It Is What God Gave You Time For!

       Bearing and rearing children is a divine call and is a gift that brings us that much closer to our Heavenly Father. It gives us a glimpse of how great His love is for all of us. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states, "God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force."

"It is what God gave you time for!" ~Elder Neil L. Andersen  (Click Here for the link to the talk that inspired this video)

     I love this quote. I love thinking about this as we learn that though the world population is at it's highest ever, the rate of childbirth is at it's lowest ever and is projected to continue in decline. We are being constantly told by the media and confused sources that we are overpopulating the earth and we have to back off, but what they aren't looking at is that people are living longer and the group of people that are living longer right now is the biggest group of people we have ever had (baby boomers) and we are getting a false sense of overpopulation. Along with things I have previously shared, we are living in a me society. Everything is selfish and if we continue on this trend, why would we have a desire to have children? The media tells us that children will only hold us back, but I say that this just isn't true. This is what God gave us time for.  

“And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin” (2 Ne. 2:23)."

President James E. Faust said, "...while few human challenges are greater than that of being good parents, few opportunities offer greater potential for joy". Right along with that is what Elder Russell M. Nelson offered, "God has revealed the eternal nature of celestial marriage and the family as the source of our greatest joy."  I have a testimony of the things that these great men have said. All my life I have wanted to be able to be a part of this. To know the joy of parenthood and hopefully someday I will be able to. It is something that I think all of us long for in someway, even if we don't recognize it or don't let ourselves recognize it.  Now, don't forget to remember all of the principles I have and will talk about in other posts pertaining to marriage and children. The Family: A Proclamation to the World also states, 

"Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."

President Gordon B. Hinckley: "Of all the joys of life, none other equals that of happy parenthood. Of all the responsibilities with which we struggle, none other is so serious. To rear children in an atmosphere of love, security, and faith is the most rewarding of all challenges. The good result form such efforts becomes life's most satisfying compensation." 

Elder Dallin H. Oaks: "Mothers suffer pain and loss of personal priorities and comforts to bear and rear each child. Fathers adjust their lives and priorities to support a family. The gap between those who are and those who are not willing to do this is widening in today's world...We rejoice that so many Latter-day Saint couples are among that unselfish group who are willing to surrender their personal priorities and serve the Lord by bearing and rearing the children our Heavenly Father sends to their care." 

(In regards to Chapter 14 of the text, " Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives")