Easter Day

Monday, May 23, 2011

Easter Day

Pictures taken April 24, 2011

I already posted pictures of the night before Easter. I had a lot of fun getting everything set up and ready for the boys. The next morning did not disappoint. We began the morning with a prayer of gratitude. The weekend had been spent with many conversations about the reason we celebrate Easter. We explained that just as Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Savior, Easter is the celebration of His life. We talked a lot about the resurrection of Christ as well as His suffering in Gethsemane. We taught our children that Jesus overcame physical death and spiritual death and that because of Him and through Him, we can overcome those things too. For days I would ask Peter and Ammon, "What is Easter about?" trying to evaluate how much of our discussions were really seeping in. By the end of it, they were pretty good about saying resurrection. (A three year old trying to get out a big, meaningful word like that is pretty darn adorable.) But they were both still pretty excited about the Easter Bunny! We had fun hunting for our eggs, going through our baskets of candy, and discovering a few extra things the Easter Bunny left for us. Andy cooked us a great breakfast and then we headed out for church.

I taught the lesson in Relief Society during the last hour of church, and then, after the three hour block, we had a ward lunch. The food was delicious. After that activity wound down, we headed home and spent a few quiet hours as a family. Then we headed down to Andy's parents home for dinner.

We actually arrived about an hour earlier than the scheduled time, and some of the cousins didn't get there until almost an hour after the time that had been planned, so the boys had a lot of time to play and enjoy the riding the scooters. This was our first family gathering at Peggy and Derrick's new home. Their driveway is on a bit of slant and the hill continues gradually downward for quite a way. It made for a fun time on the scooters and the boys had a blast. Once everyone arrived, we had a nice meal and then the kids split up into two groups for a small candy hunt. It was a great holiday!

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Family Proclamation

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children.All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan.Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.