FPP: Family life

 This week I want to talk about supporting family members and the subject of “Honor Thy Father”.

We all know that we need to support each other in a family. We need to be there for our sibling’s sporting events, weddings, blessings, etc. But I am not going to discuss the nuclear family support system, but the extended family support system. I think that most of us care very deeply about our nuclear family. We talk to our parents and siblings often, but what about our grandparents, our cousins, our aunts? You do care about them. Why don’t you do anything about it?  Is our relationship with them as strong as it could be? I know that I need to improve. My grandparents live in another country and I talk to them maybe around 6-8 times a year. That is so sad to think about. Sometimes we get too caught up in our own lives that we forget about our extended family. President Ezra Taft Benson said,

“We encourage families to give their elderly parents and grandparents the love, care and attention they deserve.”

I think that many of us fall into the trap of thinking that our parents or grandparents are too old, they can’t remember things, they say hurtful words, etc. Those things are probably true. But we have to remember that because of the things that they did or didn’t do we are the person we are today. We need to learn to love them and truly care about them and their needs. Sometimes elderly people need us there just so they know that we care. They don’t need us to bring them anything; they just want us to love them.

My grandparents

My next subject is “Honoring Thy Father”. I am going to do this in a different perspective. I am not going to discuss the ways that we should honor our fathers, but what it is needed from fathers to be honored. Parenthood is not easy, but it is one of the greatest joys! Fathers need to preside in preside over their family. Fathers are “a powerful spiritual figure in the family.” Children need their fathers to share their spiritual experiences with them. Sometimes we leave that up to the mother, but it is essential that children know that their father has a testimony.

A father needs to be present. Most of our fathers work really hard during the day and sometimes we don’t see them until the next morning. But make sure that when you have time, you spend it with your family. Children need their father and they will respect you because of that. Be there for them. My dad is a busy individual with work and church. My mom wasn’t able to always be there when I had dance competitions because she had to take care of my little sister. But my dad was there. I loved that! He would always yell my name and embarrass me before a performance with his whistling. But I loved that he was present!

The last points are that fathers are supposed to provide for their family and to be partners with their spouse. Fathers don’t just need to provide financial means but also emotional as I’ve mentioned before. Lastly, fathers and mothers will work better in the family unit if they are united.  As children we should have respect for our parents. But parents need to things that children will admire, always remember, so that honor can increase daily.

My parents and Keally

That is it for this week! I hope you all enjoyed it. Sorry for the spelling errors. Have a great weekend :)