Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ counsel members not to put off and not to prohibit children from being born into their families for worldly reasons.  An example would be not to have children until you have a house, or are finished school, or have finished all the traveling you desired.  Many young husbands and wives in the Church have accepted this counsel and are still in school when their first few children are born.

The Plan of Salvation as revealed to ancient and modern prophets tells us that we are all eternal beings.  Before we began our mortal lives on earth, we lived with God as His literal spirit children.  Mortality is the next step in our progression to become more like our Heavenly Father.  Mormon parents have a lot to offer God’s spirit children—a life of spiritual abundance, a secure sanctuary of a home, stability, security, and the presence of the priesthood power from God.  Thus, they should be ready to welcome as many spirits into their home as possible.

That said, birth control is between a husband, a wife, and God.  How many children they have and when is up to them.  Mormons are prayerful about these important decisions, and they are privy to personal revelation when they seek guidance about child-bearing.  The following statement is from a book called True to the Faith, a Gospel Reference.

When married couples are physically able, they have the privilege of providing mortal bodies for Heavenly Father’s spirit children. They play a part in the great plan of happiness, which permits God’s children to receive physical bodies and experience mortality.

If you are married, you and your spouse should discuss your sacred responsibility to bring children into the world and nurture them in righteousness. As you do so, consider the sanctity and meaning of life. Ponder the joy that comes when children are in the home. Consider the eternal blessings that come from having a good posterity. With a testimony of these principles, you and your spouse will be prepared to prayerfully decide how many children to have and when to have them. Such decisions are between the two of you and the Lord.

As you discuss this sacred matter, remember that sexual relations within marriage are divinely approved. While one purpose of these relations is to provide physical bodies for God’s children, another purpose is to express love for one another—to bind husband and wife together in loyalty, fidelity, consideration, and common purpose. [1]

The wisdom of God is manifest in these paragraphs.  Intimacy between husband and wife is sanctioned by the Lord, and matters of childbirth are between them and God.

Abortion

Abortion is another matter entirely and is wholly condemned by the Church of Jesus Christ.  It is considered next to murder in its seriousness as a sin, and even in cases of incest, rape, and danger to the life of the mother, should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary.  Following is the counsel regarding abortion:

In today’s society, abortion has become a common practice, defended by deceptive arguments. If you face questions about this matter, you can be secure in following the revealed will of the Lord. Latter-day prophets have denounced abortion, referring to the Lord’s declaration, “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:6). Their counsel on the matter is clear: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must not submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for an abortion. If you encourage an abortion in any way, you may be subject to Church discipline.

Church leaders have said that some exceptional circumstances may justify an abortion, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth. But even these circumstances do not automatically justify an abortion. Those who face such circumstances should consider abortion only after consulting with their local Church leaders and receiving a confirmation through earnest prayer.

When a child is conceived out of wedlock, the best option is for the mother and father of the child is to marry and work toward establishing an eternal family relationship. If a successful marriage is unlikely, they should place the child for adoption, preferably through LDS Family Services. [2]

A person who participates in an abortion can face church discipline.

Adoption

LDS Family Services provides adoption help for unwed mothers who cannot or will not marry the fathers of their babies.  This service is a loving way to help infertile couples in the Church bring children into their homes.  Unwed mothers who give up their children can be assured that every blessing that can be provided in a good LDS home will come to their children.  LDS adoption services have a special website, It’sAboutLove.org. Help and guidance are available for unwed mothers and fathers, their parents, and adoptive parents. Following is the statement on adoption from True to the Faith:

Children are entitled to be raised by parents who honor marital vows and who provide love and support. Adoption can be a great blessing for many children who are born without this opportunity.

When a child is conceived out of wedlock, the best option is for the mother and father of the child to marry and work toward establishing an eternal family relationship. If a successful marriage is unlikely, they should place the child for adoption, preferably through LDS Family Services. Placing the infant for adoption through LDS Family Services helps unwed parents do what is best for the child. It ensures that the child will be sealed to a mother and a father in the temple, and it enhances the prospect for the blessings of the gospel in the lives of all concerned. Adoption is an unselfish, loving decision that blesses the birth parents, the child, and the adoptive family.

If you are married and you and your spouse want to adopt a child, be sure you know all legal requirements of the countries and governmental agencies that are involved. Counsel with your priesthood leaders and, if possible, with staff members in LDS Family Services. If LDS Family Services is not available in your area, work with your priesthood leaders to locate licensed, authorized agencies that protect both the children and the adoptive parents.

