The Family Proclamation ends with a call to action, urging us all to strengthen families. Laws, company policies, schools, neighbors, and extended family can all have a significant impact. It's important for us to see the people around us as members of families and to consider how we are supporting and strengthening those families.
By Me or by My Word
The Savior taught Joseph Smith that only God can create eternal things. Therefore, if we want our marriages to last forever, we must enter the covenant as He established it and live according to His teachings within the marriage.
Fire, Snow, Sun, and Great Waters
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery described the Savior using biblical imagery: eyes like fire, hair like the snow, a countenance like the sun, and a voice like great waters. These metaphors remind us that the Savior knows us perfectly, that He is pure and holy, that He radiates light, and that He speaks with power.
These Truths
The Declaration of Independence of the United States articulates several important principles which are affirmed in modern revelation. These principles include the equality of God's children, our universal ability to recognize truth, and the right of each person to seek after happiness.
Esteeming Your Brother as Yourself
The Lord commands us to esteem others as ourselves. Book of Mormon prophets teach this principle and warn us against placing ourselves above others. Peer relationships may generate unhealthy competition, but when we see one another through God's eyes, we can overcome this temptation and recognize the infinite worth of each of His children.
Thy Calling, Thy Duty
God's callings serve two purposes: giving us opportunities to serve others while simultaneously opening our hearts to receive the sanctifying power of Jesus Christ.
Wealth and Wisdom
In the book Predictably Irrational, Duke University professor Dan Ariely examines a number of situations where monetizing something cheapens it. For example, if you offered to pay your mother-in-law for preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, she would probably be insulted. Some things have intrinsic value which cannot and should not be measured in terms of money.... Continue Reading →
None Other Work
The Lord told the ancient prophet Joseph that He would command Joseph Smith to do "none other work" than what he had been given to do. We can apply this principle by fulfilling our assignments well and not doing someone else's job for them.
Strictness
God's commandments are strict. Korihor thought this meant that we lack freedom. But God's strictness is not an attempt to subvert our agency. It is a vote of confidence in us, a vision of what we can become, with His help.
Equal Rights, Shared Responsibilities
Mosiah wanted his people to have equal rights and privileges. They understood that rights and responsibilities are interconnected, and they accepted not only new freedoms but also increased accountability for their actions.