Why Are We Here?

In my Family Relations class, we are talking about the trends of marriage today. A lot of things have changed, including peoples' views about marriage, from even just ten years ago: people are marrying at later ages, there is more cohabitation occurring, more people are living alone, there are more unwed births and premarital sex, and the household sizes are decreasing. All these trends seem to be interrelated with each other; I believe that families are crucial to society, and these trends are proving that many people are not putting as high a priority to having families. 

I believe we are on this earth to have families. President Kimball gave a great quote on the matter. He says:

 "You did not come on earth just to “eat, drink and be merry.” You came knowing full well your responsibilities. You came to get for yourself a mortal body that could become perfected, immortalized, and you understood that you were to act in partnership with God in providing bodies for other spirits equally anxious to come to the earth for righteous purposes. And so you will not postpone parenthood. There will be rationalists who will name to you numerous reasons for postponement. Of course, it will be harder to get your college degrees or your financial start with a family, but strength like yours will be undaunted in the face of difficult obstacles. 

“Have your family as the Lord intended. Of course it is expensive, but you will find a way, and besides, it is often those children who grow up with responsibility and hardships who carry on the world’s work. And, John and Mary, do not limit your family as the world does. I am wondering now where I might have been had my parents decided arbitrarily that one or two children would be enough, or that three or four would be all they could support, or that even five would be the limit; for I was the sixth of eleven children. Don’t think you will love the later ones less or have few material things for them. Perhaps like Jacob, you might love the eleventh one most. Young people, have your family, love them, sacrifice for them, teach them righteousness, and you will be blessed and happy all the days of your eternal lives.“ (Ensign, June 1975)

Many people do not think that it matters if they decide not to have children, and that it doesn’t affect anyone else. However, it very much matters how many children my husband and I choose to have. The part of the quote that spoke to me the most was when he said, in reference to our premortal selves, "...you understood that you were to act in partnership with God in providing bodies for other spirits equally anxious to come to the earth for righteous purposes." The whole point of the plan of happiness is to come to this earth and gain experience and learn to be obedient so that we may live with our families for eternity with God. We chose to come to earth, and here we are, at this very moment, and we are gaining experience. We have the responsibility, not only to make sure we do the best that we can personally while on this earth, but that we provide the opportunity for more of God's "anxious" children to have an earthly experience. So yes, it does matter how many children my husband and I choose to have, and it does affect people besides just me. It affects the spirit children who are so excited to come to this earth to gain a body. Who am I to deny them of that opportunity? So I will have children. I will have as many children as God will bless me with; however many children he has planned for my husband and me to bring into this world.

Not only does God want us to raise many of his children, he wants us to raise them in righteousness. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 93 verse 40, it says, “But I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth.” Let’s be honest for a moment… Being a mother is a scary thing. I am scared for it. I am going to be responsible for a select number of God’s children, and he expects me to raise them right. He expects me to do my best in teaching them how to love one another, how to be obedient, and, in turn, how to become honorable mothers and fathers to their children. It’s a lot of responsibility to place on a couple of clueless kids (I feel like I’m clueless, at any rate). But I know that if I put forth my best effort, the Lord will bless me. He’ll totally bless my husband and I in our journey of parenthood.

Well! There you have it. Those are a couple of my thoughts on parenting. Enough about me, what are your thoughts on parenthood?