A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I recently read portions of a study, and a correspondent’s review,  which showed the dramatic rise of co-habiting couples in the United States.

According to Carol Morello, reporting on a recent Pew Study, “The proportion of adults who are married has plunged to record lows as more people decide to live together now and wed later, reflecting decades of evolving attitudes about the role of marriage in society.”  Just 51 percent of all adults who are 18 and older are married, placing them on the brink of becoming a minority, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census statistics to be released Wednesday. That represents a steep drop from 57 percent who were married in 2000.  Read more …

Fearful of marriage or commitment, or torn from the institution as a result of the tidal wave displacing the truth about its purpose and sanctity, it’s become the predominant trend.

Mormons–a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in the centrality of families in God’s plan and their demise is an intentioned plan of the proponent of all evil himself–scratch, or realistically, Satan. He’s played a magic trick–worked the media into believing that the rabbit of marriage should disappear, maneuvering enough handkerchiefs around a mesmerized audience to convince them it’s all okay, and all in the name of diversity.  People, hypnotized by the hype about choosing any brand of sexuality and sexual relationship as if it’s a choice between vanilla and chocolate rather than a moral choice, are hunkering down together, and fearful, perhaps of a marriage commitment.  Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, are strong proponents of healthy marriages.  Theirs, too, are marked by casualties of divorce, but less so than those of the world, and less so than all of those who co-habit and then marry.  Co-habitors who marry actually increase their likelihood of divorce rather than reduce it. Not a surprise. The Lord’s plan is the right one.

Mormons’ believe in abstinence before marriage and fidelity in marriage.  They invite God literally into their relationship as they kneel across a beautiful altar in a dedicated House of the Lord–or Mormon temple–and covenant or promise to each other and to God an acceptance of His laws and of one another before witnesses who record the event on earth and heaven.  Mormon marriage is intended to be eternal, conditioned upon the kept covenants of each participating spouse.  God has a perfect plan in place for imperfect people. He offers His grace, power, blessing, Hand on a marriage where couples promise and strive, however imperfectly, to live His laws which bring the greatest happiness and peace, through thick and thin, through easy times and rough roads of mortality.  Marriage is intended to be a place where mercy and love are learned, where individuals are tested and the opportunity exists to love as Christ loves–unconditionally, sacrificially, openly, vulnerably–and to progress in the path to eternal life together.  Mormons believe in more than a death-do-you-part marriage; again, marriage, and Mormon marriage–those performed in holy temples of God (Mormon temples) are meant to be eternal.

Mormon Beliefs: Chastity

It’s true that the dominant evil in the world today is unchastity. President Joseph F. Smith chose these words to be written above his signature while he was living:

No more loathsome cancer disfigures the body and soul of society today than the frightful affliction of sexual sin. It vitiates the very fountains of He who is unchaste in young manhood is untrue to a trust given to him by the parents of the girl, and she who is unchaste in maidenhood is untrue to her future husband, and lays the foundation of unhappiness in the home, suspicion, and discord. Do not worry about these teachers who say something about inhibitions. Just keep in mind this eternal truth that chastity is a virtue to be prized as one of life’s noblest achievements. It contributes to the virility of manhood. It is the crowning virtue of womanhood, and every red-blooded man knows that is true. It is a chief contributing factor to a happy home; it is the source of strength and perpetuity of the nation.

David O. McKay, late apostle of Jesus Christ (Latter-day Saint or “Mormon”), shared, through literature, as he addressed a young single adult audience, that there “is no loss of prestige in maintaining in a dignified way one’s standards.”

He stated: I thought of a great illustration in literature wherein a Jewish maiden won the respect even of a profligate.

Read the story of Rebecca, that beautiful character in Sir Walter Scott’s “Ivanhoe,” who was the prisoner of Brian de Bois-Guilbert. He had chosen her for base reasons. Others of his crowd chose the old father to rob him of his wealth. When Brian de Bois-Guilbert came in to take charge of his prize, Rebecca “had already unclasped two costly bracelets and a collar, which she hastened to proffer to the supposed outlaw, concluding naturally to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor.” “Take these,” she said, “and be merciful to me and my aged father! These ornaments are of value, yet they are trifling to what he would bestow, to obtain our dismissal from this castle, free and uninjured.”

“Fair flower,” replied the outlaw, “These pearls are orient, but they yield in whiteness to your teeth; the diamonds are brilliant, but they cannot match your eyes; and ever since I have taken up this wild trade, I have made a vow to prefer beauty to wealth.”

