Eternal Family Midterm 1 Whitehead

Why BYU?

D&C 88:118 - seek learning

What are BYU's aims?

1. Spiritual strengthening 2. Intellectually enlarging 3. character building. 4. Lifelong learning and service

Why require students to take a course on the eternal family?

Gives a unique, eternal perspective on life.

What three principles will guide the course?

1. The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. 2. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ 3. When trying to navigate, look to the ideal

What role do prophets have in revealing and teaching truths regarding the eternal family?

Eternal truths continue to be revealed by prophets through an ongoing restoration.

What is the definition and difference between core, supporting, policy, and esoteric teachings and doctrine?

Center: core eternal teachings and doctrine (what our testimony should be centered on) Next level: supporting teachings and doctrine (the how) Next level: policy teachings and doctrine (subject to change) Esoteric teachings and doctrine (deep doc)

What sources help us to understand official Church teachings?

1. repeatedly found in the scriptures 2. proclaimed by the united voice of the current First Presidency and Q of the 12. 3. consistently taught by current General Authorities 4. found in recent Church publications or statements

How can the plan of salvation be explained through relationships?

Premortal life: relationship with our heavenly parents Earth life: friends, family, ward members, schoolmates, neighbors, God and Jesus Spirit world: Ancestors Kingdoms of glory: Heavenly parents, Jesus, family, friends… ect.

Why are family Relationships so important within the plan of salvation?

The ultimate mission of our savior's church is to help us achieve exaltation in the celestial kingdom, and that can only be accomplished in a family relationship.

Who is God and what is his work?

Our heavenly Father Bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man

According to President Nelson, what identity is the most important identity for us to know?

A child of God

How does what we do know about our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother help us with understanding the purpose of family?

Identity = Destiny

What are some of the divine attributes we have inherited from our Heavenly Parents?

The nature of happiness Relational nature power, knowledge, and goodness, true joy and happiness, glorified perfected beings

What do the creation, the Fall, and the Atonement teach us about eternal families?

Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement are the three pillars to eternal progression

Why should we focus on the who and why of creation instead of the how and when?

those questions have a direct impact on who God is and who we are.

What does the Creation teach us about our Heavenly Father?

nothing was accidental. We are His people

What does the Creation teach us about ourselves and our families?

We are a part of Gods purpose, the earth was created that families might be

Does our concept of creation clash with science?

There is no conflict between science and religion. Conflict only arises from an incomplete knowledge of either science or religion, or both. . . All truth is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether truth comes from a scientific laboratory or by revelation from the Lord, it is compatible.

was the fall of Adam and Eve good or bad? Why do we as latter-day saints believe the way we believe?

Good. The Lord created the earth that it should be inhabited and without the Fall, Adam and eve would have had no children

Why does it seem that God gave contradictory commandments to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden?

Elohim [our Heavenly Father] certainly could not force innocent parties out of the garden and still be a just God. . . Adam and Eve--and we--knowingly and lovingly absolved God of the responsibility for the 'thorns and thistles' of a fallen world that was personally chosen by us, not capriciously imposed by him. - Jeffrey R. Holland

What does the Fall teach us about the nature of our Heavenly Father? Eternal Families?

And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. - Moses 5:11 The fall had a twofold direction--downward, yet forward. It brought man into the world and set his feet on progression's highway. - Orson F. Whitney

What does the Fall teach us about the role of agency in our Heavenly Fathers plan of salvation?

in order to have agency we need: eternal law, opposition or opposites, including enticement to the good and the evil, a knowledge of good and evil, and the freedom or ability to choose

Why is the family God's Laboratory?

laboratory is a place where we take what we have learned and apply it.

What do the Savior's Teachings, titles, and Gift of repentance teach us about "happiness in family life?"

The beatitudes found in the sermon on the mount give us direction When we choose to repent we choose to change, we allow the savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves

How does our belief that "each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of Heavenly Parents" help us in our understanding the eternal nature of gender?

Heavenly Parents are perfect and eternal. Part of their perfect and eternal nature is their gender. Our belief that the purpose of the Plan of Salvation is to become like them helps us to understand that our genders are eternal. The differences between men and women are not simply biological. They are woven into the fabric of the universe, a vital, foundational element of eternal life and divine nature. - Elder Bruce D. Porter

What is the role of policy?

A course or principle of action meant to communicate an organization's culture, values, and philosophy

What is the role of ministering in the church?

Attending to the needs of an individual

How can the role of policy and ministering help guide us during moments of ambiguity that sometimes occur with gender?

• As a church, we recognize that gender incongruence is a real experience for some in mortality. The Church does not have an official explanation as to why some experience gender incongruence. - The policies of the Church related to gender are based on the teaching in the Family Proclamation that gender is part of our premortal, mortal, and eternal identity.

