WEBVTT 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:04.099 Welcome to Closer to Christ through General Conference, 00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:06.280 where two friends who love Jesus share our own 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:07.960 approach to studying the most recent General 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:11.099 Conference talks. This is Abby. And Amy. Let's 00:00:11.099 --> 00:00:33.109 jump into it. Today we get to discuss the talk, 00:00:33.229 --> 00:00:35.450 The Family -Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ by 00:00:35.450 --> 00:00:37.969 President Dallin H. Oaks, President of the Quorum 00:00:37.969 --> 00:00:40.509 of the Twelve Apostles. It's typical that we 00:00:40.509 --> 00:00:42.450 bring the prophet's address up to the top, but 00:00:42.450 --> 00:00:47.789 as we're in the midst of an apostolic interregnum, 00:00:51.329 --> 00:00:55.649 Interregum. We're not we're not we're not deleting 00:00:55.649 --> 00:00:57.750 this out, Garret. You can leave this mess up. I 00:00:57.750 --> 00:00:59.170 don't know how to say that word. I've only heard 00:00:59.170 --> 00:01:01.289 it once in my life. So that's as good as I'm 00:01:01.289 --> 00:01:04.849 going to say it. But because we don't we have 00:01:04.849 --> 00:01:08.250 the the keys are residing with the 12. And that's 00:01:08.250 --> 00:01:10.349 the period of time that we're in right now. So 00:01:10.349 --> 00:01:14.400 as. the leader of the church at this moment. 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:16.659 We've moved it up to the top of the heap as though, 00:01:16.780 --> 00:01:19.299 you know, the prophet's message were in play. 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:22.200 But we do recognize in this moment in time, he 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:23.579 is the president of the Quorum of the Twelve 00:01:23.579 --> 00:01:27.560 Apostles. This period is typically short, often 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:29.620 lasting maybe a week or two and concludes after 00:01:29.620 --> 00:01:32.180 the deceased prophet's funeral, which at the 00:01:32.180 --> 00:01:35.739 time of this recording was just Tuesday. So like 00:01:35.739 --> 00:01:39.299 five days ago, the next prophet. is usually the 00:01:39.299 --> 00:01:41.359 most senior apostle at the time of death and 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.239 is sustained and set apart after their funeral 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:46.640 so we anticipate that maybe shortly after the 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:49.420 airing of this we will have a prophet and a new 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:52.739 apostle hopefully and a new apostle When I look 00:01:52.739 --> 00:01:54.540 at this talk and read it over, it feels like 00:01:54.540 --> 00:01:56.040 it's kind of broken up into a few categories. 00:01:56.140 --> 00:01:58.599 The first one, President Oaks tells us about 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:00.280 the doctrine from the proclamation of the family. 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:02.599 Then we talk about parental responsibilities 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:05.099 and teaching the gospel principles, also practical 00:02:05.099 --> 00:02:08.120 knowledge and family knowledge. And then I love 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:09.719 this part. We're going to get to it. He fills 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:11.939 in the gaps with the family circle is what he 00:02:11.939 --> 00:02:14.919 calls it. I do want each of us to invite the 00:02:14.919 --> 00:02:18.870 Holy Ghost to listen with us and ask. that we're 00:02:18.870 --> 00:02:21.889 nudged on just one thing we can change or implement. 00:02:22.110 --> 00:02:25.550 This talk isn't to overwhelm, and it's not talking 00:02:25.550 --> 00:02:28.389 about perfection now. Abby, what do you have 00:02:28.389 --> 00:02:31.330 for us? Let's start with this. The first part 00:02:31.330 --> 00:02:33.289 of the talk, President Oaks touched on what the 00:02:33.289 --> 00:02:36.090 proclamation on the family was, and it was introduced 00:02:36.090 --> 00:02:39.129 30 years ago at the time of the conference. It 00:02:39.129 --> 00:02:42.509 is crazy because I remember it well when it was 00:02:42.509 --> 00:02:45.770 introduced. The proclamation declares that the 00:02:45.770 --> 00:02:48.030 family is ordained of God. It is central to the 00:02:48.030 --> 00:02:49.810 creator's plan for the eternal destiny of his 00:02:49.810 --> 00:02:52.030 children and God's commandments for his children 00:02:52.030 --> 00:02:54.250 to multiply and replenish the earth remains in 00:02:54.250 --> 00:02:56.810 force and further declare that God has commanded 00:02:56.810 --> 00:02:58.969 that the sacred powers of procreation are to 00:02:58.969 --> 00:03:00.949 be employed only between man and woman lawfully 00:03:00.949 --> 00:03:04.210 wedded as husband and wife. So here's the doctrine 00:03:04.210 --> 00:03:06.189 that precedes his observations and invitations. 