Summary of the Family a Proclamation to the World

"3: The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Preparing for an Eternal Marriage Instructor Manual (2003), viii–12

Doctrinal Overview

The purpose of the gospel is to prepare God'southward children to alive eternally as families. Understanding and living by "The Family unit: A Annunciation to the World" can help the states work toward this goal. Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

"You tin imagine the importance our Heavenly Begetter places upon the subject of this … proclamation.

"Because our Male parent loves his children, he will not leave usa to guess about what matters about in this life apropos where our attending could bring happiness or our indifference bring sadness" ("The Family" [CES fireside for college-age young adults, five Nov. 1995], one; or To Draw Closer to God [1997], 157; see also student manual, 104).

Principle

Understanding the declaration on the family helps the states prepare for eternal marriage.

Student Manual Readings

"The Family unit: A Proclamation to the Earth," the Kickoff Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (83)

"The Family," Elder Henry B. Eyring (104)

Selected Teachings on "The Family: A Declaration to the World" (84)

Statement in "Satan Tries to Destroy Happiness," Elderberry Joseph B. Wirthlin (in "Happiness in Marriage," 135)

Argument in "Satan Tries to Destroy Happiness," President Gordon B. Hinckley (in "Happiness in Marriage," 134)

Suggestions for How to Teach

• 

  Pupil transmission. Invite students to read "The Family unit: A Proclamation to the Earth," by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (pupil manual, 83). Side by side have them read "The Family," by Elderberry Henry B. Eyring (student transmission, 104). Discuss the importance of the declaration on the family.

• 

  Discussion. Take students read aloud several statements from the selected teachings on "The Family unit: A Annunciation to the Earth" (student manual, 84). Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:38. Annotation the Lord'due south declaration that all His words will be fulfilled. Testify that the proclamation on the family unit qualifies as the vocalism of the Lord's servants. Have students place the proclamation'southward promises and warnings to individuals and nations. Discuss any events or trends in your community or nation that this proclamation warns almost.

Suggestions for How to Teach

• 

  Student manual. The proclamation on the family addresses ways we tin can withstand Satan'southward attacks on marriage and the family. Read the statement past Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the subsection "Satan Tries to Destroy Happiness" (in "Happiness in Marriage," pupil manual, 135). (You lot may also want to read additional statements from this subsection to reinforce the point.)

  Have students turn to "The Family unit: A Proclamation to the Globe" (student manual, 83) and find key words that indicate the seriousness of its counsel. Write their answers on the lath. If students practise not identify the following phrases, add them to the list:

  • "We … solemnly proclaim" (par. i)

  • "We declare" (par. 4, 5)

  • "Held accountable before God" (par. 6)

  • "We warn that individuals" (par. viii)

  • "Nosotros warn that … individuals, communities, and nations" (par. viii)

  • "Nosotros call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere" (par. nine)

• 

  Grouping piece of work. Read the post-obit statement by President Gordon B. Hinckley:

  "Peradventure our greatest business organisation is with families. The family is falling autonomously all over the world. The quondam ties that bound together father and mother and children are breaking everywhere" (in Briefing Report, October. 1997, 94; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 69).

  Make copies of the following five statements, each on a carve up handout. Divide the form into groups of 3 or four and give each group one or more than of the statements. Explain that these statements draw some of the challenges that confront families. Have students plough to "The Family unit: A Proclamation to the Earth" (pupil transmission, 83). Have the groups review their assigned statements looking for issues faced by families. Then have them review the proclamation on the family looking for ways the announcement helps us prevent or combat those problems. Have each grouping list on a slice of newspaper the bug and solutions they find.

  Statement one

  Elderberry Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles noted:

  "'[In the United States the] parents of virtually 2,750 children split up or divorce each day. …

  "'Every mean solar day over 500 children ages x to 14 begin using illegal drugs, and over ane,000 start drinking alcohol. Nigh half of all heart-schoolers abuse drugs or alcohol or [go involved in immorality]' [Louis S. Richman, "Struggling to Salvage Our Kids," Fortune, 10 Aug. 1992, 34–35]. Data from other nations are every bit alarming.

  "These and many other ills of our society today have their source in the breakdown of the family. If Satan can weaken or destroy the loving relationships amongst members of families, he can crusade more misery and more unhappiness for more people than he could in any other way" (in Conference Report, April. 1993, 85; or Ensign, May 1993, 69).