How should Latter-day Saints treat those who experience gender incongruence?

-We as members of the Savior's church are also called to love and minister to all individuals including those whose experience gender incongruence.

4 companion principles

Equality, Interdependence, Unity, Complementarity

What is the priesthood?

Power and authority of God

How does the priesthood operate within the Church?

Hierarchal/ administrative

How does the priesthood operate within the home?

Patriarchal, mother and father act in unity

What is the preeminent and overarching principle of the husband/wife relationship?

Equal partnership

What does it mean to nurture?

to nourish, teach, and support, following the example of the Savior

How can women nurture within the home and the Church?

provide love and influence, to care for, support, educate, encourage, to protect, to teach, and to help someone to grow and develop spiritually and physically.

What should influence a women's decision when it comes to education?

Husbands and wives should prayerfully counsel together, understanding they are accountable to God for their decisions. - Quentin L. Cook

What role do fathers have within the plan of salvation?

Preside, provide, and protect their families.

What is a husband's most important priesthood responsibility?

care for his wife - President Nelson

What does it spiritually mean that fathers are to preside, provide, and protect within the home?

preside: perform priesthood ordinances, give priesthood blessings, and pray for and with family members. provide: has both temporal and spiritual components. protect: create a home that is a haven against the storms and struggles of life.

What is a covenant, and why do they matter?

A sacred promise with God in which he fixes the terms. Through covenants, we create a relationship with God that allows Him to bless and change us.

What is the greatest compliment that can be said about us?

to be known as a covenant keeper

What are ordinances and how are they performed?

a sacred, formal act or ceremony performed by the authority of the priesthood in which we make a covenant.

What is a saving ordinance?

• Baptism - Confirmation and gift of the Holy Ghost - Conferral of the Melchizedek Priesthood - Temple endowment - Temple sealing

How can we prepare ourselves to worship in the temple?

use church resources on preparation for the temple. focus on the spiritual rather than the mechanical.

post midterm…

What is the new and everlasting covenant of marriage?

The patriarchal order - the priesthood government by family organization.

How do we enter into it?

marriage/sealing ordinance

How is this covenant different than the other covenants that we make with our Heavenly Father?

it is between us, Heavenly Father, and spouse

What are the blessings of the new and everlasting covenant of marriage?

D&C 132:20 - they shall be gods

What are the four elements of the sealing ordinance?

1. Individual covenants and blessings 2. Joint covenants and blessings 3. Joining in celestial marriage 4. Blessings for children born in the covenant

What are some guiding principles that can help us as we think about many of the "what about" type of questions we have associated with eternal marriage?

• No one will be denied any blessing that Heavenly Father has promised all of His children because of something outside their control. - Heavenly Father will not override agency. - Heavenly Father loves us with a perfect love and will do everything in His power to exalt us. - Through the grace of Christ, Heavenly Father can provide solutions to temporary situations outside our control.

What is a christ-centered explanation of love?

Christ taught to love "as I have loved you" with charity

How is love an agentic verb, a process, and other centered?

We are responsible for making it grow, and we have the capacity through our choices and actions to build loving eternal families. True love is to be discovered as a decision. this true love has two components: 1) a selfless attitude, and 2) selfless action.

How can we make the decision to be married?

God will not choose for you. Go to work, proceed with trust, have real intent.

What are different types of intimacy and how can they help a couple build a happy marriage?

intimacy is the innermost, deepest connection. examples of intimacy are emotional, intellectual, aesthetic, creative, recreational, work, conflict, crisis, spiritual, sexual

what are the dimensions of our sexual nature and how do each help to build a happy marriage?

Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical

How can a couple hold a helpful, positive dialogue about their marital intimacy?

the more a husband and wife experience open communication, trust, and emotional closeness with each other, the greater their prospects for enjoying true marital intimacy

What are some general gender differences when it comes to physical intimacy?

Husbands: intimmacy encourages a relationship, often physical first then emotions, often immediate, tough is intimacy, stimulated by seeing and touching. Wifes: Relationship encourages intimacy, often emotions first then physical, often deliberate, tough leads to intimacy, often stimulated by talking and touching.

What are the principles of sexual decision making?

1.Marital Unity: Does this strengthen our relationship with each other and with God? 2.Couple Consensus: Do we agree on this aspect of our marital sexuality? 3.Positive Attitudes: Does this reflect a positive and healthy attitude about sexuality? 4.Sexual Potential: Does this foster the sexual needs of my spouse and myself?

How are intimacy, sexuality, and chastity interconnected?

the spirit and the body are the soul of man, a symbol of total union, "a sacred sacrament" symbolic of a union between mortals and deity.

