December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
December 2004 Ensign - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
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50<br />
“We, the First Presidency and the Council <strong>of</strong><br />
the Twelve Apostles <strong>of</strong> <strong>The</strong> <strong>Church</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong><br />
<strong>Christ</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Latter</strong>-<strong>day</strong> Saints, solemnly proclaim<br />
that marriage between a man and<br />
a woman is ordained <strong>of</strong> God and that the<br />
family is central to the Creator’s plan for<br />
the eternal destiny <strong>of</strong> His children.” 1<br />
Efforts to Destroy the Family<br />
<strong>The</strong> family, the most fundamental institution<br />
<strong>of</strong> society, is under attack from all sides.<br />
Adultery, divorce, cohabitation, child and<br />
spouse abuse, homosexuality, abortion,<br />
teen pregnancies, pornography, disobedient<br />
STRENGTHENING THE FAMILY<br />
THE FAMILY IS CENTRAL TO<br />
THE CREATOR’S PLAN<br />
A continuing series giving insights for your study and use <strong>of</strong><br />
“<strong>The</strong> Family: A Proclamation to the World.”<br />
children, economic struggles, an increasing<br />
unwillingness among married couples to<br />
bear and rear children—all these and more<br />
are pro<strong>of</strong> that the adversary understands<br />
very well the central role the family plays<br />
in the destiny <strong>of</strong> God’s children.<br />
“Because <strong>of</strong> the importance <strong>of</strong> the family<br />
to the eternal plan <strong>of</strong> happiness,” said Elder<br />
Robert D. Hales <strong>of</strong> the Quorum <strong>of</strong> the Twelve<br />
Apostles, “Satan makes a major effort to<br />
destroy the sanctity <strong>of</strong> the family, demean<br />
the importance <strong>of</strong> the role <strong>of</strong> men and<br />
women, encourage moral uncleanliness and<br />
violations <strong>of</strong> the sacred law <strong>of</strong> chastity, and to<br />
PHOTOGRAPH OF ROSES © PHOTOSPIN; PHOTOGRAPHY OF COUPLES BY JOHN LUKE, POSED BY MODELS