Yesterday was our Stake Conference. It was broadcast from Salt Lake City to forty-one different stakes along the coast. I thought that this turned out to be a wonderfully spiritual meeting. It was wonderful to hear the counsel that each of the speakers gave us. I particularly enjoyed the talk that President Thomas S. Monson gave. He based it on Doctrine and Covenants 88:119:
“Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God”
His talk was wonderful, as he shared stories about how to apply each of these topics to our lives. After we came home, my husband and I talked about how powerful his message was. My husband suggested that we print this scripture and hang it on the wall. It is a wonderful motto to adopt as a family. It addresses every aspect of family life.
As we read this scripture, it reminds us of the things that will bring us peace in our daily lives. We need to teach our children to pray, and we need to pray together as a family. Fasting is a wonderful opportunity that helps us to draw closer to the Lord, and can help us bring our will in line with the Lord’s will. Faith is something that needs to be worked on every day. As we acknowledge our faith, and share it with our family it will help our faith, as well as our family members’ faith to grow.
President Monson talked shortly about the importance of reading good books. He spoke about the scriptures, but also about how great literature can help us to learn. He stressed the importance of helping those around us, and not becoming too caught up in worldly pursuits.
It is important to remember the Lord’s hand in our life. We must remember to thank Him and honor Him in our home. We can have a house of glory, as we give our glory to the Lord. A house of order is important because a neat and clean house is more welcoming to having the spirit dwell with us. I think that it is also important to think about priorities and the way we spend our time when we think of a house of order. Our focus should be on the most important things, which are the gospel and our families.
As we reach to accomplish these things we can have a house of God in our homes: a place where we can feel the spirit; a place where others always feel welcome; a place that is free from contention; and full of love. There are many areas that I can improve on as I strive to have my home become such a place. I am also grateful when I see areas that I can work on, because I know it is a chance for me to grow closer to my Heavenly Father.