Spiritually Saving: 607 Words Are Changing the World

  

Dr. Dollahite quotes President Hinckley in his introduction to the book ("Strengthening the Family: An In-Depth Look at the Proclamation on the Family") as he describes the importance of the Proclamation:

          'Why do we have this proclamation on the family now? Because the family is under attack.     All across the world families are falling apart.  The place to begin to improve society is in the home.  Children do, for the most part, what they are taught.  We are trying to make the world better by making the family stronger.'  (Sheri L. Dew (1997), Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book), 209)

Later in his introduction, Dr. Dollahite gives several reasons why applying scholarly applications to the principles of the Proclamation are beneficial:

"The Proclamation can serve Latter-day Saint families as a modern-day Liahona (1 Ne. 17:2-3) to guide them in the challenges of contemporary family life.  The Proclamation sets out a divinely inspired pattern for ideal marriage and family living.  any person, couple, or family who prayerfully seeks to strengthen their understanding and testimony of the principles in the Proclamation and who moves forward with faith in applying those principles will be blessed and strengthened as family members.  Since the volume is filled with sound scholarship supporting the Proclamation, a person who makes a careful study of this book will also be able to articulate and defend fundamental principles of strong families with confidence in a variety of settings." (page 4)

"Some who read the Proclamation may wonder how a volume of hundreds of pages could be generated in response to that 607 word, straight-forward statement of doctrine and principle. The Proclamation, like other inspired documents such as the Articles of Faith or the U. S. Constitution, packs a great amount of truth with a large number of implications into a few inspired words."
(Pages 3-4)

I invite you, even if you are a family of one, to strengthen your family by studying the Proclamation.  I know it is an inspired document.  It truly does have "a large number of implications [in] a few inspired words."  Give those 607 inspired words a chance to be applied to your own life by asking God to teach you how each principle applies to you and then go forth and live what you learn.  If you do this one simple thing, you truly will be strengthening the entire world by focusing on family. 

Be Inspired,

Janelle Joy
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For more information on my experience helping in the Editing Process of Dr. Dollahite's book see Mom MTC