Worldwide Broadcast

Since I had to set up our stake for the broadcast and set up a DVR to record it on DVD I ended up seeing it three times. It was great. Each time I picked up new and good things I missed the previous times. Here are things I remember:

Elder Holland's Parable of the Homemade Shirt was instructive. His "there's bound to be trouble if a shirt is made from a shirt made from a shirt." That is so profound in the context of when mistakes are made, then repeated and exaggerated each time. His point was to have a pattern that you draw from and then each time you bounce your actions off the pattern you will never get too far from the original (or the truth.)

He also recognized that everyone is in different circumstances but can still use the pattern and adapt it rather than reinventing the standard.

President Packer said there were two transendant ideas that came out of the First Vision. One, God is the Father. Two, Jesus is the Son. So it was a family thing that was happening. The pattern revealed to Joseph there and elsewhere was first concerning families and the organization and priesthood came afterward.

He then read the Proclamation On The Family word for word (interjecting some commentary along the way.) He said it was scripture-like. The answers in the Proclamation are the Church's answers to the world in relation to family matters.

He emphasized that God's Plan is more correctly God's Plan of Happiness. At the end of his remarks which were a little subdued he made a very interesting and seemingly spontaneous comment: "He's our Father!" Then repeated, "He's our Father!" He said he didn't quite know how to say it because we do it so glibly but testified again that, "He's our Father!"

The bulk of the time was a roundtable discussion on the family with Elder Holland, Elder Oaks, President Lant, President Beck, and President Tanner of the Primary, Relief Society, and the Young Women respectively.

I can't cover much and capture the context but here are some thoughts as best I can remember:

Elder Oaks said we should be guided revelation by what we do in regard to our family and not by icons of pup culture or conventions of political correctness.

President Lant observed that we are trying to be eternal families not perfect families and that in this life a perfect family is one striving to be an eternal family with all the challenges that come to us in life.

Elder Holland said he didn't know if the next life had Wards or Stakes but he did know there were families and family organization and that is the answer to the question of why we talk so much about family.

Elder Oaks said he always advises newlyweds that to solve problems they need to do what they are doing right then: looking across at each other and not to other people. At least when they first attempt to solve a problem. That's what will get them through their problems in life.

President Lant: The best way to get our needs met is to meet someone elses' needs.

Someone brought up soul mates and Elder Oaks said he was skeptical of the concept. He took me back for a minute when he said what you should be doing is looking for someone you can stand ... with. I don't think he meant for a pause to come after stand and he certainly was not trying to be funny and nobody laughed but me because I swear I heard just the first part about looking for someone you can stand. How true. but also someone you can stand with is good advice.

There seemed to be a recurring trashing of the concept of making lists. I love lists. I'm crushed. I guess what they are saying though is it isn't good to make up a list of duties and assignments in the role of spouse of parent and then fanatically just following the list. That works because I love lists but have no self-discipline to ever follow anything on them. I just like making them.

President Tanner quoted a poem from John Milton,s Paradise Lost that had the phrase: "a thousand daily decencies that flow." the point is that is what makes a happy marriage and family.

"Gospel Culture" was a recurring theme that they used to describe the pattern of living they were talking about that transends anyone's individual's specific traditions or upbringing or background.

President Lant made the observation in disagreeing in a family that it's not who is right it's what is right.

Elder Oaks advises that decisions should be made prayerfully and not looking to worldly priorities of how to have and raise children given by television and prominent gurus or the pressure of neighbors.

Additionally Elder Oaks reminded us that it won't be easy because God set it up on purpose so there will be "opposition in all things" therefore we can't be expected to be applauded every time we do something right. In spite of all that God will bless us.

He told us of an experience with Elder Maxwell when he told them on important issues they should write the message on the inside of their eyeglasses and then when they put them on to use them, the message will be always in front of them. The message we should put on our eyeglasses today is: "Families Come First" and all our decisions should be viewed with that in mind.

President Beck told a funny story about how growing up their family sang, Love At Home, every week at FHE. Finally at about 14 she asked her father why since there were so many other hymns they could sing. He said, "When we learn lesson one I will teach you lesson two." They never did get to lesson two. Her point was we don't have to try and cover everything.

President Lant told the story of when she had young children and her husband was called to be a Bishop it would take her all day Saturday and Sunday to get the kids ready and get to their meeting on time and take up her place on the second row. One week some big mouth lady came up and whispered to her that if it had been as easy for her as it had been for Sister Lant she would have had more children. Sister Lant said she cried the whole meeting and her husband wondered what was wrong with her. Her point is that it wasn't easy and we ought not judge people harshly or falsely. She didn't say it but should have added, "especially if you have your head lodged in the wrong place." But I guess that would be judging harshly.

A particularly poignent moment was when. Then he looked directly into the camera and said, "Father's, rise up and perform your role."

Elder Oaks also talked about using the extended family to support and help each other and that North America could learn from most other continents a little more about that concept because they have a higher vision and practices concerning this.

Still more to come.