00:03:06.550 --> 00:03:09.389 One observation is for over 100 years, the number 00:03:09.389 --> 00:03:11.009 of American households with mother and father 00:03:11.009 --> 00:03:13.250 as head have declined as well as the number of 00:03:13.250 --> 00:03:15.580 children. to each family. Marriage and birth 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:18.819 rates of our church members. are much more positive 00:03:18.819 --> 00:03:21.479 than that, but have also seen a decline significantly. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.099 And then he shares this thought. He says, it 00:03:24.099 --> 00:03:26.280 is vital that Latter -day Saints do not lose 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:27.979 their understanding of the purpose of marriage 00:03:27.979 --> 00:03:30.520 and the value of children. That in the future 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:33.460 for which we strive, exaltation is a family affair, 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:36.539 as the prophet President Nelson has taught. Only 00:03:36.539 --> 00:03:38.500 through the saving ordinances of the gospel of 00:03:38.500 --> 00:03:41.240 Jesus Christ can families be exalted. So I might 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:43.219 ask ourselves the question, how is the teaching 00:03:43.219 --> 00:03:46.949 on the family best received? according to President 00:03:46.949 --> 00:03:49.990 Oaks, by modeling it. I find it interesting that 00:03:49.990 --> 00:03:52.650 he reminded us that he said, we can truly say 00:03:52.650 --> 00:03:55.310 that the gospel plan was first taught to us in 00:03:55.310 --> 00:03:57.270 the counsel of an eternal family, which means 00:03:57.270 --> 00:03:59.509 we learned about eternal families from our heavenly 00:03:59.509 --> 00:04:01.909 parents and that they modeled that living for 00:04:01.909 --> 00:04:04.650 us while we live with them. Then he goes on to 00:04:04.650 --> 00:04:06.930 say that it is implemented through our mortal 00:04:06.930 --> 00:04:09.590 families, meaning. We're going to figure out 00:04:09.590 --> 00:04:12.189 how it works by doing it right. And its intended 00:04:12.189 --> 00:04:15.090 destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal 00:04:15.090 --> 00:04:17.550 families. He emphasizes that parents, single 00:04:17.550 --> 00:04:20.269 or married, and others like grandparents who 00:04:20.269 --> 00:04:22.790 fill that role for children are the master teachers. 00:04:23.089 --> 00:04:25.829 Their most effective teaching is by example. 00:04:26.290 --> 00:04:29.670 The family circle is the ideal place to demonstrate 00:04:29.670 --> 00:04:32.959 and learn eternal values. 80 years ago, as he 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.220 lived on his grandparents' farm in his boyhood, 00:04:35.339 --> 00:04:37.480 things were a little bit different. Most learning 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:40.319 was done as a family. He says the family was 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:43.579 an organized and conducted unit of economic production. 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:46.680 And then he says today, most families are units 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:48.920 of economic consumption. This really did hit 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:50.779 home. When he said that, I was like, wow, that's 00:04:50.779 --> 00:04:53.000 a really good point. And he says it doesn't require 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:56.250 a high degree of family organization. and cooperation. 00:04:56.589 --> 00:04:59.209 He makes a clear point here, I feel, that families 00:04:59.209 --> 00:05:01.449 can take back the pull of the world that it's 00:05:01.449 --> 00:05:04.589 having on every family on the earth today. I 00:05:04.589 --> 00:05:06.810 like having this in our minds as we discuss what 00:05:06.810 --> 00:05:09.610 we as parents or the family circle are to teach 00:05:09.610 --> 00:05:13.040 our children. If you noticed, he pointed out 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:15.259 that not all families have all members to enjoy 00:05:15.259 --> 00:05:17.600 complete family currently. And I think a lot 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:20.120 of times people just assume like they've got 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:21.860 things perfectly. So it's easy for them to talk 00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:24.379 about, you know, the rules and the family proclamation 00:05:24.379 --> 00:05:27.120 and how things should go and ABC. And the ideal, 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:30.970 right? Yeah. What the ideal looks like. You know, 00:05:30.990 --> 00:05:33.689 he very emotionally shared, reminded us that 00:05:33.689 --> 00:05:36.250 he experienced firsthand the passing of his father 00:05:36.250 --> 00:05:38.410 when he was just seven years old. And you were 00:05:38.410 --> 00:05:41.009 commenting before about him living on his father's 00:05:41.009 --> 00:05:45.149 farm, his grandparents' farm. Adam and I made 00:05:45.149 --> 00:05:48.089 it through his biography this week to just kind 00:05:48.089 --> 00:05:50.089 of catch up on the life. And his mom went back 00:05:50.089 --> 00:05:52.470 to school and they were raised by the grandparents. 