this great plan

Throughout my adult life, my family has been at the center of all I do. I don't have wordly titles and awards. I haven't held high possitions in any orgaization. To the world, I am somewhat of a failure. However, I don't think God sees me this way.

"The center core of the Church is not the stake[center]; it is not the chapel...The most sacred place on earth may not be the temple, necessarily. The chapel, the stake, and the temple are sacred a they contribute to the building of the most sacred institution in the Church--the home--and to the blessing og the most sacred relationships in the Church, the family." (Boyd K. Packer, That All May Be Edifed, 1982, 234-35)

"...the family is under attack. All across the world families are falling apart. The place to begin to improve society is in the home. Children do, for th emost part, what they are taught. We are trying to make the world better by making the family stronger." (Gordon B. Hinckley, Inspirational Thoughts, Ensign, Aug. 1977, 5)

For a long time, I took the above statements as a finger pointing to my failures as a mother. But as I move away from the hands-on day-to-day work of motherhood, I see things differently. True, I do have weak points--anyone who knows me well can testify to these. But, my work was good work. My children and I learned so many things from each other. Some of these learning experiences were painful, but many contain the joy through our posterity we are promised in temple.

When I first learned of this doctrine, I was quite perplexed and even angry. Where was this so called joy? Raising children is hard physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. I lamented one day that I'd like to not have so many difficult teaching moments with my children and get on with living joy. The other woman wisely said, "but Ginger this is life and joy. You need to remember why we are on the earth and what your job is supposed to be about. If your children were perfect, they wouldn't need you to teach them. The joy is found after the long struggle to learn a new skill--when they finally get it." At the time, I just sighed. But she was right.

After some time, I re-embraced my calling as wife and mother. I'm so glad my husband and I were sealed in the temple. It gave me a lot of strength over the years. At this end of the tunnel, I can see that nothing is as fulfilling and capable of producing joy as sharing the parenting of children in the covenant of marriage. "The sweet companionship of eternal marriage is one of the greatest blessings God has granted to His children. Certainly, the many years I have shared with my beautiful companion have brought me the deepest joys of my life. From the beginning of time, marital companionship of husband and wife has been fundamental to our Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness. Our lives are touched for good, and we are both edified and ennobled as we savor the sweet blessings of association with dear members of the family." (Joseph B. Worthlin, Ensign, Nov. 1997, 32)

Marriage and family life are not only mortal experiences. For that I am so thankful. Our family is eternal. "romance, love, marriag, and parenthood are the purest, most beautiful and appealing experiences of life." (Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Nov. 1993, 21)

Once again, I am glad I endured the redicule and persecution of the world. I'm glad I was there to serve my family. However great my shortcomings and poor my service may have been, it came from my heart. "The most important of the Lord's work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes." (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, 255) It is my strongest belief that even the least effective SAHM can change the world. Living according to the words of President Lee, we can restore peace and liberty to our crumbling society.

Boyd K. Packer gave a moving talk on this very subject in 1993. It's so strange--this is one of the years where I was struggling so much with my role as wife and mother. If I had only heeded his words, I might have avoided much heart ache.

At one point, I had a copy of "The Family: A Proclamation To The World" beautifully framed in my home. I gave it away as a gift 8 or 9 years ago and never replaced it. That has been a mistake, which I will rectify as quickly as I can. In fact, I think I'll use if for our family nights for the next few weeks so that we can determine what new direction our roles as empty nest father and mother should take. "We never really know anyting of the teachings of the gospel until we have expereinced the blessings that ocme from living each principle." (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye in Holy Places, 215)

"If we really try, our homes can be a bit of heaven here on earth. The thoughts we think, the deeds we do, the lives we live influence not only the success of our earthly journey; they mark the way to our eternal goals." (Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, Nov. 1988, 69)

"Many of the social restraints whichin the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissovling and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve thier families in the midst of the gathering evil around us." Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1980, 4)

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock or our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundations; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwhind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fail." Helaman 5:12

By our last child, I think I had things kind of figured out. He didn't have the issues that our older children had, because I had learned to be kinder, gentler, and more patient. I had learned that Family time, including Family Home Evening, family scripture study and prayer, family work, and meaningful family recreation, were more than nice ideas. They are essential in cementing mutual love and concern. Strong family ties cannot happen if we don't make family our priority. I know that the institution of family is important to the survival of the human race. Additionally, I am grateful for the doctrine of eternal families and my oportunity to participate in this great plan.