Family

"Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Is that faith? Yes! Is that hope? Yes! Is it charity? Yes! Above all, it is charity, the pure love of Christ. If something is buried in the past, leave it buried. Don’t keep going back with your little sand pail and beach shovel to dig it up, wave it around, and then throw it at someone, saying, “Hey! Do you remember this?” Splat!"

Elder Jeffery R. Holland
"Remember Lot's Wife"
January 19, 2009 BYU Devotional


"For some of us, the test in the schoolroom of mortality will be to want marriage and children in this life with all our hearts, but to have it delayed or denied. Even such a sorrow can be turned to a blessing by a just and loving Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. No one who strives with full faith and heart for the blessings of eternal life will be denied. And how great will be the joy and how much deeper the appreciation then after enduring in patience and faith now."

Elder Henry B. Eyring
"The Family"
November 5, 1995 BYU Devotional


"The family is not just the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional


"Fathers should seek constantly for guidance from the Holy Ghost so they will know what to do, what to say, and also know what not to do and what not to say. They serve the family and the Church in the spirit of love and enthusiasm, by example preparing family members to serve—especially preparing sons to serve as worthy missionaries."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"The Sacred Responsibilities of Parents"
August 19, 2003 Church Education Week Devotional

"We have tasted of life’s successes and sorrows. We have dealt with disappointment, disease, and death among our children. But death cannot divide families sealed in the temple. That period of separation is only temporary. Thanks to the Lord’s great plan of happiness, we can all face the future with great faith and optimism."

Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Faith and Families"
February 6, 2007 CES Fireside

"The main effects of these depreciating attitudes about the sanctity of marriage are the consequences to families—the strength of families is deteriorating at an alarming rate. This deterioration is causing widespread damage to society. I see direct cause and effect. As we give up commitment and fidelity to our marriage partners, we remove the glue that holds our society together."

Elder L. Tom Perry

"Obedience to Law is Liberty"

April 2013 General Conference

"Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family."

Elder M. Russell Ballard
"What Matters Most Is What Lasts Longest"
October 2005 General Conference

"A husband's highest priesthood duty is to love and care for his wife, to bless her and their children. A wife's highest calling is to love her husband and nurture their children. As you serve the Lord, know that your "duty is unto the church forever, and this because of [your] family"

Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Identity, Priority, and Blessings"
September 10, 2000 CES Fireside

"In terms of giving fathers love and understanding, it should be remembered that fathers also have times of insecurity and doubt. Everyone knows fathers make mistakes—especially they themselves. Fathers need all the help they can get; mostly they need love, support, and understanding from their own."

President Faust
"The Father Who Cares"
September 2006 Ensign
First Presidency Message

“Today is always a better day to repent than any tomorrow. … Even should we be forgiven at some later time, the Lord cannot restore the good effects our repentance today might have had on those we love and are to serve. That is particularly poignant for the parents of young children. In those tender years there are chances for shaping and lifting spirits which may never come again. But even the grandfather who may have missed chances with his own children might, by choosing to repent today, do for grandchildren what he once could have done for their parents.”

President Henry B. Eyring

"Do Not Delay" 

November 1999 Ensign

"Brethren, do you lead out in family activities such as scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening, or does your wife fill in the gap your lack of attention leaves in the home? Do you tell your wife often how very much you love her? It will bring her great happiness. I’ve heard men tell me when I say that, “Oh, she knows.” You need to tell her. A woman grows and is greatly blessed by that reassurance. Express gratitude for what your spouse does for you. Express that love and gratitude often. That will make life far richer and more pleasant and purposeful. Don’t withhold those natural expressions of love. And it works a lot better if you are holding her close while you tell her."

Elder Richard G. Scott

"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"
April 2011 General Conference


"Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage. It is the primary cause of contented, well-developed children. Who can justly measure the righteous influence of a mother’s love? What enduring fruits result from the seeds of truth that a mother carefully plants and lovingly cultivates in the fertile soil of a child’s trusting mind and heart? As a mother you have been given divine instincts to help you sense your child’s special talents and unique capacities. With your husband you can nurture, strengthen, and cause those traits to flower."

Elder Richard G. Scott

"The Eternal Blessings of Marriage"

April 2011 General Conference