00:05:53.509 --> 00:05:55.389 during that period of time when she was furthering 00:05:55.389 --> 00:05:57.089 her education. So when he said, I'll be your 00:05:57.089 --> 00:06:00.129 father, he really was. He promised that he would 00:06:00.129 --> 00:06:01.850 be. And then, and in the same token, helping 00:06:01.850 --> 00:06:03.769 their daughter to get on her feet and for sure, 00:06:03.870 --> 00:06:07.290 and make a better way for herself. And that required, 00:06:07.350 --> 00:06:09.009 you know, a two year stay with the grandparents 00:06:09.009 --> 00:06:12.129 while the mom was pursuing that. So, you know, 00:06:12.149 --> 00:06:14.750 anybody that wants to get up in arms about, you 00:06:14.750 --> 00:06:18.269 know, feeling like a woman's role is. you know, 00:06:18.290 --> 00:06:21.649 barefoot, pregnant and uneducated. It's just 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:23.730 not the experience he's talking about because 00:06:23.730 --> 00:06:26.170 roles do have to be shifted around and made to 00:06:26.170 --> 00:06:28.110 work for the circumstances they're having. But 00:06:28.110 --> 00:06:30.389 beautiful that his grandfather stepped into a 00:06:30.389 --> 00:06:31.889 role of a father figure and promised that he 00:06:31.889 --> 00:06:33.870 would do that. Absolutely. Great that the mom 00:06:33.870 --> 00:06:36.069 could rely on her parents as she got back on 00:06:36.069 --> 00:06:38.189 her feet after this tragic and unexpected death. 00:06:39.250 --> 00:06:41.329 I think everybody has to play their part and 00:06:41.329 --> 00:06:43.069 say, this is the ideal we're shooting for when 00:06:43.069 --> 00:06:45.689 we don't have that as the situation. How can 00:06:45.689 --> 00:06:48.990 that be modified? How can we fill the gaps? He 00:06:48.990 --> 00:06:51.189 said of his mother, she was alone and broken, 00:06:51.209 --> 00:06:53.290 and yet she taught prayer for heavenly assistance 00:06:53.290 --> 00:06:55.689 in raising her children. We were raised in a 00:06:55.689 --> 00:06:58.310 happy home in which our deceased father was always 00:06:58.310 --> 00:07:00.769 a reality. That's amazing, isn't it? And we had 00:07:00.769 --> 00:07:03.990 a father. And she had a husband and we would 00:07:03.990 --> 00:07:06.110 always be a family because of their temple marriage. 00:07:06.290 --> 00:07:08.389 Our father was just away temporarily because 00:07:08.389 --> 00:07:10.310 the Lord had called him to a different work. 00:07:10.689 --> 00:07:13.089 It's an amazing perspective. Every mother can 00:07:13.089 --> 00:07:15.410 teach these truths on the eternal family. Remember 00:07:15.410 --> 00:07:17.730 in tough times that God shall consecrate thine 00:07:17.730 --> 00:07:19.870 afflictions for thy gain. And that applies to 00:07:19.870 --> 00:07:22.209 every Latter -day Saint family, complete or currently 00:07:22.209 --> 00:07:25.910 incomplete. We are all, you know, a family church. 00:07:26.129 --> 00:07:29.259 Yep. For those families that are currently incomplete, 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:32.120 family -like grandparents can help, which they 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.699 certainly did in the prophet's case. He calls 00:07:34.699 --> 00:07:37.680 in the family circle. We all have a family circle. 00:07:38.100 --> 00:07:40.360 As families unite to strengthen one another, 00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:42.240 we should all remember that the sins and inevitable 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:44.399 shortcomings of all of us experiencing mortality 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.519 can be forgiven through repentance because of 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:48.600 the glorious and saving atonement of Jesus Christ. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:52.139 And I think this is true of all religions. When 00:07:52.139 --> 00:07:54.819 you move away from your base family unit that 00:07:54.819 --> 00:07:58.279 you're accustomed to, there is a place for community 00:07:58.279 --> 00:08:02.240 and family, like that family filling in our church 00:08:02.240 --> 00:08:04.500 settings, whatever congregation that may be. 00:08:05.610 --> 00:08:07.970 And that's because we have a natural inclination 00:08:07.970 --> 00:08:10.610 to have relationships and have families and have 00:08:10.610 --> 00:08:13.589 bonds. Agreed. Not just ourselves. Yes. And it's 00:08:13.589 --> 00:08:15.930 also a compensating blessing, I would say, that 00:08:15.930 --> 00:08:18.550 the Lord gives us. If it's not in the initial 00:08:18.550 --> 00:08:21.769 family or the family unit, then he's provided 00:08:21.769 --> 00:08:24.290 other means to meet those needs, which is a huge 00:08:24.290 --> 00:08:26.889 blessing. And it's not meant to say, like, if 00:08:26.889 --> 00:08:29.410 you're a single mom making a go of it, it's not 00:08:29.410 --> 00:08:31.050 to say that you're not powerful and that you 00:08:31.050 --> 00:08:33.730 can't compensate for not having a father in the 00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:36.919 home. What a beautiful idea that there's no shame 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:40.320 or harm in finding other men that are in your 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:42.360 circle and bringing them in to help fill those 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.980 roles. So you don't feel like you have to carry 00:08:44.980 --> 00:08:47.940 that burden that was designed to be shared equally. 