Round Table Discussion

This week I was allowed the opportunity in another class to watch a round table discussion with Elder Holland, Elder Oakes, Sister Beck, Sister Tanner and Sister Lant. In this discussion they took the basic teachings from The Family: A Proclamation to the World and touched on many important and relevant points that are affecting our families in the world today. ONe thing that they touched on that stuck with me was how fear plays a part in starting or not starting a family. The discussion went as follows:

Don’t Live in Fear

Sister Tanner

I think being married, having families, being faithful, sacrificing for the gospel is all joyful. It really brings us true joy in our lives. And I think we need to emphasize that. This is a great blessing to us.

Elder Holland

With all that’s happening around us, internationally and otherwise, I think there’s a lot of fear. I hear a lot of fear among young single adults and teenagers wondering whether there’s going to be a future. “Will I live long enough to have a marriage?”

​Listen, it’s always been tough. There has never been a time in the history of the world when there weren’t problems, when there weren’t things to be fearful about. That’s why we have the gospel. We can’t live in fear—not in this Church—that somehow things aren’t going to work out or that there’s too much that’s ominous out there that’s going to strike. That can be personal fear or collective fear for civilization. We just need to live the gospel and summon our faith and get answers to our prayers and go forward. And that’s the way it’s always been done.

Elder Oaks

If I can paraphrase a scripture, “Perfect love [of the Lord] casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18; see also Moroni 8:16).

I know that I focus a lot on fear in my life especially when it comes to parenting. I fear that the world is getting more and more evil. And I find myself even fearing that good will not prevail. I know that this is not correct. Good will rise against evil. And I know that if I put my faith and trust in the Lord, I have nothing to fear about.

THat's ALL