FAMILY QUOTES

Today I call upon members of the Church and on committed parents, grandparents, and extended family members everywhere to hold fast to this great proclamation, to make it a banner not unlike General Moroni’s “title of liberty,” and to commit ourselves to live by its precepts. As we are all part of a family, the proclamation applies to everyone. Elder M. Russell Ballard, What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest, October 2005 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/10/what-matters-most-is-what-lasts-longest?lang=eng

Remember, “a soft answer turneth away wrath” (Prov. 15:1). When my sweetheart and I were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, Elder Harold B. Lee gave us wise counsel: “When you raise your voice in anger, the Spirit departs from your home.” We must never, out of anger, lock the door of our home or our heart to our children. Like the prodigal son, our children need to know that when they come to themselves they can turn to us for love and counsel.  Elder Robert D. Hales, Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty, April 1999 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng

Act with faith; don’t react with fear. When our teenagers begin testing family values, parents need to go to the Lord for guidance on the specific needs of each family member. This is the time for added love and support and to reinforce your teachings on how to make choices. It is frightening to allow our children to learn from the mistakes they may make, but their willingness to choose the Lord’s way and family values is greater when the choice comes from within than when we attempt to force those values upon them. The Lord’s way of love and acceptance is better than Satan’s way of force and coercion, especially in rearing teenagers. Elder Robert D. Hales, Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty, April 1999 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng

…every year should be the Year of the Family. However, as Latter-day Saints, we need to do better in our families—much better! There should be less wringing of hands and more loving arms around our families.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Take Especial Care Of Your Family, April 1994 General Conference.  http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/take-especial-care-of-your-family?lang=eng

We do have one media source, however, that reaches the entire Church—it is our wonderful Church magazines. These magazines come into our homes regularly and are another way of delivering information to help strengthen the family….We can also alert you to the fact that our June issues of the Church magazines will be dedicated to a family theme. Elder L. Tom Perry, The Importance of the Family, April 2003 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-importance-of-the-family?lang=eng

“President Brigham Young explained that our families are not yet ours. The Lord has committed them to us to see how we will treat them. Only if we are faithful will they be given to us forever. What we do on earth determines whether or not we will be worthy to become heavenly parents.”  Elder L. Tom Perry, The Importance of the Family, April 2003 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2003/04/the-importance-of-the-family?lang=eng

The temptation your children will face will not come at home nor in the seminary class. It will come later, when they are away from both teacher and parent. One day you must set them free. When that day comes, howfree will they be, and how safe? It will depend on how much truth they have received.  Elder Boyd K. Packer, Agency and Control, April 1983 General Conference. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1983/04/agency-and-control?lang=eng

The key to strengthening our families is having the Spirit of the Lord come into our homes. The goal of our families is to be on the strait and narrow path.  Elder Robert D. Hales, Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty, April 1999 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng

Every family can be strengthened in one way or another if the Spirit of the Lord is brought into our homes and we teach by His example.  Elder Robert D. Hales, Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty, April 1999 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng

Act with faith; don’t react with fear. When our teenagers begin testing family values, parents need to go to the Lord for guidance on the specific needs of each family member. This is the time for added love and support and to reinforce your teachings on how to make choices. It is frightening to allow our children to learn from the mistakes they may make, but their willingness to choose the Lord’s way and family values is greater when the choice comes from within than when we attempt to force those values upon them. The Lord’s way of love and acceptance is better than Satan’s way of force and coercion, especially in rearing teenagers. .  Elder Robert D. Hales, Strengthening Families: Our Sacred Duty, April 1999 General Conference, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1999/04/strengthening-families-our-sacred-duty?lang=eng