I remember exactly where I was September 23, 1995. My daughter was only three months old and I was standing in the lobby of our local church building, holding her while she fussed. Many women were in attendance that evening, as it was nearing General Conference weekend; we were gathered for a world-wide women’s meeting – broadcast from Salt Lake City to chapels the world over.
The meeting had been full of spiritual topics and my little baby had been fairly quiet during at that moment, the President and prophet of our church had just appeared on the screen and stood ready to address the women of our church worldwide.
But now that I was out in the hallway, his voice came dim and muted from the overhead speakers. I admit I had a hard time focusing – until I heard something change. The timbre of his voice deepened and I felt a sense of the importance fill the building. He began reading a document, a proclamation really.
At the time I had no idea how transcendent that moment was; I do now. Phrases such as the following flowed from the prophet’s lips. And now that we flash forward twelve years to the present, they feel even more potent and prophetic than they did then.
For example:
“We … proclaim that marriage between 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 …”
and:
“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.”
He also shared poignant statements such as:
“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.”
Can you imagine if all parents understood their “solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children”? What would this world look like? To be solemn means to be deeply earnest. And nowhere is this more urgent than in the care of children. For those children who grow up secure in the love of their parents, their future becomes much brighter in contrast to those who are abused by their parents.
One of the most potent statements in “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” is this one:
“Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”
Folks, those calamities aren’t pretty. In fact, spend just a few weeks study in the Old Testament and the prophecies of those ancient prophets will become rather urgent in nature.
I’m so grateful for a modern-day prophet, who teaches us of righteousness, who teaches us that mothers and fathers who love each other and their children create stable societies.
To some, the statements contained in this proclamation may be astonishing. I for one am grateful for the truth contained in Amos 3:7 – that the Lord God will reveal His truths and His secrets to His prophets. May we abide by those truths.
Now as I think back to September 23, 1995, I’m in awe I was present when our prophet first read from this urgent proclamation.
To be able to read it yourself, simply click here.