“Thou art no outlaw,” said Rebecca; “No outlaw had refused such offers. . . Thou art a Norman—a Norman, noble perhaps in birth—Oh be so in thy actions, and cast off this fearful masque of outrage and violence!”

“I am not an outlaw, then, fair rose of Sharon. And I am one who will be more prompt to hang thy neck and arms with pearls and diamonds, which so well become them, than to deprive thee of these ornaments.”

“What would’st thou have of me,” said Rebecca, “if not my wealth?—We can have nought in common between us—you are a Christian—I am a Jewess—our union were contrary to the laws alike of the church and the synagogue.”

“It were so, indeed,” replied Brian de Bois-Guilbert, laughing: “wed with a Jewess?—not if she were the Queen of Sheba!”

And then Rebecca knew his purpose. She threw open the latticed window, and an instant later stood on the verge of the parapet, with not the slightest screen between her and the tremendous depth below, and exclaimed: “Remain where thou art, proud Templar, or at thy choice, advance!—one foot nearer, and I plunge myself from the precipice; my body shall be crushed out of the very form of humanity upon the stones of that court-yard, ere it become the victim of thy brutality!”

As she spoke this, she clasped her hands and extended them towards Heaven, as if imploring mercy on her soul before she made the final plunge. The Templar hesitated, and a resolution which had never yielded to pity or disgrace, gave way to his admiration of her fortitude. “Come down,” he said, “Rash girl—I swear by earth, and sea, and sky, I will offer thee no offence.”

And the reprobate for the first time in his life was taught respect for womanhood.

You can be in this world and “not of the world.” Keep your chastity above everything else.

Source:

David O. McKay, Stepping Stones to an Abundant Life, Deseret Book, pp 11-13.

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” teaches that “gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.” God created His children—us—in His own image. Gender is an eternal characteristic. The purpose behind our gender is to complement a person of the opposite sex. Each gender has inherent traits and qualities that are essential to providing the ideal environment for raising children. A man and a woman together have all of these traits. No matter how wonderful a mother is, she cannot be a father, and the same holds true for a man: no matter how wonderful a father he may be, he cannot be a mother. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” also teaches that “children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.”

Mormon doctrine declares homosexual activity a sin not because it is bigoted and old fashioned, but because the practice of homosexuality frustrates the eternal purpose of the family. To have feelings of homosexuality is not a sin, but a struggle. Any gay Mormon who has these struggles still has a choice of whether or not to act on those feelings.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members continues to, and will continue to, receive a great deal of criticism and persecution for its view on homosexuality. The world’s view on many things continues to change, becoming more and more liberal. The teachings of Jesus Christ are eternal and do not change. Thus, the LDS Church’s view on the practice of homosexuality will never change.

Because the world already has a liberal view on sexuality and does not think a great deal of the practice of sex before marriage, it views the LDS Church’s views towards gay Mormons as expectations which are far too high. “It is neither fair, nor realistic” the world says, “to expect a person who has homosexual attractions to remain celibate for their entire lives.” The fact is, that the LDS Church’s expectations regarding chastity and virtue are the same for all those who are unmarried: “God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife,” the proclamation says. This means that any heterosexual individual who remains unmarried, for whatever reason, is expected to remain completely celibate.

The struggles of homosexual attraction for gay Mormons are, admittedly, very hard. Their whole culture is telling them that what they are feeling is wrong. They likely feel shame and guilt, but they should not. They cannot control their feelings and temptations, but they can control their actions. The feelings of an addict toward whatever he or she is addicted to are similar. It is not a sin to have that desire; only to succumb to it. Jesus Christ has suffered all types of sorrows and temptations. He can strengthen us and help us to overcome whatever our temptations may be. Gay Mormons should not feel any shame for their feelings, but they should turn to the Savior for His help and strength to overcome all temptations—whether those temptations are related to homosexuality or not—and have faith that He will help them overcome.

Additional Resources:

LDS Church Pamphlet on Homosexuality: “God Loveth His Children“

Mormon genealogy, also called family history, is becoming more and more popular in the secular world today. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often called the Mormon Church) has always considered family history a very important work for each individual. There are a couple of reasons for this. Any historian will tell you that we should apply lessons from history to improve the outlook for our future. Learning about our ancestors gives one perspective and roots.

