I am sad that this was President Packer's last talk. I felt that most (if not all) of his last few conference talks were about the family - and this was not exception. I love this topic and I love how much he loved the topic of family, too. It is such an essential part of the gospel and something that Brad and I discuss numerous times each week.
My favorite line from the talk was "The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the plan of happiness; it is the key to happiness." I feel that line sums up his talk really well. I feel so strongly about my family. I love that he said it isn't an incidental part - it is THE plan of happiness. I also love that he said it is the key to happiness. I believe that to be so true. Never have I been happier than in my eternal role of mother.
I also love that he said "Love is nourished by the coming of children, who spring from that fountain of life entrusted to couples in marriage." There is nothing more nourishing to love than watching your kid grow and develop into the beautiful son (or daughter) of God that they are. Many times people think kids are the end of all love in a marriage. Though they do change the dynamics of life, they nourish love so deeply.
It also touched me deeply that President Packer called his children and grandchildren the greatest reward he had received in this life and in the life to come. I can feel his love for his family when he says statements like that. What a great reminder that our family is our greatest reward. I know people think Brad and I are crazy for having a kid before we started law school (we have been told so numerous times haha) but having him truly is such a great reward. He is one of the reasons we are on this earth. Our children are the plan of happiness - the reason we came to this earth. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be called a mother.
I am sad that we will no longer hear his powerful talks, especially on the family and its sacredness, any more. I sure will miss President Packer.
I also loved how President Packer spoke of his children and grandchildren. You really can tell how much he loved his family. I am also going to miss President Packer. I have loved how he spoke in a very straightforward way. You had no question as to where he stood on things.
My thoughts are a little jumbled, so I hope this all makes sense.
I find it very interesting that both President Packer and Elder Perry's last talks were on families and their importance in Heavenly Father's plan. I think it goes nicely with his quote, "...the end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed together for time and for all eternity."
I love the simple yet very straightforward way that President Packer gave this talk. There are so many important gospel principles found in this talk. Today, our Bishop read the First Presidency's letter about the recent legislation. After he read the talk, he opened the floor for discussion. When everything was said and done, a couple of things stood out to me. First is that we need to continually work to strengthen our testimony on families. Unfortunately, I feel that God's plan for families is going to continue to be in the cross hairs. Because of this, we need to have a strong testimony so that we can stand and defend families. The other big thing our bishop mentioned was love. The first great commandment is to love God, the second is to love others. We are going to have to interact with others that have a differing standpoint than we do on families. Our bishop said that if our testimonies are strong on the family and how God designed it, then we should be able to withstand being pulled away by the influence of society.
I also love how President Packer said, "Through His Atonement and the power of the priesthood, families which are begun in mortality can be together through the eternities." It is important to remember that we each have to do our own part to be able to enjoy eternal families.
I don't have any children, but I really do get my greatest joy from being with my family. I love being with Matt, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings and extended family. The happiness that I feel when I am with my family is indescribable. I can only imagine how much deeper and stronger those feelings will be in the eternities.
Just thought you may all find this interesting while we are talking about President Packer. In my living prophets class, they said that President Packer said, "I have never given a good talk that hasn't been controversial." I thought that was pretty funny. I guess for a while as well, he was the only other GA besides the prophet who had personal body guards because he has offended so many people with his straight shooting.
Any ways, I loved this talk to. It gets me excited to have a baby boy coming, even in the midst of the impending trials. "The end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed for eternity" stood out to me as well. We spoke about the letter from the first presidency and the bishop said something that struck me just because I never though of it in this context before. Callings like prophet, bishop, etc. will not exist in the next life. The church may not even exist at some point. However, if we live worthy of the covenants which we have made, we will continue to hold the callings of Father and Mother throughout the eternities.
I also thought of something from David O. McKay. Here is part of it.
"In 1965, President David O. McKay made the following statement to a group of Church employees: Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which he will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, he will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, he will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child."
The first few questions in the temple recommend interview are the most important (in my own opinion). This goes to show how important families are in the eternal scheme of things. My testimony of the law of chastity has been strengthened as I learn the doctrine of the families.
The other thing that popped out to me (and honestly, I remembered it more than the family parts of the talk) was when he talked about repentance. I thought it was great how he said that after repentance, there is no such thing as a spiritual scar. I especially liked when he said "That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that."