  Argument 2

  President Gordon B. Hinckley, so a counselor in the First Presidency, stated:

  "'Since 1960, the U.S. [has experienced] … a 560% increase in violent crime; a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than than a 200% increment in the teenage suicide charge per unit' (William J. Bennett, "Quantifying America's Reject," Wall Street Journal, 15 Mar. 1993, p. A12). …

  "One need non, of course, read statistics to recognize a moral decay that seems to exist going on all about usa" (in Briefing Report, Oct. 1993, 76–77; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 54, 59).

  Statement 3

  Elderberry Alexander B. Morrison, then a member of the Lxx, wrote:

  "Federal government statistics [for the United States] for 1993 [indicate that] … over 1.2 million babies were born outside of marriage (31% of all births, up from 28% merely three years previously). …

  "Virtually one in 4 pregnancies now ends in ballgame, with approximately 1.six million abortions performed in 1990 and more than 28 million abortions [since] 1973. …

  "The number of divorces in America has increased past nigh 200 percent in the last xxx years; merely nearly l percent of U.S. marriages now are offset-time marriages. …

  "The pct of children living in single-parent homes has more than tripled in the concluding three decades, to its current level of most 29 pct of all families with children. Approximately 90 percent of single-parent homes are fatherless. …

  "The reported incidence of child abuse increased from 101 per x,000 Americans in 1976 to 390 per 10,000 in 1990, an nigh fourfold increase" (Zion: A Light in the Darkness [1997], 4–7).

  Argument iv

  Elder Alexander B. Morrison, and so a fellow member of the Seventy, wrote:

  "Barbara Whitehead has stated that 'survey afterwards survey shows that Americans are less inclined than they were a generation ago to value sexual fidelity, lifelong union, and parenthood as worthwhile personal goals. Motherhood no longer defines adult womanhood; as important is the fact that fatherhood has declined as a norm for men …' ["Dan Quayle Was Correct," Atlantic Monthly, Apr. 1993, 55–56]. …

  "… No society can long survive that denigrates, demeans, and devalues fatherhood. Men who practice not look upon fatherhood, preceded by an honorable marriage, as a sacred privilege and obligation, deny their own manliness and tin can never ascension to their divine potential, either in this world or the next" (Zion: A Light in the Darkness [1997], 11–14, 18).

  Argument v

  Elder Eran A. Phone call, then a fellow member of the Seventy, said:

  "The abode is beingness threatened and challenged more today than ever earlier. Today less than one-half of the children born in the U.s., and in many countries in the world, volition spend their entire childhood in an intact family [see Barbara Defoe Whitehead, "Dan Quayle Was Right," Atlantic Monthly, Apr. 1993, 47]. Infidelity, divorce, abortion, and abandoned homes are on the increase. The father is apace losing his traditional part as caregiver, breadwinner, protector, moral educator, and head of the family.

  "During 1960 to 1990, a 30-yr flow, births outside of union in the U.s. increased 500 percent and divorce increased 400 percent [meet David Blankenhorn, Fatherless America: Against Our Near Urgent Social Trouble (1995)]" (in Briefing Study, Oct. 1997, 37–38; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 28).

  Invite a educatee from the first group to present that group'southward findings. If other groups studied that statement, have them add anything else they constitute. Go along with a student whose group studied another statement, and and then on until you lot have discussed all the statements. Testify that the proclamation on the family unit presents the Lord'due south solutions to many bug faced by families today.

Suggestions for How to Teach

• 

  Group work. Split the course into groups of 3 or four and assign each group a paragraph from the proclamation on the family (student manual, 83). Have the groups look for ways the principles in their paragraph tin help them make decisions in dating and courtship. Hash out their findings. If students do not mention the following points, include them in the give-and-take:

  • "Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and … the family unit is primal to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" (par. 1). This principle helps the states see why marriage is desirable and necessary.

  • Every homo and woman "is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, equally such, each has a divine nature and destiny" (par. 2). This principle helps united states empathize why we must treat all those we appointment with respect.

  • "Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples brand information technology possible for … families to be united eternally" (par. 3). This principle helps dating couples sympathize the necessity of choosing an eternal companion wisely.

Conclusion

Share the offset three paragraphs of the statement by President Gordon B. Hinckley in the subsection "Satan Tries to Destroy Happiness" (in "Happiness in Marriage," student manual, 134). Inquire students what influence they retrieve the principles in the declaration should take on their decisions in dating and courtship. Prove that the announcement on the family is an inspired document given for our rubber and approval by truthful prophets of God. Encourage students to study the annunciation oft and employ its principles in their lives.

moorewhisce75.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/preparing-for-an-eternal-marriage/3-the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

Share this post