We inherit far more than material possessions from those who have gone before us. Familial traits such as fortitude, integrity, religious commitment and ideals, rebellion, and many others have been passed down through generations. How do we know what our inheritance is if we do not know the people we have come from? Mormon doctrine teaches that it is a heavy responsibility to share the knowledge we have of God with our children. This is often done through personal histories.

The far more important reason behind Mormon genealogy, however, is the Mormon doctrine of salvation for the dead. Mormons believe that those who died without a chance to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ must have that opportunity. However, the saving ordinances of the gospel are physical; one must have a body to participate in them. Those who have died obviously no longer have this ability. This is where Mormon temple work comes in.

Mormons believe that the first ordinances of the gospel are baptism by immersion for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Children may be baptized after they reach age 8, but any convert to the Mormon Church participates in the same ordinances when he or she is brought into the church. The other ordinances essential to salvation are received in Mormon temples.

The first time an adult Mormon goes through a Mormon temple, he or she receives his or her personal ordinances. Each successive time a person returns to the temple, these ordinances are performed by proxy for deceased people. This means that a living person goes through the ordinance just as he would if it were for himself, but in the name of someone else. Mormon doctrine teaches that this gives the departed person the chance to accept or refuse this work in the Spirit World, whereas before, he would just be damned spiritually, unable to progress because he had not been able to receive these ordinances.

Free will, or free agency, is a key part of Mormon doctrine. Mormons believe that, though God is all powerful, loving, and omniscient, He will never force anyone to accept Him. Thus, any deceased person for whom temple work is done will still have the option of accepting the work or not. No one is being forced to convert. In addition, Mormons are strongly encouraged to do their own family history work and to bring those names to the temple. Any names of deceased people for whom work is being done in the temple are submitted by family members. You cannot take just any name to the temple and do the work for them. Either they must be a direct relative, or permission must be received from the nearest, living relative of the deceased to do work for that person.

Mormon doctrine teaches that the salvation of each of us is directly tied to the salvation of our family members. Mormons believe that families are forever. We can be sealed together by the power of God for eternity through covenants made in Mormon temples. This will bind families together after this life. The goal is to have the entire human family bound together by these loving, eternal ties, but if there are gaps in the chain, then there is a problem. Thus, Mormon geneaolgy is meant to find our family members as far back as possible to bring us all together.

Mormon doctrine teaches that the prophecy contained in Malachi 4:5–6 means we must do this work if we hope to gain our own salvation:

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Elijah had the sealing power to bind families together, and he returned to the earth to restore that power to Joseph Smith. This authority and power is what sets Mormon temples apart today; it is there the power exists that can seal us together as families for eternity, and what a magnificent blessing that is.

Mormon genealogy libraries are available worldwide to the public at no cost. This work is important for all people, whether they are of the Mormon faith or not. Names that other people find for their personal histories are not submitted to the temple. There is no subterfuge involved. Materials are simply made available to anyone who wishes to learn more about their own families. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has some of the most developed technology for genealogy, and all of it is available to the public. In addition, each family history center is equipped with trained people who can help you if you are just getting started and don’t know what you’re doing.

Mormon genealogy is simply family history, and is an important facet of the religion. If you are interested in learning more about your family history, feel free to contact workers at a family history center in your area.

One of the main challenges Mormon families face is the use of time.  It’s difficult to establish family togetherness if nobody is ever home.  Time spent on activities, lessons, classes, vocational pursuits, and athletics must be apportioned wisely so the family has time to simply be at home together, sharing meals and communicating.  As far as the successful child becoming a successful adult, happy family time appears to be more important than participating in sports or the arts.  Balance is key.  Many Mormon families have found a way to do both.

The old adage, “the family that prays together, stays together,” holds true in Mormondom.  Sunday meetings are organized to be enriching for members of all ages.  Nursery for children 18 months old to 3 years is more than playtime, but also includes rudimentary religious instruction.  Primary for children 3 to 12 provides religious classes and activities for young people.  Sunday School provides religious instruction for all members over 12.  Sacrament meeting is a worship service where families attend together and partake of the emblems of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.  Mormons are encouraged to “keep the Sabbath Day holy” by refraining from recreational or commercial activities on that day.   Since the Mormon Church has a lay clergy, it is tempting to schedule leadership meetings on Sunday, but the Church encourages large blocks of time to be made available for families to be at home.