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:50.840 Ideally, you know, sometimes there's a little 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:55.240 more give than take, but it's great. It's a reminder 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:57.779 that we're not meant to do things alone. Absolutely, 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.919 Abby. Okay, I love this part. He talks about 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:02.440 the different things we can teach our kids, or 00:09:02.440 --> 00:09:06.399 not only can, but have the responsibility. to 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.539 teach children. The family circle is the ideal 00:09:08.539 --> 00:09:10.919 place to demonstrate and learn eternal values, 00:09:11.059 --> 00:09:12.980 such as the importance of marriage and children, 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:15.779 the purpose of life, and the true source of joy. 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:18.100 Then he talks about essential lessons of life. 00:09:18.139 --> 00:09:20.779 The family circle is also the best place to learn 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:23.139 other essential life lessons, such as kindness, 00:09:23.299 --> 00:09:25.519 forgiveness, self -control, and the value of 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:29.139 education and honest work. Practical knowledge. 00:09:29.710 --> 00:09:32.110 The family garden builds family relationships, 00:09:32.389 --> 00:09:35.230 happy family experience, experiences, strengthen 00:09:35.230 --> 00:09:37.750 family ties, camping, sports activities, and 00:09:37.750 --> 00:09:40.450 other recreation are especially valuable to bond 00:09:40.450 --> 00:09:42.830 families. I think it's funny too, that he, he 00:09:42.830 --> 00:09:45.730 prefaces that by saying happy family experiences, 00:09:45.730 --> 00:09:48.149 because sometimes you have a, you know, experience 00:09:48.149 --> 00:09:49.870 of the family, like camping or something, and 00:09:49.870 --> 00:09:51.789 it's frustrating or whatever, but it's just to 00:09:51.789 --> 00:09:54.169 remind us that that is the goal to have that 00:09:54.169 --> 00:09:57.590 happiness. And, um, really enjoy each other's 00:09:57.590 --> 00:09:59.309 company in these things. Then he talks about 00:09:59.309 --> 00:10:01.830 family reunions because then we can remember 00:10:01.830 --> 00:10:04.850 our ancestors and that leads to the temple. Then 00:10:04.850 --> 00:10:07.509 there are the basic skills of living, working 00:10:07.509 --> 00:10:10.370 in the yard and home, learning languages. I thought 00:10:10.370 --> 00:10:12.450 that was interesting. He says learning languages 00:10:12.450 --> 00:10:14.629 is useful preparation for missionary service 00:10:14.629 --> 00:10:18.889 and modern life. There are plenty of people who 00:10:18.889 --> 00:10:21.710 have used the languages that they've learned 00:10:21.710 --> 00:10:23.950 in there. Missions. Yeah, and their missions 00:10:23.950 --> 00:10:26.850 and then also in their employment afterwards. 00:10:27.090 --> 00:10:29.250 That's a huge blessing. Families flourish when 00:10:29.250 --> 00:10:31.690 they learn as a group and counsel together on 00:10:31.690 --> 00:10:35.190 all matters of concern to the family and its 00:10:35.190 --> 00:10:39.210 members. My husband and I have had multiple priesthood 00:10:39.210 --> 00:10:42.090 blessings that even when we were having in midst 00:10:42.090 --> 00:10:44.549 of like some family turmoil, like we were facing 00:10:44.549 --> 00:10:47.049 tough decisions as parents, like where should 00:10:47.049 --> 00:10:48.610 we live as a family and what should we do for 00:10:48.610 --> 00:10:51.350 employment? And we were counseled to bring those 00:10:51.350 --> 00:10:55.559 together. or bring them up in our family prayers 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:57.580 and to counsel about. And where before that, 00:10:57.639 --> 00:10:59.240 we were kind of hesitant to share some things 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:02.419 with our kids because you want to have them feel 00:11:02.419 --> 00:11:04.799 safe and you want to have them know that things 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:07.600 are working out. But at the same time, it is 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:11.769 very real. to have problems or to have challenges 00:11:11.769 --> 00:11:14.450 that you need the Lord's help with. And to involve 00:11:14.450 --> 00:11:18.129 them in that is a perfect way to model how we 00:11:18.129 --> 00:11:22.049 turn to the Lord and we ask for blessing or direction, 00:11:22.230 --> 00:11:24.269 and then we move forward in that. And when they 00:11:24.269 --> 00:11:27.090 have a part in that equation, then you maybe 00:11:27.090 --> 00:11:29.210 have less of that. pull back like i never wanted 00:11:29.210 --> 00:11:31.350 to move i never wanted to be here but as you're 00:11:31.350 --> 00:11:33.950 feeling uh inclination to make big changes for 00:11:33.950 --> 00:11:35.909 your family or you're going through things