But aside from those things, a few quotes from the reading by some church leaders really stood out to me the most. First was this one by Brigham Young.
“There are
multitudes of pure and holy spirits waiting to take tabernacles, now what is
our duty?—To prepare tabernacles for them; to take a course that will not tend
to drive those spirits into the families of the wicked, where they will be
trained in wickedness, debauchery, and every species of crime. It is the duty
of every righteous man and woman to prepare tabernacles for all the spirits
they can.”
President Brigham Young
I found this quote very interesting because I never really thought of birth this way. It makes sense that those of us that know about the gospel and know why we come to earth would be more inclined to help out our fellow man, even if they are our child. They still deserve to be brought up in righteousness and not start off life in an already bad situation. I just never really thought of this like that before.
The second quote by Spencer W. Kimball is,
"You did
not come on earth just to “eat, drink and be merry.” You came knowing full well
your responsibilities. You came to get for yourself a mortal body that could
become perfected, immortalized, and you understood that you were to act in
partnership with God in providing bodies for other spirits equally anxious to
come to the earth for righteous purposes. And so you will not postpone
parenthood. There will be rationalists who will name to you numerous reasons
for postponement. Of course, it will be harder to get your college degrees or
your financial start with a family, but strength like yours will be undaunted
in the face of difficult obstacles."
This quote relating to the same type of thing was also interesting to me. It opened my eyes to how faith works so much in conjunction just with the formation of families. And again before I read this quote I didn't really think about this topic so much in this way, so it was refreshing to hear this kind of thought. It really is not what you may think is best, but it's what God's will is that's important.
The last quote also by President Kimball is,
“Have your
family as the Lord intended. Of course it is expensive, but you will find a
way, and besides, it is often those children who grow up with responsibility
and hardships who carry on the world’s work. And, John and Mary, do not limit
your family as the world does. I am wondering now where I might have been had
my parents decided arbitrarily that one or two children would be enough, or
that three or four would be all they could support, or that even five would be
the limit; for I was the sixth of eleven children. Don’t think you will love
the later ones less or have few material things for them. Perhaps like Jacob,
you might love the eleventh one most. Young people, have your family, love
them, sacrifice for them, teach them righteousness, and you will be blessed and
happy all the days of your eternal lives.“
Again this quote calls for much faith. I could not imagine my family if one of the younger kids was not born. It puts having children in a perspective that makes it seem like it is one of the most important things in the world. But that's because it is.
