The Gift of Life

This week in class, we focused on how important family is.  We were given a question to think about through out the week.  

Does it really matter how many children I have? Why, and who is affected by my decisions?

That is quite the question to ask.  In fact, it may even be hard to think about.  I didn't know what to think for fear of offending someone with this post.  But here is my view point on it.  I personally have always known how important it is to continue to have children.  To help open my mind a little more, our teacher put in some quotes from general authorities which really impacted me more.

"There are multitudes of pure and holy spirits waiting to take tabernacles, now what is our duty? -- To prepare tabernacles for them; to take a course that will not tend to drive those spirits into families of the wicked, where they will be trained in wickedness, debauchery, and every species of crime.  It is the duty of every righteous man and woman to prepare tabernacles for all the spirits they can."

-President Brigham Young

As if this wasn't enough to show to us how it is our duty as individuals to raise children and to teach them what is right, here is another one from President Spencer W. Kimball:

"You did not come on earth just to “eat, drink and be merry.” You came knowing full well your responsibilities. You came to get for yourself a mortal body that could become perfected, immortalized, and you understood that you were to act in partnership with God in providing bodies for other spirits equally anxious to come to the earth for righteous purposes. And so you will not postpone parenthood. There will be rationalists who will name to you numerous reasons for postponement. Of course, it will be harder to get your college degrees or your financial start with a family, but strength like yours will be undaunted in the face of difficult obstacles. “Have your family as the Lord intended. Of course it is expensive, but you will find a way, and besides, it is often those children who grow up with responsibility and hardships who carry on the world’s work. And, John and Mary, do not limit your family as the world does. I am wondering now where I might have been had my parents decided arbitrarily that one or two children would be enough, or that three or four would be all they could support, or that even five would be the limit; for I was the sixth of eleven children. Don’t think you will love the later ones less or have few material things for them. Perhaps like Jacob, you might love the eleventh one most. Young people, have your family, love them, sacrifice for them, teach them righteousness, and you will be blessed and happy all the days of your eternal lives.“

This quote is interesting to me.  I actually am one of those people who rationalize  and would want to postpone in order to develop my education or to make sure I am financially stable before entering into such responsibility.  But the more I think about it, the more I can relate to President Kimball.  Where would I be if my parents had decided to stop having children after just a few.  Or even after eight?  I admire my parents very much, but more so my mother.  She decided to put the Lord's will first and had eleven children.  I am number nine of the eleven.  My parents love each of us, but as you can see... sometimes you get the best one the ninth time.  ;)

But in all seriousness, I have come to see that this class I am in will be opening my mind to a lot more insight of the importance of FAMILY and the bonds that you can only get with and through it.  I am not saying I am going to have a dozen children someday, nor am I saying you should as well.  I am saying that when the time is right and we are given the opportunity to do so, we should have our own families which can grow together. 

To finish up this blog, here is what I concluded at the end of this week for my response to the question:

"We were anxious to get a body and were each allowed that privilege.  Who are we to not allow that same privilege to those precious spirit children who are waiting for the same privilege?  It is a part of our Lord’s plan.  I love this part: “Have your family as the Lord Intended.”  The Lord didn't intend for us to stand idle.  Yes, he wants us to obtain an education.  But he ultimately wants us to follow His plan to procreate.  Coming from a large family, I absolutely love these quotes.  I too, like President Kimball, am very happy my parents decided to have as many children as the Lord wanted them to have.  It was not easy for my parents to raise all eleven of us, but they did it.  I learned from them that if you put your faith in the Lord and do as He has intended, everything will work out.  It makes all of the difference, and it has eternal consequences as to how many children you do decide to have.  After reading more about family and quotes from general authorities, I have come to realize how truly crucial procreation is to the plan of salvation."

~Mary