based 00:11:35.909 --> 00:11:38.629 on the age that they are they can handle a little 00:11:38.629 --> 00:11:40.830 bit more of that pressure to be involved in the 00:11:40.830 --> 00:11:43.269 prayers that you're seeking you know direction 00:11:43.269 --> 00:11:45.509 on what the next step is going to be another 00:11:45.509 --> 00:11:48.590 piece when something that you were sharing it 00:11:48.590 --> 00:11:52.279 talked about um you know, how much we learn in 00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:54.899 our family unit. Basically, if all you ever do 00:11:54.899 --> 00:11:57.019 is complain to your children about how expensive 00:11:57.019 --> 00:11:59.799 they are and how much they cost you and how messy 00:11:59.799 --> 00:12:01.620 they are and all the... They're a burden. They're 00:12:01.620 --> 00:12:03.700 a burden that they are. They're probably likely 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:05.960 to not want to have that joy for themselves, 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:07.539 you know, as they age. For sure, because that's 00:12:07.539 --> 00:12:09.799 not joy. It's not joyful. Every chance that you 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:14.799 can take to just express how much you enjoy being 00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:17.340 their parents and raising them and watching them 00:12:17.340 --> 00:12:20.919 grow and learn. It doesn't have to be scheduled 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:23.759 time that you do that. Just the general, the 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:25.879 joy that you're finding in this family life and 00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:27.559 the things that you're doing together, we express 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:29.899 that more. I think that naturally will help them 00:12:29.899 --> 00:12:32.500 be excited about raising their own families. 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:36.179 I did ask my kid the other day. I was like, well, 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:38.740 we were sitting down. We were studying the first 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:40.980 talk of the conference on peacemakers and making 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:44.059 that family plan or whatever. And so we were 00:12:44.059 --> 00:12:45.539 kind of having a little family council and I 00:12:45.539 --> 00:12:48.100 was like. you know, there's an opportunity if 00:12:48.100 --> 00:12:50.200 there's anything that we're doing currently in 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:53.539 our home that you know that you definitely want 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:55.960 to not do in your home because you hate how things 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:57.480 are going. I'm like, you could certainly share 00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:59.559 that right now. We can try to try to change it. 00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:02.679 And she kind of like, yeah, couldn't think of 00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:04.399 anything. Yeah, not in the moment. But, you know, 00:13:04.440 --> 00:13:06.799 I'll give her time to think about it. I think 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:08.799 what a great way. Things aren't going my way. 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.279 Well, as a family unit, what if? What if together 00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:12.940 we decide on a different way that we're going 00:13:12.940 --> 00:13:16.500 to approach whatever challenges come? That's 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:18.779 awesome, Abby. Also, you know, as I was listening 00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:20.759 to like the families flourish when they learn 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:23.159 as a group and counsel together and then the 00:13:23.159 --> 00:13:24.940 language learning. And he said, who does this 00:13:24.940 --> 00:13:28.029 teaching? the family circle. And it reminded 00:13:28.029 --> 00:13:29.990 me a lot of the way you and your family approach 00:13:29.990 --> 00:13:33.230 learning with homeschooling. Do you want to tell 00:13:33.230 --> 00:13:34.750 us a little bit about how you and your sisters 00:13:34.750 --> 00:13:38.029 tackle this teaching? I'm super blessed to have 00:13:38.029 --> 00:13:39.870 sisters that also participate in that because 00:13:39.870 --> 00:13:41.490 I know that that's just not something people 00:13:41.490 --> 00:13:45.269 want to do or have the time to do. But I love 00:13:45.269 --> 00:13:48.330 that my sisters in multiple states, we can come 00:13:48.330 --> 00:13:51.279 together and it gives our children more. opportunities 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:53.620 with our cousins to learn together and each of 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:56.919 the systems yeah we zoom and we typically reach 00:13:56.919 --> 00:13:59.419 responsible for like a certain subject one's 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:01.200 teaching history this year one's teaching biology 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:03.279 