Is that word in the title close, as in near to each other, loving feelings towards someone else or does it mean shut?
Actually it is the one that means near to each other as in loving feelings toward each other.
No wonder people have a hard time learning English!
Parents have always struggled with the question of how to keep their family strong - there I go again - not strong as in muscles, but loving and actually speaking to each other in loving ways instead of pounding on each other or yelling or arguing with each other.
Mormons have the same issues everyone else does when it comes to family.
They have children who always do what they should, some who never do what they should, and some who just get their fun out of driving their parents crazy.
But Mormons have something the rest of the world doesn't. A tool to use to keep family members playing and having fun together, talking together and working together.
That tool is Family Home Evening.
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are asked to reserve Monday nights as Family Night, a night where family comes first, everything else second.
As part of this night, the family gathers, talks about things important to the family, discusses spiritual matters or has a short lesson on some aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ, something entertaining like a game, and then the part everyone looks forward to, a treat or dessert of some kind.
Before all this we generally begin with a prayer and sing a song together. We also end the evening with prayer.
Do all members have Family Home Evening?
No
Would they have closer families if they did?
Absolutely!
Why don't they?
Just like everyone else in the world, they have things that distract them from the things that would really help.
This is something every family, regardless of beliefs could benefit from.
Take the idea, adapt it to your family and try it out. Even pick a different day if Monday isn't right for you. It's something that can bless you and your family and keep them close - the loving kind.
Want more info? Look at mormon.org
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
We believe in strong, close families
Today seems to be a never-ending cycle of marriage and divorce for many.
I heard the other day of a friend whose mother was married for the 7th time. The others ended in divorce, not death.
So what the heck is going on?
Your family should be your most important focus. They should come before your job, before your hobbies, before your weekly golf game, before you.
Many people want it all, when what they mean is that they want it all "for me". As long as their needs are met, as long as they have everything they want and need, then all is right with the world.
Families seem to come second, third, fourth, or even further down the list in many peoples' lives. The statistics confirm that with the amazing divorce rate.
You can't have it all, if all is only about you.
If you want it all, give your all to your family, to God, to others. The feelings you will have by putting others first and yourself second just might surprise you.
You'll actually find happiness by not concentrating on getting happiness.
Happiness is found by giving it to others.
Families, to Mormons, can be forever if you are married in the Temple by the appropriate authority. It's not automatic. It's not easy. It takes work.
You have to work at keeping your family to have them forever. You put them first and you get them at last, forever.
Hard to do, but then anything worth having is.
I heard the other day of a friend whose mother was married for the 7th time. The others ended in divorce, not death.
So what the heck is going on?
Your family should be your most important focus. They should come before your job, before your hobbies, before your weekly golf game, before you.
Many people want it all, when what they mean is that they want it all "for me". As long as their needs are met, as long as they have everything they want and need, then all is right with the world.
Families seem to come second, third, fourth, or even further down the list in many peoples' lives. The statistics confirm that with the amazing divorce rate.
You can't have it all, if all is only about you.
If you want it all, give your all to your family, to God, to others. The feelings you will have by putting others first and yourself second just might surprise you.
You'll actually find happiness by not concentrating on getting happiness.
Happiness is found by giving it to others.
Families, to Mormons, can be forever if you are married in the Temple by the appropriate authority. It's not automatic. It's not easy. It takes work.
You have to work at keeping your family to have them forever. You put them first and you get them at last, forever.
Hard to do, but then anything worth having is.
Why are Mormons so into temples?
Do Mormon's have temples?
Yes, there are now 129 temples in the world, with more being built all the time.
Are they the same as the buildings other churches build for their weekly worship services?
No. Mormon's have chapels for weekly church services. Church services for Mormons consist of 1) a sacrament meeting where members take the sacrament and renew their covenant to follow the Lord's commandments, to always remember him, and to have His Spirit with them. 2) Sunday School, about an hour long, where we have a person from the congregation study and teach directly from the scriptures, and 3) we divide into the women's organization, the Relief Society, and the men meet together in a meeting for priesthood holders.
Can anyone go into a Mormon temple?
