Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during the Saturday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference about “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” The following is a summary of what he said.
Elder Rasband’s talk summary
“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was created by divine design, with revelatory words to “maintain and strengthen the family as the foundational unit of society.” Everyone belongs to a family and is a spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents with a divine nature and destiny. Because “The Family Proclamation” has a divine origin, it must be treated with reverence deserving words from God.
A year before “The Family Proclamation” was presented, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed how society and governments were pulling away from God’s laws for family, marriage and gender. Those involved in deciding when the proclamation should be introduced to the Church knew members of the quorum were receiving revelation.
“The Family Proclamation” is a call to live ever mindful of one’s divinity and eternal future. It is, as President Gordon B. Hinckley stated, doctrine. The teachings within it were revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ to His apostles then and now.
For those with concerns, know that Heavenly Father understands and will lift and guide those who turn to Jesus Christ.
God has given men and women different but equal and essential roles that complement each other. “Equal” is a word that matters.
Read the full text of Elder Rasband’s talk: ‘The Family Proclamation — Words from God’
Notable quotes
“The proclamation has a divine origin, so we must treat it with the reverence deserving words from God.”
“You have family in your Savior, Jesus Christ, who loves you. He came to earth to atone for our sins and bear the burden of our mistakes and very bad days.”
“Our Father in Heaven has provided the proclamation on the family to help guide us to come home to Him, to help us learn and be filled with love, strength, purpose and eternal understanding.”
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Who is Elder Rasband?
- Elder Ronald A. Rasband was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015. Between his call as a General Authority Seventy in 2000 and serving in the Presidency of the Seventy in 2005, he served in the Temple Department first as an assistant executive director and then as executive director of the Temple Department in 2004 — a position no other living prophet or apostle has held.
- Although he attended the University of Utah, Elder Rasband never graduated, due to a business opportunity. But in 1995, he received an honorary doctorate of business and commerce from Utah Valley State College, which is now Utah Valley University.
- Elder Rasband and his wife, Sister Melanie Twitchell Rasband, were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1973 and have five children.
What has Elder Rasband done recently?
- In the April 2025 general conference, he spoke about being an eyewitness to the Lord hastening the work.
- Taught about how “the family is ordained of God” in a BYU devotional in September.
- At the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, he echoed President Russell M. Nelson’s declaration that “the Lord is indeed hastening His work.”
- During a ministry in the Philippines in February, he told members to rededicate their lives in preparation for temples being built.
- In a devotional with over 10,000 youth in October 2024, he encouraged them to give equal time to the Lord.
Read more of Elder Rasband’s general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X/Twitter.
