It's Family Time!

It’s Family Time!!

Last week I chose to do wholesome recreational activities with my family while I was with all my kids in Utah. It says in The Family: A Proclamation to the the World, “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities”. I can testify that this statement is so true. As I spent time with my father, my boys and my in-laws, I realized that more than have fun with these people, I was building lasting relationships with my eternal family.

It started with my dad inviting us to a baseball game. We went to see the Ogden Raptors. It was so fun to watch my youngest son, Cody talking with my dad about the game. Their conversations brought back a ton of memories of my dad and I watching the St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Francisco Giants. He taught me how to keep score, rbi’s, errors and so on. I would eat red vines, peanuts and a hot dog. I can’t tell you much about the game, but I can tell you how special I felt to spend time with my dad. It was so fun.

In spending time with my boys, I tried to do things with each of them that they love to do. Jacob suggested that we go bowling. My husband and I used to take the boys bowling all the time. We weren’t very good but loved to be together. His memory of bowling was when he had his birthday party at the bowling alley. Austin loves to play board games. He chose for us to play trivial pursuit. He doesn’t play to show how smart he is (and he is) but to make jokes and get everyone to laugh. He kept giving the same answer hoping that he would eventually get one right! Cody loves to play basketball. He and I went to the gym and shot around. I enjoy that he loves something that I love. He loves that he can beat me every time. I just love spending time with him.

Meeting with all of Tyler’s family is always a blast, no matter what we do. When we get together its so fun to talk, laugh, play cards, or even play tennis! I am not as close with my siblings and so I dig being around these people. They give me a sense of belonging and joy

to have family.

“Life is complicated and full of demands. The expectation to experience wholesome recreation, while we travel down life’s road does not make life any easier. Recognizing the potholes along the way and the probable consequences if we step in them can help us avoid them making the journey easier.” (Hawkins,2016, p.228)Our family lives far apart and don’t get to spend much time together, so being together these past couple of weeks, allowed us to reconnect and enjoy each other. The gospel is about family. The plan of salvation is about giving his children everything needed to have a successful experience here on earth and to last for eternity.

“The divine plan of happiness enables family

relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.”

References
Hawkins, A., Dollahite, D., & Draper, T. (2016), Successful Marriages and Families Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives, Provo,Utah, BYU Studies