Listen "The Articles of Faith, Declarations 1 & 2, The Family, A Proclamation To The World, Come Follow Me"
Episode Synopsis
Send us a textJoin us this week on our 100th Episode of our Come Follow Me Discussions. President Dallin H. Oaks said: “I believe our attitude toward and use of the family proclamation is [a test] for this generation. I pray for all Latter-day Saints to stand firm in that test” (“The Plan and the Proclamation,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 31). Ponder these words as you study the family proclamation this week.The Articles of Faith:In the 200 years since Joseph Smith’s First Vision, God has continued to give “revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge” to the leaders of His Church (Doctrine and Covenants 42:61). In some cases, that revelation directed Church leaders to make changes to the policies and practices of the Church, “according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 46:15). Official Declarations 1 and 2 represent this kind of revelation—one led to the end of the practice of plural marriage, and the other made the blessings of the priesthood, including temple blessings, available to people of all races. Changes like these are part of what it means to have a “true and living church” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:30), with a true and living prophet.But there are also things that don’t change—foundational, eternal truths. And sometimes the purpose of revelation is to cast additional light on these truths, helping us see them more clearly. The Articles of Faith—Joseph Smith’s 13 concise statements of what Latter-day Saints believe—seem to serve this clarifying purpose. Both types of revelation guide and bless the Church, a Church that is solidly founded on eternal truth yet capable of growth and change as the Lord increases our understanding to help us meet today’s challenges. In other words, “We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Articles of Faith 1:9).Official Declarations 1 & 2 and The Family, A Proclamation To The World:Even before we were born, we were part of a family—the family of our Heavenly Parents. When it came time to leave Their presence, it must have been comforting to know that on earth, families would also be part of God’s plan. The pattern on earth is meant to echo the perfect pattern in heaven.There are no guarantees that earthly families will be ideal or even functional. But as President Henry B. Eyring taught, families “give God’s children the best chance to be welcomed to the world with the only love on earth that comes close to what we felt in heaven—parental love” (“Gathering the Family of God,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 20). Knowing that families are imperfect and subject to attacks from the adversary, God sent His Beloved Son to redeem us and heal our families. And He sent latter-day prophets with a proclamation to defend and strengthen families. If we follow the prophets and put faith in the Savior, even though mortal families fall short of the divine ideal, there’s hope for families—on earth and in heaven.Support the showThanks for listening! Keep on Strivin'! Support the Show & become a "Patron Saint"! 😇www.patreon.com/SaintsintheSouth
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.