When construction is finished on a temple, an open house is held so anyone wanting to see the inside is welcomed to come and see. After the open house, the temple is dedicated to the work of the Lord. After the dedication, only Mormon's who are keeping the commandments and following the Savior and his teachings qualify to enter the temple. Mormons who are not living the commandments, and those who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called Mormons, Latter-day Saints and LDS) are not allowed to enter these dedicated temples.
Are there "secret" things that happen in the temple?
There are experiences in the temple that we consider sacred because of the covenants or promises we make to the Lord. We are asked, because of their sacred nature, not to talk about them outside of the temple. That may sound like the same thing as secret to some people, but to us they are precious and sacred.
So what happens in the temple.
1. Baptism's by proxy for the dead.
Jesus Christ said, "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." He was talking about being baptized by immersion. Even he was baptized by immersion and "came up out of the water" to show that all people, even he, needed to be baptized to return to God's presence.
Also, in 1 Corinthians 15: 29, it states, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" Members of the Church during Christ's day were also baptizing by proxy for those who had died.
So what does "by proxy" mean? It means that a person stands in the water in a baptismal font in the temple, and baptizes another person for a person who is dead. They use the dead person's name during the baptism.
Do we believe we are forcing baptism on every person who has died? No. We believe that every person has the ability to accept or reject the baptism done in their behalf. No one is ever forced to follow Jesus Christ. We are just following the Lord's direction to help all God's children.
2. Individuals make promises to follow Christ and the commandments, to help others and to dedicate their lives, time and efforts in helping others and following the Savior Jesus Christ.
3. Men and women are married for this life and "sealed" for eternity. Children born to them are included in this "forever family." Those who were not married in the temple and are worthy, can enter the temple and be sealed for eternity as husband and wife and have their children sealed to them.
Yes, there are now 129 temples in the world, with more being built all the time.
Are they the same as the buildings other churches build for their weekly worship services?
No. Mormon's have chapels for weekly church services. Church services for Mormons consist of 1) a sacrament meeting where members take the sacrament and renew their covenant to follow the Lord's commandments, to always remember him, and to have His Spirit with them. 2) Sunday School, about an hour long, where we have a person from the congregation study and teach directly from the scriptures, and 3) we divide into the women's organization, the Relief Society, and the men meet together in a meeting for priesthood holders.
Can anyone go into a Mormon temple?
When construction is finished on a temple, an open house is held so anyone wanting to see the inside is welcomed to come and see. After the open house, the temple is dedicated to the work of the Lord. After the dedication, only Mormon's who are keeping the commandments and following the Savior and his teachings qualify to enter the temple. Mormons who are not living the commandments, and those who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also called Mormons, Latter-day Saints and LDS) are not allowed to enter these dedicated temples.
Are there "secret" things that happen in the temple?
There are experiences in the temple that we consider sacred because of the covenants or promises we make to the Lord. We are asked, because of their sacred nature, not to talk about them outside of the temple. That may sound like the same thing as secret to some people, but to us they are precious and sacred.
So what happens in the temple.
1. Baptism's by proxy for the dead.
Jesus Christ said, "except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." He was talking about being baptized by immersion. Even he was baptized by immersion and "came up out of the water" to show that all people, even he, needed to be baptized to return to God's presence.
Also, in 1 Corinthians 15: 29, it states, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" Members of the Church during Christ's day were also baptizing by proxy for those who had died.
So what does "by proxy" mean? It means that a person stands in the water in a baptismal font in the temple, and baptizes another person for a person who is dead. They use the dead person's name during the baptism.
Do we believe we are forcing baptism on every person who has died? No. We believe that every person has the ability to accept or reject the baptism done in their behalf. No one is ever forced to follow Jesus Christ. We are just following the Lord's direction to help all God's children.
2. Individuals make promises to follow Christ and the commandments, to help others and to dedicate their lives, time and efforts in helping others and following the Savior Jesus Christ.
3. Men and women are married for this life and "sealed" for eternity. Children born to them are included in this "forever family." Those who were not married in the temple and are worthy, can enter the temple and be sealed for eternity as husband and wife and have their children sealed to them.
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