The Family a Proclamation to the World Lesson

"Lesson 159: The Family: A Proclamation to the World," Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Seminary Teacher Manual (2013)

Introduction

On September 23, 1995, in a general Relief Society meeting, President Gordon B. Hinckley introduced "The Family unit: A Announcement to the World." This proclamation from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declares to the world the Lord's standards and doctrines concerning the family unit. The proclamation also provides counsel for strengthening families and a warning well-nigh the consequences of the disintegration of families.

Note: Make sure each student has a copy of "The Family: A Annunciation to the Globe." This certificate tin can exist plant on page 129 of the November 2010 result of the Ensign or Liahona, in the Duty to God and Personal Progress booklets, in True to the Faith nether "Family unit," and on LDS.org. You lot tin as well find a re-create of the family annunciation in the appendix of this manual.

Suggestions for Teaching

The Get-go Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles consequence a proclamation to the world concerning the family

Before class, list the following words and phrases on the board:

The importance of marriage and family unit

Divorce

Aforementioned-sex marriage

Gender

Having children

Sexual relations exterior of marriage

Roles of mothers

Roles of fathers

Ballgame

Begin class by request the following questions:

• Past the enhance of hands, how many of y'all have had questions or know someone who has had questions related to one or more of the issues on the lath?

• Where tin can we find the Lord'south instructions on these topics?

Distribute copies of "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" to students. (You may desire to invite students to number the paragraphs in the proclamation so they can follow along easily when y'all refer to unlike paragraphs.) Explain that President Gordon B. Hinckley announced this proclamation on September 23, 1995, in a full general Relief Society coming together. Just before President Hinckley read it, he stated some of the reasons why the world needs the truths it contains. Invite a student to read aloud the post-obit argument by President Hinckley. Inquire the class to listen for reasons why the world needs this proclamation.

"With so much of sophistry that is passed off every bit truth, with so much of deception concerning standards and values, with and so much of allurement and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, nosotros take felt to warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the Start Presidency and the Quango of the Twelve Apostles now outcome a proclamation to the Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets, seers, and revelators of this church building have repeatedly stated throughout its history" ("Stand Stiff confronting the Wiles of the Earth," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 100).

• Why was this proclamation issued to the Church and the globe?

Explain that when we study "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," nosotros can receive answers to many questions regarding the family. To help students identify doctrines that will help them more conspicuously empathize the subjects listed on the lath, invite five students to take turns reading aloud from paragraphs 1–five of the proclamation. Inquire the class to follow forth and look for doctrines that chronicle to the topics on the board. Stop later each paragraph to allow students to report what they have institute. Invite students to marker the doctrines they find on their copies of the family proclamation.

Equally students report, invite them to write on the board the doctrines they identify. Students might identify and write the post-obit doctrines:

Marriage betwixt a man and a woman is ordained of God [paragraph 1].

The family is central to Heavenly Begetter's program [paragraph 1].

Gender is an essential feature of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose [paragraph ii].

The plan of happiness enables family relationships to continue after death [paragraph 3].

God's commandment for husbands and wives to accept children remains in forcefulness today [paragraph 4].

God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to exist employed simply between a man and a woman who are legally married [paragraph 4].

The creation of mortal life is a sacred and important part of Heavenly Begetter's plan [paragraphs iii and v].

As students report each doctrine they take identified, use 1 or more of the follow-upward questions beneath to help them sympathise the doctrine amend.

• How does this doctrine chronicle to the topics listed on the lath?

• Why practise you remember it is of import to understand this doctrine?

• How tin can understanding and believing this doctrine influence the decisions yous make?

If students exercise not mention any of the doctrines listed to a higher place, help students locate and talk over them.

The family unit proclamation helps usa institute successful families

Invite students to think about what they would like their hereafter families to be similar.

• What types of activities, characteristics, attitudes, and behavior do you lot think will bring happiness to your future family?

Dissever students into small groups. Invite each group to read paragraphs 6–7 of the family proclamation aloud together. Invite them to look for things that tin can help them achieve happiness in their families. Later sufficient time, enquire the following questions to the whole course:

• How is happiness in families near probable to be achieved? (Students should identify the following principle: Happiness in family unit life is most likely to exist accomplished when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. You may want to suggest that students marking this principle in their copies of the family proclamation.)

• According to paragraphs 6 and vii, what are some principles that help families find happiness? (Consider inviting a student to write students' responses on the board.)

Invite students to discuss the post-obit questions together in their minor groups. Provide each group with a re-create of the questions, or write the questions on the board.

What examples accept you seen of families post-obit the teachings listed on the board?

Why practice y'all think families that follow these teachings are more probable to be happy?

Notation: Because of the sensitive and individual nature of family relationships, exercise not invite students to discuss the following activity aloud. Instead, encourage students to reflect on these teachings individually and ponder how they can improve.

After the groups have had fourth dimension to discuss the questions, inquire students to ponder which of these teachings they alive in their families and how doing so has added to their families' happiness. Invite students to consider which of the teachings in the proclamation they could live ameliorate in an attempt to bring greater happiness to themselves and their families. You might invite students to write down a goal of how they plan to amend live these teachings in their families.

