Of our nine children, we have one son who has yet to marry. He wants to find a woman who not only loves him but is also willing and able to raise a family safely in the entertainment world, his chosen profession.
His brothers and sisters each met just the right person and together developed family cultures unique to themselves and totally appropriate to meet the escalating challenges that have been thrust upon their families. And they are happy.
We have encouraged our children to marry within our religious faith and qualify to be sealed as a couple by priesthood authority in an LDS temple. Thus God provides wonderful blessings and protections to their marriage and family now and recognizes them as a unique family unit in eternity.
After 50 years of dating and marriage Judy and I are personally acquainted with the significant influence of this sealing power and associated blessings and could desire no less for our children and grandchildren.
We understand that the woman for our son may yet be a non-member. Two of our sons-in-law were raised in wonderful families and didn't find the Church until they met our daughters. These men have become active and perceptive priesthood holders--wonderful husbands and fathers.
Queen Esther (Hadassah) in the Old Testament was wife to the king of Persia and not a cookie-cutter Jewess in her time, (translate: not a Molly Mormon). Every February or March (14th day of Adar) Jews around the world celebrate Purim to commemorate how Ester saved the Jews in Persia from annihilation. The Lord placed her in a nontraditional family to preserve his covenant people.
Rachel Esplin, who was raised LDS in Blackfoot, Idaho, clearly articulated at Harvard University her ability to discern between narrow cultural prejudices and the gospel as Christ intends us to live it. (If you have not seen her presentation, here's the link.) She and her husband will likely provide a healthy and unique culture for their future children.
We have always been excited to meet the distinctive and remarkable young women and men that our children have brought home to meet the family.
Dad,
ReplyDeleteI thought that the link to the discussion was fascinating. It felt so eastern and familiar to me to hear all of those different perspectives. I feel like it was so much like where I grew up, and yet has nothing to do with my current surroundings here in California. It was a very interesting experience.
-kristen