A Heavenly Perspective on the Family

(Image retrieved from https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/adam-eve-teaching-children-82611?lang=eng&_r=1)

What do you think the purpose of marriage and family are? Are they important to you? Do you believe families are eternal, and that marriage lasts beyond this lifetime? This post will focus on an eternal perspective of the role of marriage and family. The main resource is from “The Eternal Family: A Plain and precious Part of the Plan of Salvation”, by Daniel K. Judd. (Hawkins, et al., pp. 341 - 349)

Something I have been taught from childhood and firmly believe is that families are eternal, and that families are central to the Plan of Salvation. What is the Plan of Salvation? According to scriptures we find in the Pearl of Great Price, what Heavenly Father desires most is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) From the Proclamation, we learn there was a plan to bring this about. “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped 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 their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.” (¶ 3)

We also learn that the pattern of being in families started long before we came to earth. “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.” (¶ 2) This pattern continued with the creation of Adam and Eve, who were commanded to “multiply and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

However, in order to keep this commandment, the Fall had to happen. From the Book of Mormon, we are taught “And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.” (2 Nephi 2:22-23) As Judd states, “Birth into a family was the way God chose to send His spirit children to earth. Marriage and family relationships are the central means he as prepared to achieve his purposes. We learn best the lessons of life, not in a garden-like existence, but in a context where we face challenge, opposition, hardship and temptation.” (Hawkins, 2016, pg. 344) The Fall of Adam brought about mortality, and the continuation of the familial pattern by having children. 

The doctrine of eternal marriage is something that has existed since the time of Adam. President Spence W. Kimball taught, “Eternal marriage was known to Adam and other of the prophets, but the knowledge was lost from the earth for many centuries.” (Hawkins, 2016, pg. 341) With the restoration of the Melchizedek, the sealing power that was given to Peter by the Savior was returned to the earth again, restoring the power to seal marriages for eternity. I think this is one of the greatest blessings of the restoration of the Gospel. “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.” (¶ 3)

I am grateful for the understanding I have of the Plan of Happiness, and for the sealing power that makes it possible for me and my family to be an eternal family. It was in my family that I learned the doctrines and principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was from my parents that I learned of my Savior and His atoning sacrifice. It was in my family that I learned to love, to forgive, to be happy. Through my own experiences, I have learned how important families are in the Plan of Salvation. As the Proclamation teaches, “family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His Children” (¶ 1).