As time permits, choose 2 or more than of the following questions to hash out as a class:

• Co-ordinate to the last half of paragraph 7, what are the responsibilities of fathers? In what ways accept you seen your father or other fathers fulfill these responsibilities?

• According to the last half of paragraph 7, what is the primary responsibility of mothers? In what ways have you seen your mother or other mothers fulfill this function?

• What does information technology mean that these responsibilities are given "by divine design"? (They were established by our Heavenly Begetter.) Why practise you think this is of import to sympathize?

• Which phrases in paragraph 7 help us understand how fathers and mothers are to help each other? (Students should identify the following principle: Fathers and mothers are obligated to help each other as equal partners in their family responsibilities.)

• Why do you lot recall it is important for mothers and fathers to understand that they are equal partners?

Invite students to share how they have seen mothers and fathers work together every bit equal partners.

As students talk over the need for fathers and mothers to support one another, you may desire to directly their attending to the following judgement near the end of paragraph vii: "Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation." Assure students that the Lord is aware of these circumstances and that He blesses parents and families equally they strive to fulfill their obligations.

• According to the final sentence of paragraph 7, who else tin assistance mothers and fathers in their responsibilities? (Extended family members. You might indicate out that children may also assist their parents.)

Explicate that every family has its own difficulties but that every family can live the teachings of Jesus Christ and find happiness.

Invite a student to read aloud paragraphs 8 and 9 of the family unit declaration. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what will happen if we do non fulfill our responsibilities in our families.

• What volition happen if we neglect our family responsibilities? (Students should express that the Lord will hold us accountable if we do non fulfill our responsibilities in our families. They may also signal out that the disintegration of the family volition lead to calamities.)

• What responsibilities practise you retrieve children have in the family unit?

Invite students to ponder how they are fulfilling their responsibilities in their families. If you invited them to record a goal to amend alive a educational activity from the family proclamation in their families, encourage them to seek the Lord's aid as they seek to accomplish their goals.

Conclude by request a few students to share their testimonies of any of the truths taught in this lesson. You lot may also want to share your testimony of the doctrines and principles in the family proclamation.

Commentary and Background Data

Union between a homo and a adult female

Quoting two passages from "The Family: A Announcement to the World," Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why marriage between a man and a woman is essential in Heavenly Father's plan:

"Righteous union is a commandment and an essential step in the process of creating a loving family human relationship that can be perpetuated beyond the grave.

"Two compelling doctrinal reasons help u.s. to empathise why eternal union is essential to the Father'due south programme.

"Reason 1: The natures of male person and female person spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation.

"The eternal nature and importance of marriage can be fully understood only within the overarching context of the Father'south plan for His children. …

"'Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose' and in large measure defines who we are, why we are here upon the world, and what we are to do and get. For divine purposes, male and female spirits are dissimilar, distinctive, and complementary.

"Subsequently the world was created, Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden. Importantly, notwithstanding, God said information technology was 'not good that the man should exist alone' (Genesis 2:18; Moses 3:eighteen), and Eve became Adam's companion and helpmeet. The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the program of happiness. Alone, neither the man nor the woman could fulfill the purposes of his or her cosmos.

"Past divine design, men and women are intended to progress together toward perfection and a fulness of celebrity. Because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities, males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences. The human and the woman contribute differently but every bit to a oneness and a unity that can exist achieved in no other fashion. The man completes and perfects the woman and the adult female completes and perfects the homo equally they larn from and mutually strengthen and bless each other. 'Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord' (1 Corinthians 11:11; italics added).

"Reason 2: By divine design, both a man and a adult female are needed to bring children into bloodshed and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.

"The commandment given anciently to Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force today. 'God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed simply between man and adult female, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. … The ways by which mortal life is created [are] divinely appointed.' Thus, marriage betwixt a human and a adult female is the authorized aqueduct through which premortal spirits enter mortality. Complete sexual abstinence before marriage and total fidelity within marriage protect the sanctity of this sacred channel.

"A home with a loving and loyal hubby and wife is the supreme setting in which children tin be reared in honey and righteousness and in which the spiritual and concrete needs of children can be met. Just as the unique characteristics of both males and females contribute to the completeness of a spousal relationship relationship, so those same characteristics are vital to the rearing, nurturing, and teaching of children" ("Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan," Ensign, June 2006, 82–84).

The Church building's position on same-sex union

"The Church distinguishes betwixt same-sex attraction and behavior. While maintaining that feelings and inclinations toward the same sex are not inherently sinful, engaging in homosexual beliefs is in conflict with the 'doctrinal principle, based on sacred scripture … that marriage between a human and a woman is essential to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children' ["Beginning Presidency Statement on Aforementioned-Gender Marriage"].

"Because the Church believes that the sacred powers of procreation are 'to be exercised only betwixt a man and a woman lawfully wedded equally husband and wife … whatsoever other sexual relations, including those between persons of the same gender, undermine the divinely created establishment of the family unit.' Accordingly, the Church favors measures that define union as the union of a man and a woman. However, 'protecting matrimony between a man and a woman does not remove Church members' Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people' ["The Divine Institution of Spousal relationship," Aug. 13, 2008, mormonnewsroom.org]" ("Same-Sex Allure," LDS.org).

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Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-seminary-teacher-manual-2014/section-7/lesson-159-the-family-a-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng

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