and then we can kind of group some of the kids 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.019 together because they're such similar ages we 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:07.980 have like english language arts and one one sister 00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:10.259 will manage and and i do with another group and 00:14:10.259 --> 00:14:13.679 these are moments and experiences that i really 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:16.820 wouldn't get Otherwise, in the way that our curriculum 00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:18.899 works, there's always opportunities to infuse 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:22.440 more God into the conversation. I don't think 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.500 that it's a safe place to do that in most public 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:26.440 schools. And sometimes, you know, schools are 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:30.159 kind of getting away with that. But you know 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.720 how school kids, they... They sometimes fight 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:34.220 you on what they're learning and what they're 00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:35.960 doing. But at the end of the day, like they're 00:14:35.960 --> 00:14:38.799 having great experiences because there's a little 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.480 more Jesus in their day and a little more talk 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.519 of God. And we can always apply the lessons that 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:45.000 we're learning, you know, for studying something 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:48.039 in history. There's always a gospel principle 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:53.639 in that. So I'm enjoying that. At the end of 00:14:53.639 --> 00:14:55.980 the day, we're all homeschooling the way that 00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:58.059 the Come Follow Me curriculum is set up. It's 00:14:58.059 --> 00:15:02.000 a home -centered, gospel -supported. And I would 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:04.720 always say, when you're preparing yourself and 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:06.419 preparing that Come Follow Me material, there's 00:15:06.419 --> 00:15:08.840 always opportunities to infuse those ideas into 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:12.480 the week. And I laugh, like, we'll get to primary. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.399 Amy and I teach a class together. So we'll get 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:16.000 to primary. We'll ask the kids what they learned 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:17.899 that week. And most of them will be like, oh, 00:15:18.059 --> 00:15:20.320 my parents, we didn't do any Come Follow Me this 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.220 week. And I said, in a teacher training, I said, 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:25.980 when I asked that question, it's not to like 00:15:25.980 --> 00:15:27.919 have these kids rat their parents out. It gives 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.919 us an opportunity to say, we start talking about 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:32.259 the lesson. Like, oh yeah, we learned a little 00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:35.500 bit about that. What I'm saying is when the parents 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:37.740 have something in their heart to share, an opportunity 00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:39.980 will present itself somewhere during the week. 00:15:40.059 --> 00:15:42.340 And they'll teach that without it being like 00:15:42.340 --> 00:15:44.940 roundup, time to sit down. We're doing come follow 00:15:44.940 --> 00:15:48.039 me right in this moment. It kind of just happens 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:50.259 to naturally flow into some conversation that 00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:52.539 you're going to have during that week. If there's 00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:54.320 something that you know one of your children 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.740 needs, rather than like a sit down lecture on 00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:59.289 that topic. It's in your heart. It will come 00:15:59.289 --> 00:16:02.629 out normally and naturally in a way, in an opportunity, 00:16:02.830 --> 00:16:05.070 in a moment that will affect that kid better. 