Responsibilities toward marriage, children and families were emphasized by Elder W. Douglas Shumway during the Sunday afternoon session.
He said, "In a society where marriage is often shunned, parenthood avoided, and families degraded, we have the responsibility to honor our marriages, nurture our children, and fortify our families."
Then he discussed those three responsibilities.
"Honoring marriage requires that spouses render love, respect, and devotion to one another," he said.
He later added, "When a husband and wife understand that the family is ordained of God and that marriage can be filled with promises and blessings extending into the eternities, separation and divorce would seldom be a consideration in the Latter-day Saint home. Couples would realize that the sacred ordinances and covenants made in the House of the Lord provide the means whereby they can return to the presence of God."
About children, Elder Shumway said, "As parents, we must regard our children as gifts from God, committed to making our homes a place to love, train, and nurture our sons and daughters."
Then he spoke of the third responsibility: " 'The family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children' (The Family: A Proclamation to the world). Therefore parents and children must work together in unity to fortify family relationships, cultivating them day in and day out."
He said, "Hold your family home evenings, for this is where the gospel is taught, a testimony gained, and the family fortified."
In conclusion, he said, "Although the adversary seeks to destroy the key elements necessary for a happy marriage and a righteous family, let me assure you that the gospel of Jesus Christ provides the tools and teachings necessary to combat and conquer the assailant in this war. If we will but honor our marriages by imparting more love and selflessness to our spouses, nurture our children through gentle persuasion and the expert teacher we call example, and fortify the spirituality of our families through consistent family home evening, prayer and scripture study, I testify to you that the living Savior, Jesus Christ, will guide us and grant us victory in our efforts to achieve an eternal family unit."
