Family,
Since there were only two comments on last week's FBE (thanks Matt and Crystal,) we're going to leave it on for another week, because I watched it in its entirety again today, and again found it very instructive, especially applicable to all of you married couples, as well as to Abby who will be going through the temple in less than a month. Elder Hales talks about vital things to each of us - especially the parts about provident living and temple covenants. Sage advice from a very wise and inspired man. Below, I will copy his conclusion. It is also good, but I ask that you each at least watch the parts about provident living and temple covenants. I would suggest that you couples watch those parts together for an extended home evening tommorrow night after the kids are in bed. You both need to watch it and it will probably take 20 minutes. To prepare and make it less time consuming, sometime tommorrow, click the link in my original post below, and then click the English video stream and let it run to the end, but leave it up until you are together. Then just drag the cursor to about the 3/5s point, and watch. It will be worth your time. Then share your comments with all of us.
Here's Elder Hales' conclusion:
I have observed over the years, many couples who have maintained strong and vital marriages as they have remained true to there temple covenants. Let me share with you what I have seen these successful couples do. These seemingly little things have fortified and strengthened not only themselves, but their families.
First, Couples who build strong marriages and families know who they are. They know they are a son or daughter of God, and they set eternal goals to once again live with our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. They strive to leave the ways of the natural man behind.
Second, they know the doctrines of the gospel and the importance of the temple ordinances and covenants. They know that keeping their covenant is necessary to obtaining eternal goals.
Third, they choose to obtain the eternal blessings of the Kingdom of God, rather than temporal and temporary possessions of the world. They seek high ground, and stay there.
Fourth, such couples realize that when they are sealed for time and all eternity, they have chosen an eternal companion. There is no need to look any further. Their courting days are over.
Fifth, these couples think of one another before themselves. They grow together and not apart as they serve one another, love one another, care for one another, and as they communicate together with the Lord in prayer. They converse often with one another, thereby never letting little things become big things. They talk early about the little hurts, with little fear of offending. This way, they avoid big explosions or bitter feelings. It is so much better to let off a little steam before the top blows on a pressure cooker. These couples seek one another’s good, and avoid selfishness which suffocates spiritual sensitivity. They do not nag, ridicule, or speak ill of one another to others. They know that such language damages the eternal potential of their relationship. They are willing to change their hearts to repent, apologize, if they have hurt the one they love. They work now to improve their relationship, knowing they are not suddenly going to become nicer when they die. They cultivate a thoughtful, considerate spirit and love one another always. In so doing, they lift each other to high ground and strengthen one another to stay there, and they make a determination that they will always remain there on the high ground together.
HISTORY
A Little History:
Our story begins in Pocatello, Idaho, circa 1972, when the lovely Debby Christensen agreed to a first, though fateful date with admirer, David Croshaw. Long story-short, he bade her follow him, and they went arm-in-arm to the Logan, Utah temple for establishment of an eternal family unit, Generation 1, on May 23 1973.
From their first blissful summer in Salt Lake City, educational pursuits took them to Provo/Orem, Utah, birthplace of Leslie and Rebecca, and to San Francisco/Oakland California, birthplace of Colin and Matt. Then, for establishment of livelihood, expansion of the tribe with Abby and Dana, and for raising/unifying of Generation 2, it was back to the roots in Pocatello for a rewarding sojourn.
In time, driven by a raging, but commonly shared sense of adventure and independence, one-by-one, Generation 2 escaped the homeland to distant regions of the country and the world, each ultimately developing their own tribal expansions by pairing with worthy mates and initiating Generation 3.
Now sensing fulfillment of their purpose in Pocatello, Generation 1 has also left those roots and transplanted to Cascade Idaho, from which base, they anticipate more abundant contact with The Posterity, Generations 2 and 3, in the future. That contact however, awaits fulfillment of a call to LDS missionary service in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, wherein they hope to help the state of the world by sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
So now, including Generation 0 (Grandma and Grandpa Christensen) home base includes Yuma, Arizona, Pocatello, Idaho, Cascade, Idaho, Vancouver, BC, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Spokane, Washington, Boise, Idaho, Los Angeles, California, back to Boise, Idaho, and on and on (Generation 3+) to infinity.
Our Mission Statement:
This is the blog of our eternal family unit. Initiated years ago, it served well as a journal, but even more so, as an archive of our personal interaction. It was a gathering place, a confabulation instrument, a unifying force for four generations of widely dispersed and progressively prolific posterity, and their valued associates. Though it served these purposes well for many years, it eventually took a back seat to new-kids-on-the-block, Facebook, and Instagram, and was sadly forgotten.
We now move to resurrect this blog with an added functional purpose of archiving the missionary experiences of Generation 1, of their movements and activities as they participate with The Gathering of Israel in the land northward. In so doing, we hope that via their own comments and posts, this blog will again serve to gather and unify the posterity and their friends.
As in the past, that the young and vibrant may know the old and tired, that enduring bonds may be fostered and maintained, that experience and encouragement may be openly shared, that posterity may embrace truth, and that hearts may be knit together, we must resist detachment despite our geographic divergence. We shall do so here.
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