00:16:05.149 --> 00:16:07.929 I love that. That's the thing too. It's also 00:16:07.929 --> 00:16:10.309 a better, yes, role modeling. And it's also a 00:16:10.309 --> 00:16:12.950 better way to learn and be taught when you don't 00:16:12.950 --> 00:16:15.029 really realize that you're sitting in front of 00:16:15.029 --> 00:16:16.750 a chalkboard or whatever and they're pointing 00:16:16.750 --> 00:16:18.549 to things. My dad would always do that whenever 00:16:18.549 --> 00:16:21.210 we were traveling. Whether he was taking me somewhere 00:16:21.210 --> 00:16:25.590 to Utah or whether he was taking me to just somewhere 00:16:25.590 --> 00:16:28.320 in town, he would use that. time just to chat 00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:29.940 and you know it's not like we were looking eye 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:32.220 to eye or anything it was just a very natural, 00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:34.820 organic conversation. So he was always teaching. 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:37.980 And that's a great point. We have a crazy busing 00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:39.899 system here. So if you live on the east side 00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:41.259 of the road or the west side of the road, like 00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:43.179 it may make your pickup time like 45 minutes 00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:45.159 earlier than the kid just across the street because 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:47.179 they have to pick you up on the side of the street 00:16:47.179 --> 00:16:49.919 that you live on. Right. So I have, you know, 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:53.059 a gal, we were neighbors and friends, but they've 00:16:53.059 --> 00:16:55.120 moved since. But she took it as an opportunity. 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:57.899 She would keep her kids home for like an extra 00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:59.379 40 minutes and she'd have to run them into the 00:16:59.379 --> 00:17:01.559 school. But she cherished that time. She would 00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:04.519 never want you to carpool, you know, to help 00:17:04.519 --> 00:17:06.660 her out on some of those mornings because she 00:17:06.660 --> 00:17:09.500 cherished that 10 minutes in the car, 15 minutes 00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:12.319 in the car, one -on -one, uninterrupted conversations 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:18.480 to have these teaching moments. We live about 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.220 15 minutes from the high school and it's not 00:17:20.220 --> 00:17:22.279 uncommon for me to make multiple trips a day. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.240 But I find that when I have like a one -on -one 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:27.059 opportunity to go up there. Yes. That I can have. 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:29.200 It's different. Because of the experience Anna 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:30.940 had shared with me, I'm like, instead of being 00:17:30.940 --> 00:17:33.400 like, oh, another trip to Afton, I try to make 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:36.559 it special with the kid that I'm taking to dance 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:39.740 or taking to music or taking to school or whatever. 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:44.230 I love that, Abby. That's great. President Oaks 00:17:44.230 --> 00:17:46.970 reminded us that our ultimate, our Savior Jesus 00:17:46.970 --> 00:17:49.630 Christ is our ultimate role model. We will be 00:17:49.630 --> 00:17:52.089 blessed if we model our lives after his teachings 00:17:52.089 --> 00:17:54.869 and his self -sacrifice. Following Christ and 00:17:54.869 --> 00:17:57.230 giving ourselves in service to one another is 00:17:57.230 --> 00:18:01.029 the best remedy for the selfishness and individualism 00:18:01.029 --> 00:18:05.660 that now seems to be so common. And then he shares 00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:07.420 this, living the gospel of Jesus Christ brings 00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:09.900 blessings, praying together, kneeling night and 00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:12.279 morning to offer thanks for blessings and to 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.480 pray over common concerns, worshiping together 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.799 in church services and also in other devotional 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.779 settings. These all bring blessings, sharing 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:21.380 family stories, creating family traditions, and 00:18:21.380 --> 00:18:25.660 sharing sacred experiences. I invite, again, 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:27.720 each of us to prayerfully choose one thing that 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:30.349 we can improve or implement. First, we could 00:18:30.349 --> 00:18:32.549 ask, what is most important to my family right 00:18:32.549 --> 00:18:35.490 now? God knows your family and he knows your 00:18:35.490 --> 00:18:37.849 needs and available resources. He will guide 00:18:37.849 --> 00:18:39.809 your decisions and bless your family through 00:18:39.809 --> 00:18:42.970 your honest efforts. Somebody might say, what 00:18:42.970 --> 00:18:44.910 if I don't have the time to take that invitation 00:18:44.910 --> 00:18:48.190 up? But let's go with President Oaks' counsel 00:18:48.190 --> 00:18:50.710 on this. He said, to find time to do what's truly 00:18:50.710 --> 00:18:52.910 worthwhile. Many parents will find that they 00:18:52.910 --> 00:18:55.049 can turn their family on if they all turn their 00:18:55.049 --> 00:19:00.480 technologies off. That one hit. Deep. And I wonder 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:02.880 how many people felt the same way. If this is 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:05.119 you, maybe pray to see what you could cut out 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.680 that does not align with our ultimate family 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:09.240 goal and replace it with one thing that does. 