Familial Research and Development

One of the greatest lessons of life which I have learned is that I cannot and SHOULD not try to control my children or husband's lives. AND I know that it's important for us to stay close to one another-do things together, rejoice together, sorrow together, pray together, worship together and work together. That's how a family stays together. So with kids scattered hither and yon how do I remain 'close' to them? How do I keep them in my heart and mind, in my prayers, in my realm of value and care? I go to the Temple. That's what binds our family together. The covenants we made as a family in the Temple. The covenants that my children were born into. I have felt on many, many occasions that when I pray, Father listens and I have wondered many times why that is. Why is it I feel He really loves me? Why is it when I get a blessing one spoken phrase is in there every single time, "Father is pleased with you and your service." Why am I favored of the Lord? ...

Some people lose their children through the growing up years. They lose them to drugs, sex, fanatical religion, social ills; and then there's the other side of losing them to illness (sudden, chronic or congenital) or through accident/incident. Anyway you stack it it's painful. There are other ways to lose children-which cause so much pain. One ends up in a marriage with the wrong person and you watch the struggle and decline of that child and that child's spirit and there is absolutely NOTHING you can do. So you pray. Love from a distance. Give what you can. Accept what is offered and wait for there are promises... His Holy Promises. Another ends up choosing to go into harms way-legally-as a profession. Your silly gray hairs start to turn white and get more and more profuse. It was a middle child-one you had so much hope for and then you're faced with fears. Night and day fears. And again there is absolutely NOTHING you can do. So you pray. Love from a distance. Give w...