I am so grateful for what Christ has done for me. I was thinking about the pain that he has relieved in my life already and how I have been able to move on and essentially forget about it. I have to think hard to remember much any more (besides my recent weekly sins). It truly is a plan of happiness.
I will miss President Packer as well! I liked a lot of his quotes. "The commandment to multiply and replenish the earth has never been rescinded. It is essential to the plan of redemption and is the source of human happiness. Through the righteous exercise of this power, we may come close to our Father in Heaven and experience a fulness of joy, even godhood." I sometimes thought, mostly in my science classes, about over-population etc. but I don't at all anymore. What a blessing children are. Nelson and I couldn't find the happiness we currently have without having Grant in our lives.
"Ideally, mating begins with romance. Though customs may vary, it flourishes with all the storybook feelings of excitement and anticipation, even sometimes rejection. There are moonlight and roses, love letters, love songs, poetry, the holding of hands, and other expressions of affection between a young man and a young woman. The world disappears around the couple, and they experience feelings of joy. Also the part about her at the end that he says he enjoys each moment he has by her side and the promise that there is no end.
And if you suppose that the full-blown rapture of young romantic love is the sum total of the possibilities which spring from the fountains of life, you have not yet lived to see the devotion and the comfort of longtime married love. Married couples are tried by temptation, misunderstandings, financial problems, family crises, and illness, and all the while love grows stronger. Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds." I think this says a lot about his marriage. How sweet that he shows long time married love is such a sweet blessing, and that it continues to grow, as opposed to how everyone jokes that it goes downhill.
I like how he describes growth of a baby and birth as the miracle it truly is.
Like Joseph, I also enjoyed the part about repentance, mostly, "Our physical bodies, when harmed, are able to repair themselves, sometimes with the help of a physician. If the damage is extensive, however, often a scar will remain as a reminder of the injury.
With our spiritual bodies it is another matter. Our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Another incredible miracle.
I am sad that this was President Packer's last talk. I felt that most (if not all) of his last few conference talks were about the family - and this was not exception. I love this topic and I love how much he loved the topic of family, too. It is such an essential part of the gospel and something that Brad and I discuss numerous times each week.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite line from the talk was "The power of procreation is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the plan of happiness; it is the key to happiness." I feel that line sums up his talk really well. I feel so strongly about my family. I love that he said it isn't an incidental part - it is THE plan of happiness. I also love that he said it is the key to happiness. I believe that to be so true. Never have I been happier than in my eternal role of mother.
I also love that he said "Love is nourished by the coming of children, who spring from that fountain of life entrusted to couples in marriage." There is nothing more nourishing to love than watching your kid grow and develop into the beautiful son (or daughter) of God that they are. Many times people think kids are the end of all love in a marriage. Though they do change the dynamics of life, they nourish love so deeply.
It also touched me deeply that President Packer called his children and grandchildren the greatest reward he had received in this life and in the life to come. I can feel his love for his family when he says statements like that. What a great reminder that our family is our greatest reward. I know people think Brad and I are crazy for having a kid before we started law school (we have been told so numerous times haha) but having him truly is such a great reward. He is one of the reasons we are on this earth. Our children are the plan of happiness - the reason we came to this earth. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be called a mother.
I am sad that we will no longer hear his powerful talks, especially on the family and its sacredness, any more. I sure will miss President Packer.
I also loved how President Packer spoke of his children and grandchildren. You really can tell how much he loved his family. I am also going to miss President Packer. I have loved how he spoke in a very straightforward way. You had no question as to where he stood on things.
DeleteMy thoughts are a little jumbled, so I hope this all makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that both President Packer and Elder Perry's last talks were on families and their importance in Heavenly Father's plan. I think it goes nicely with his quote, "...the end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed together for time and for all eternity."
I love the simple yet very straightforward way that President Packer gave this talk. There are so many important gospel principles found in this talk. Today, our Bishop read the First Presidency's letter about the recent legislation. After he read the talk, he opened the floor for discussion. When everything was said and done, a couple of things stood out to me. First is that we need to continually work to strengthen our testimony on families. Unfortunately, I feel that God's plan for families is going to continue to be in the cross hairs. Because of this, we need to have a strong testimony so that we can stand and defend families. The other big thing our bishop mentioned was love. The first great commandment is to love God, the second is to love others. We are going to have to interact with others that have a differing standpoint than we do on families. Our bishop said that if our testimonies are strong on the family and how God designed it, then we should be able to withstand being pulled away by the influence of society.