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:15.730 It's Amy and I's common... Practice to find an 00:19:15.730 --> 00:19:18.289 invitation in each of the talks, not tell you 00:19:18.289 --> 00:19:21.390 exactly what to do, but to encourage you to consider 00:19:21.390 --> 00:19:24.069 if that's the thing that's above all else stands 00:19:24.069 --> 00:19:26.410 out in conference. And again, this would have 00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:28.269 been the very last talk of all of the sessions, 00:19:28.410 --> 00:19:30.970 kind of bring it home, wrap it up. But when we 00:19:30.970 --> 00:19:34.869 bring it to the forefront, I do think it's important 00:19:34.869 --> 00:19:38.670 to consider what impact we can have with our 00:19:38.670 --> 00:19:40.410 families and the time that we're spending there, 00:19:40.470 --> 00:19:44.049 the things that we're doing. A lot of the times 00:19:44.049 --> 00:19:46.130 it takes preparation on our own parts to be the 00:19:46.130 --> 00:19:50.829 most effective in those family units. Any last 00:19:50.829 --> 00:19:53.990 thoughts from you? No, there was so much in here. 00:19:54.109 --> 00:19:56.089 I mean, it's worth a listen while you're driving 00:19:56.089 --> 00:19:58.769 in the car or whatever. There's just so much 00:19:58.769 --> 00:20:01.289 in it. We just, we weren't able to, you know, 00:20:01.289 --> 00:20:03.289 do all of it here, but there were just so many 00:20:03.289 --> 00:20:05.869 wonderful things he shared. And again, like I 00:20:05.869 --> 00:20:09.349 see them as invitations and opportunities to 00:20:09.349 --> 00:20:12.309 improve your family relationships, not a list 00:20:12.309 --> 00:20:14.170 of do this, this, this, this, this, this, and 00:20:14.170 --> 00:20:16.329 this, because it's an extensive list. But as 00:20:16.329 --> 00:20:19.740 I look at it, I see. the man who will be the 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:23.140 prophet of our church, giving us direct guidance 00:20:23.140 --> 00:20:26.680 from the Lord and saying, I'm talking to a worldwide 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:29.259 church here. I'm giving all of these examples 00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:32.200 because everyone's different. Everyone needs 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:34.519 that first, that perfect thing that you can start 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.759 doing right now is going to be different for 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.720 every family because every family looks different 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:39.359 and they're implementing different things. So 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:41.779 I just loved it. And I saw it as an opportunity 00:20:41.779 --> 00:20:44.680 to choose one of these things and see how the 00:20:44.680 --> 00:20:47.200 Lord blesses us. And just to reiterate the suggestion, 00:20:47.849 --> 00:20:50.130 there can be so many things that come out of 00:20:50.130 --> 00:20:52.650 this talk for each of us. But if you go into 00:20:52.650 --> 00:20:54.309 this talk with a prayer in your heart that you 00:20:54.309 --> 00:20:57.490 hear the one thing, the one tweak that you could 00:20:57.490 --> 00:21:01.990 make over the next X amount of time, if you pick 00:21:01.990 --> 00:21:04.109 this talk up again a few months from now and 00:21:04.109 --> 00:21:05.650 you're doing the one thing, it'll be interesting 00:21:05.650 --> 00:21:07.890 to see what blessings have flowed from it in 00:21:07.890 --> 00:21:10.210 the immediate. You never know the eternal consequences 00:21:10.210 --> 00:21:13.829 of the good changes that you're making. But well, 00:21:13.910 --> 00:21:15.789 not that you never know. It just takes longer 00:21:15.789 --> 00:21:18.890 to find, you know, eternal blessings take a little 00:21:18.890 --> 00:21:24.049 bit longer to get to. But like you said, there's 00:21:24.049 --> 00:21:26.390 enough here that you could ask this question 00:21:26.390 --> 00:21:29.430 a year from now and go through this talk and 00:21:29.430 --> 00:21:31.970 the impression will come differently. But at 00:21:31.970 --> 00:21:35.049 the end of the day, any amount of effort that 00:21:35.049 --> 00:21:38.049 we're putting into our families and those relationships 00:21:38.049 --> 00:21:42.670 is going to be. of great worth. Absolutely agreed. 00:21:43.450 --> 00:21:45.890 Thank you, Abby. Thank you all for joining us 00:21:45.890 --> 00:21:48.289 today. Have a great week and enjoy creating family 00:21:48.289 --> 00:21:50.190 time. See you next time.