Strengthening Families & Marriages

Previously I had blogged about the importance of families in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon church). I'd shared that one of the ways the Church supports, strengthens, and sustains families is through the Melchizedek priesthood organization, where men are assigned the responsibility to serve assigned other families in the ward (congregation).

These men are called "home teachers." They are asked to visit their families monthly to ensure that all is well with the family. If not, the home teachers are to aid the family in finding resources to help them in appropriate ways. To be a home teacher is a sacred responsibility and as Mormons, we view it as having a stewardship serving the others in the fold of Christ.

But there is also an additional auxiliary in the Mormon church that is set up to serve and sustain the family. I love this organization, because as a woman I belong to it! It is called the Relief Society.

The Relief Society is one of the oldest women's organizations in the world. It was established on March 17, 1841. The women of the church (eighteen years of age and older) are all members of this organization. Through the Relief Society, women can build the homes, the families and the individual lives of other women in the Church.

Women of the Relief Society are also assigned (similar to the assignments given to the men in the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums) to visit the homes of the members, only the Relief Society women visit other Relief Society women. These visiting women are called "Visiting Teachers."

Visiting Teachers are assigned to make monthly contact with all of the homes of their assigned sisters in the congregation (click here to learn more about Visiting Teachers).

As the Visiting Teachers visit with their assigned "sisters", if they become aware of any needs, the visiting teachers work to address them through their individual efforts as well as bringing them to light in the church organizations of the Priesthood and other auxiliaries.

Some of my best memories and experiences as a Mormon have been through and with the Relief Society program and that of being called to serve as a Visiting Teacher.

In fact, I can remember being new to the Relief Society. And guess what? My very first assignment as a Visiting Teacher was to none other than the Relief Society President!

I should not have been nervous. The gospel of Jesus Christ is no different for anyone. All may relish the scriptures and share them equally well with others, no matter who they are.

So, yes, I have loved being a Mormon. I love how the Mormon church seeks to bless and strengthen families. This is how Christ would have it; this is how I've experienced.

Families are so important, and with the help of the Relief Society and other auxiliaries in the Church, families can experience great joy as they seek to live the gospel of Jesus Christ!

You can click here to learn more about the Mormon church and about the importance of families.

For some who look at members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or sometimes called the Mormons), there are often questions. For example, sometimes there are questions about what family life is like for active Mormons.

If you ask any Mormon what they think about families, they will typically tell you that the family is one of the most important fundamental units in the Mormon church. And it is true. The Mormon church is organized in such a way that it supports, strengthens, and sustains the needs of the family.

The Mormon church has three branches in its organization whose primary focus is to look after the families in a ward (congregation). These organizations are called the Melchizedek priesthood, Relief Society, and the auxiliaries.

The Melchizedek Priesthood organization consists of the Elders' and the High Priests' quorums. The men in these two Quorums hold the priesthood and they are assigned families in the congregation for whom they are responsible. It is their responsibility to go out of their way at least once a month to check-up with their assigned families to see how they are doing. This usually consists of one or more visits monthly to the families' homes.

Families in the church are optimally defined as a husband, wife, and children. However, families can also mean a single parent family or even a single man or woman. Every home in the congregation deserves strengthening and sustaining.

Therefore, whatever the situation may be, each household is assigned a pair of priesthood holders to visit and to help meet the needs of that household. The men are called "Home Teachers." When they visit the home, they talk to the family members in the home to get to know them and learn about their family. They also share a spiritually related message where it is possible.

Additionally, home teachers are to see what the needs are of each member and how they might best help those family members. And if the family needs more help, the home teachers can bring in the resources of the church to help. These resources can include the Relief Society (an organization for women of the Mormon church) and additional auxiliary organizations for the children.

It has been such a privilege and blessing to be a member of the Mormon church. I had grown up in a different church/denomination. While I enjoyed singing in the youth choir and participating in youth activities, it wasn't until I became a Mormon that I felt a fuller fellowship in the family and body of Christ.

Of course, we are all human. Therefore, home teachers are going to have faults. Sometimes they might even miss an appointment they'd previously set up. But overall, the home teaching program is there to help strengthen families. And in my experience it has been an awesome thing to have experienced!

Yes, indeed, families matter to the Lord. And families are integral to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). In fact, one of the church leaders said:

"Brethren, home teaching is not just another program. It is the priesthood way of watching over the Saints and accomplishing the mission of the Church. Home teaching is not just an assignment. It is a sacred calling."(President Ezra Taft Benson)

To learn more about the Mormon church and families, visit Mormon.org.