I also love how President Packer said, "Through His Atonement and the power of the priesthood, families which are begun in mortality can be together through the eternities." It is important to remember that we each have to do our own part to be able to enjoy eternal families.
I don't have any children, but I really do get my greatest joy from being with my family. I love being with Matt, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and siblings and extended family. The happiness that I feel when I am with my family is indescribable. I can only imagine how much deeper and stronger those feelings will be in the eternities.
Just thought you may all find this interesting while we are talking about President Packer. In my living prophets class, they said that President Packer said, "I have never given a good talk that hasn't been controversial." I thought that was pretty funny. I guess for a while as well, he was the only other GA besides the prophet who had personal body guards because he has offended so many people with his straight shooting.
ReplyDeleteAny ways, I loved this talk to. It gets me excited to have a baby boy coming, even in the midst of the impending trials. "The end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home, sealed for eternity" stood out to me as well. We spoke about the letter from the first presidency and the bishop said something that struck me just because I never though of it in this context before. Callings like prophet, bishop, etc. will not exist in the next life. The church may not even exist at some point. However, if we live worthy of the covenants which we have made, we will continue to hold the callings of Father and Mother throughout the eternities.
I also thought of something from David O. McKay. Here is part of it.
"In 1965, President David O. McKay made the following statement to a group of Church employees: Let me assure you, Brethren, that some day you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which he will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.
First, he will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?
Second, he will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child."
The first few questions in the temple recommend interview are the most important (in my own opinion). This goes to show how important families are in the eternal scheme of things. My testimony of the law of chastity has been strengthened as I learn the doctrine of the families.
The other thing that popped out to me (and honestly, I remembered it more than the family parts of the talk) was when he talked about repentance. I thought it was great how he said that after repentance, there is no such thing as a spiritual scar. I especially liked when he said "That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that."
I am so grateful for what Christ has done for me. I was thinking about the pain that he has relieved in my life already and how I have been able to move on and essentially forget about it. I have to think hard to remember much any more (besides my recent weekly sins). It truly is a plan of happiness.
By the way, there are 6 questions in the PPI with Christ in the life to come for those who may be wondering.
DeleteI will miss President Packer as well!
ReplyDeleteI liked a lot of his quotes.
"The commandment to multiply and replenish the earth has never been rescinded. It is essential to the plan of redemption and is the source of human happiness. Through the righteous exercise of this power, we may come close to our Father in Heaven and experience a fulness of joy, even godhood." I sometimes thought, mostly in my science classes, about over-population etc. but I don't at all anymore. What a blessing children are. Nelson and I couldn't find the happiness we currently have without having Grant in our lives.
"Ideally, mating begins with romance. Though customs may vary, it flourishes with all the storybook feelings of excitement and anticipation, even sometimes rejection. There are moonlight and roses, love letters, love songs, poetry, the holding of hands, and other expressions of affection between a young man and a young woman. The world disappears around the couple, and they experience feelings of joy. Also the part about her at the end that he says he enjoys each moment he has by her side and the promise that there is no end.
And if you suppose that the full-blown rapture of young romantic love is the sum total of the possibilities which spring from the fountains of life, you have not yet lived to see the devotion and the comfort of longtime married love. Married couples are tried by temptation, misunderstandings, financial problems, family crises, and illness, and all the while love grows stronger. Mature love has a bliss not even imagined by newlyweds." I think this says a lot about his marriage. How sweet that he shows long time married love is such a sweet blessing, and that it continues to grow, as opposed to how everyone jokes that it goes downhill.
I like how he describes growth of a baby and birth as the miracle it truly is.
Like Joseph, I also enjoyed the part about repentance, mostly, "Our physical bodies, when harmed, are able to repair themselves, sometimes with the help of a physician. If the damage is extensive, however, often a scar will remain as a reminder of the injury.
With our spiritual bodies it is another matter. Our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Another incredible miracle.