The Family: A Proclamation to the
World
1. “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve
Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim
that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family
is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
2. “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of
God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as
such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential
characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and
purpose.
3. “In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and
worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His
children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress
toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir
of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to
be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in
holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God
and for families to be united eternally.
4. “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve
pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare
that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth
remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred
powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully
wedded as husband and wife.
5. “We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be
divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in
God’s eternal plan.
6. “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and
care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the
Lord’ (Psalms 127:3).
Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to
provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve
one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens
wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and father—will be held
accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
7. “The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and
woman is essential to His eternal plan. 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. Happiness in family life is most likely to
be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles
of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and
wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over
their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the
necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily
responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred
responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as
equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate
individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
8. “We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity,
who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities
will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the
disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and
nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
9. “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government
everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the
family as the fundamental unit of society” (Ensign,Nov. 1995, 102).
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