How does breaking the law of chastity, including pornography, damage intimacy?

it not only hurts their relationships and leaves them feeling lonely but also makes them more vulnerable to depression, poor self-esteem, and anxiety. Also, when romantic partners keep secrets from each other, their trust in each other erodes and their confidence in their relationships starts to struggle.

What can help us to repent and change in moments when we may have broken this law?

repentance = fresh view about god, about oneself, and about the world. usually temptations come because of unmet needs.

what are some factors a couple should consider before they have children?

What is the official church teaching on when life begins?

It is a fact that a child has life before birth. However, there is no direct revelation on when the spirit enters the body. Families may record the name of a stillborn child on the family group record followed by the word stillborn in parentheses.

what is the churches policy on abortion?

The Church opposes elective abortion for personal or social convenience. Members must not submit to, perform, arrange for, pay for, consent to, or encourage an abortion. The only possible exceptions are when: - Pregnancy resulted from forcible rape or incest. - A competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy. - A competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.

Why are traditions important, and how do they cement families together?

1.Traditions are a source of strength 2.Traditions are a source of identity 3.Traditions are a source of connections between generations 4.Traditions allow families to examine themselves and their customs 5.Traditions are a source of faith and meaning

What are the nine proclamation principles, and how can family traditions help to teach and establish them in our marriages and families?

faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.

Why is work important?

1.Self reliance, self discipline 2.Learn skills, coordination, organization, etc. 3.Carry tasks to completion 4.Positive attitudes toward work 5.Contribution to the family 6.Healthy self concept Build family relationships

Why is play important?

1.Builds family strength and unity: cooperation, communication, family satisfaction, more positive interaction between parent and child 2.Renewal of spirit, mind and body: health, perspective, balance 3.Relieves stress, handle crisis/challenges better

What are the four companionship principles of a partner marriage?

Equality, Interdependence, Unity, Complementarity

How can these companionship principles help us as we disagree with our spouse and others?

It helps us align expectations. One of the reasons that the marriage institution does not live up to its expectations is because of the many myths and unrealistic expectations that individuals bring to marriage.

What are the four gospel principles on navigating conflict and avoiding contention?

1. "Conflict is inevitable. Contention is a choice." 2. During moments of conflict, choosing to focus on the relationship just as much as the content of the conversation helps us to avoid contention. 3. Take responsibility for improving yourself 4. Learn to understand and discuss differing expectations.

Why is an individual's personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ important when trying to navigate and answer difficult questions to LGBTQ+ issues?

The saviors job is to heal. our job is to love.

What are three ways that Becky Borden teaches LGBTQ+ individuals to trust in God?

1. Focus on your feet 2. There is a path to joy and a place in the gospel for all Saints, including those who are LGBTQ 3. Sexual attraction doesn't override agency

How can we minister to LGBTQ+ individuals in the church and in our families?

"We need to listen to and understand what our LGBT brothers and sisters are feeling and experiencing. Certainly we must do better than we have done in the past so that all members feel they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord." -Elder Ballard

What is the number one reason people leave religious organizations?

they feel judged or unwelcome.

How can we help to create a place of grace and space for all our Heavenly Father's children?

assisting those in need, look to make all feel welcome.

What does it mean to be a high love, high expectations parent, and what impact does this parenting style have on children?

your actions are led by love while maintain accountability and high expectations outcomes for children: upbeat mood, high self-esteem, self control, task persistence and cooperativeness, social and moral maturity, academic achievement.

What are three principles for being a high love, high expectation parent?

1. Let your children see and experience the joy of the gospel 2. Follow the principles of agency 3. Disciplining is different than punishing.

What is the relationship between temporal well-being and spiritual well-being?

they are connected. D&C 29:34-35 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created. Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual.

When is it okay to go into debt?

education, home, automobile

What are the principles of provident living?

1.Husbands and wives should counsel together and use family councils to make financial decisions. 2.The foundation of provident living is the law of the tithe. 3.Be an example with the payment of fast offerings. (A fast offering is at least the cost of the two consecutive meals from which we fast each month.) 4.Establish a family budget and involve children.

what is the role of P. Nelson, the church, and the members of it in the last days?

promote measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

When does the church involve itself in political and societal issues

when it has to do with the family unit.

How can we as individuals promote, maintain, and strengthen the teachings contain within the Family Proclamation?

• Marriage remains a proven path to happiness and good health. - Marriage is good for health. Married men live healthier lifestyles. They eat better and visit the doctor with higher regularity. - Married people are also less likely to experience depression or anxiety. - Married people often live longer and make better life choices than their unmarried counterparts. - Married people do better financially. - Marriage is also the safest arrangement for children.

How can we be tolerant of others and still stand up for our beliefs?

follow the principle of being as fair and sensitive to as many people as possible. The Church believes in and teaches fairness for al