About Ammon

Thursday, January 19, 2012

About Ammon

(This was written about Ammon on his 8th birthday.)

Happy Birthday to my sweet son!

Ammon has an adventurous spirit that he brought with him to this world. Before we knew I was pregnant, it was made known to us that I was going to have a boy. We knew he would be called Ammon and as a couple, Andy and I prayed for him by name every day from the time my pregnancy was confirmed. I think he must have been excited to get to this world. As a spirit, he visited my mom while she was on vacation in Colorado. He made himself known to Andy's mom at the temple. I know he was so very eager to come to earth.

He had a rough entry coming into the world. On Thanksgiving I was assigned to go on bedrest. He and I were both monitored closely from that point forward, but even still he was born via emergency C-section 16 days early. I remember holding him in the hospital and watching him adjust to his body complete with hunger pains, gas etc and having the distinct impression that he was struggling with the experience. Even as a new-born infant, this life was harder than he expected, and for all the enthusiasm he had to get here, it seemed as though he was caught off guard and extremely overwhelmed with the reality of mortality. Once he caught his first breathe, he was never critical, but somehow I felt that he went through this process of struggle and made a choice, again, of whether he was going to give up due to life being so much harder than expected, or if he was going to face it head on and live life complete with the unexpected challenges that would come his way. I felt like he made the decision to make the best of living in a world full of opposition - to face the difficulties with strength, and to enjoy the beauties with passion.

As he grew, it became quickly apparent that Ammon is a boy of tenderness. He has a lot of love and is never malicious. He is getting old enough to be a student of the gospel and is beginning to gain greater understandings of our Heavenly Father, of the Savior and of the Plan of Salvation. In these past few months his kindness and level of obedience has increased. I repeatedly see him making good choices simply because he has developed the discipline and moral compass to do so. As parents, Andy and I have spent many recent nights talking about what a pleasure Ammon has been and how we are so impressed with his behavior.

This boy is so very very special and I feel so lucky to be his mom.

Happy Birthday, Ammon. I love you more than anything!

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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.