Family life is happiest when family life is founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Describing his eternal purpose in creating man, God said, “Men are that they might have joy.” The more we strive to become like God, the greater becomes our capacity for happiness, with happy family life being happiness’ highest expression. The opposite is true: “Wickedness never was happiness.”
God’s greatest happiness is His family—eternal family life–which consumes his entire attention: “This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” We can become like God and experience this degree of happiness, described as a fullness of joy. To do this we must:
- receive a physical body in the image of God’s body
- seek to worthily qualify to enter into the marriage covenant, defined as the legal union between a man and a woman
- keep the marriage covenant with full fidelity
- obey the all teachings of Jesus Christ, including the proper and sacred use of the powers of procreation within the marriage covenant.
In a family founded upon the teachings of Jesus, the following should occur:
- All members of the family strive to understand and to keep the commandments of God and support each other in doing so.
- Home is a happy place, where all strive to keep contention at bay.
- Family members communicate in such a way as to increase faith.
- Prayer and scripture study are part of family routine.
- The family enjoys wholesome recreational activities together.
- Parents and children work together, so children learn a healthy work ethic.
- Unsavory media are kept out of the home. Parents discuss with their children unsavory situations encountered by accident.
- Parents are examples of fidelity, respect, honesty, and integrity.