Families are encouraged to pray together in the morning and at night, with family scripture reading to accompany one of those sessions.  Suggestions for more successful family prayer and scripture reading are often given by church leaders, especially within the pages of church magazines.  One evening each week is set aside as Family Home Evening.  Monday night is the night chosen by the Church, and no other church activities are scheduled for that night.  The family gathers together for a short lesson, activity, or outing.  Sometimes the family home evening is oriented towards religious instruction, and other times towards secular learning or fun recreation.  Manuals have been created by the Church with family home evening lesson suggestions and activity ideas.  The state of Utah in the U.S. upholds this tradition, since a large part of the state’s population is Mormon.  Community activities scheduled for Monday nights are oriented towards strengthening families.

A current subject of interest is media in the home.  Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to be keenly aware of media exposure in the home and filter television shows, music, video games, and internet sites that might depict violence or sexuality.   It is the parents’ responsibility to set a mood of happiness and spiritual well-being in the home.  Outside the home, parents should encourage clean living, avoiding questionable entertainment.

Example is the best way to influence children.  Parents who express their love to one another and treat each other with respect, who love gathering the family together to play or pray, who rejoice in the personalities and achievements of their children, and who live cleanly and responsibly themselves, are likely to raise children who will do the same.  The bottom line for a family to succeed is to find joy in living the gospel.  Family togetherness and gospel learning should be fun.  Good, clean recreation and family work projects, sing-alongs, gardening, scripture reading, and story-time should be engaged in with unabashed enjoyment.
Mormon family life is oriented towards the temple, where Mormons make eternal covenants to seal their families together forever.  Sealings in the temple are the promise of an eternity together, as long as individuals continue on in worthiness, keeping the commandments of God.  Many families have the motto, “no empty chairs,” referring to seating in the celestial room of the temple, or a gathering in heaven.  The hope is that all family members will be worthy to dwell in the kingdom of God after resurrection and judgment.  Underlying this, is the idea that families will want to be together.  Happy family life can ensure that desire.

Some interesting websites:

LDS.org: Building a Strong Family

Family Home Evening

Because man is given agency, parents are not completely responsible for their children’s actions. Mormons are taught that it is the parents’ responsibility to teach proper principles to their children and they can then govern themselves. However, sometimes children rebel against the Lord despite what they have been taught in the home. It can be painful for parents to see their children leave the church and reject Christ.  However, God is merciful and forgiving to those who go astray. Parents are to discipline with love and not anger. Abuse of any kind is unpleasing to the Lord.

A strong family is built upon a strong marriage. Couples are expected to continue to strengthen their marriages through mortality and into eternity. However, the Lord understands that people make mistakes, and thus divorce is allowed in the Mormon Church. Those who are in abusive relationships, whether physically or emotionally abusive, are supported by the church in seeking a divorce. However, couples who have lost interest in their marriage or find it too challenging are encouraged to seek counseling and remain committed to each other.

Mormons doctrine teaches that a good base for any family is a strong commitment between husband and wife. Mormons support a traditional view of marriage, consisting of a man and a woman lawfully wedded as husband and wife. Worthy members of the Mormon Church are married in the Mormon temple where they make eternal commitments to each other and God. An interesting fact is that the divorce rate of those who are married in the temple is lower than those who are married outside of the temple, emphasizing the seriousness of the eternal covenant and the eternal nature of the Mormon family.

Beliefs concerning the Mormon family can be found in a statement called “The Family: a Proclamation to the World.” It was released by the Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley in response to the rising liberal views on the family. The address outlines the purpose of marriage and its importance.  He reminds us of the importance of fidelity and trust in marriage.

Chastity before marriage is absolutely emphasized. Modern science upholds what the Lord has told us since the beginning of time, that chastity outside of marriage and fidelity in marriage brings happiness.

Mormon prophets have encouraged women to stay in the home and raise the children if they are financially able. This brings stability and love to the home, with the focus on the unity of the family rather than on material gain. Mormon men have been encouraged to work and provide monetarily for the family. The roles of father and mother are seen as equally important and necessary, and family culture is a matter decided upon by husband, wife, and the Lord. A number of Mormon wives work outside the home, and some Mormon fathers stay in the home, as necessary. The Mormon family is encouraged to prayerfully find a system that works for its individual financial and emotional needs.

Having and supporting a family through this life is the most important thing we can do on earth. When we die, we cannot take money, our jobs, or our material possessions with us. Family is the only thing we can take into the next life. It is through the family that we will find everlasting happiness. Through God’s plan, families can be together forever.

Further Questions about the Mormon family:

Do Mormons practice polygamy or plural marriage?
What are our roles as fathers and mothers?
How can I teach gospel principles in my home and strengthen my family?