divorce is almost never the best option.
So what do we do to combat the trend of broken families. First, we make sure we strengthen our own. If you are not married, choose carefully who you date and spend time with. When deciding whether or not to continue a relationship, consider if your partner would be a good parent, if you can feel the spirit with them, and if they are worthy to marry in the temple. If you are married, strengthen your relationship. It is always so easy to think of ways our spouse falls short, but we can’t control what they do, only what we choose to do. What can you do to love them better? If you are a parent make sure you are spending time with your children. Do fun activities together, listen to them, and most importantly teach them the gospel.
Once our families are strong, then we will be able to help others strengthen theirs.
Craysy Life 