If I mention the name Albert Einstein, most of us will call to mind a brilliant scientist known for his successes and theories that revolutionized science. Abraham Lincoln conjures images of a master statesman, one who led the United States through one of its darkest periods. If we think of Beethoven or Mozart, we think about the beautiful and inspiring music they created. Famous people abound, and many still look to them today to try and build on the wonderful things they did.
But what if Albert Einstein had just remained a patent clerk? What if Lincoln took his failures to heart and never achieved anything beyond being a lawyer? Without their accomplishments, these revered individuals would just be names, meaningless to almost nobody beyond their immediate families.
This is the philosophy that has helped me with my genealogy of late. Much research had been done on my family, and on every line but one, I have a full six generations worth of names. Instead of just being names, however, I have sought to learn stories of these individuals to help bring them to life. It has been an interesting exercise, as some of the stories have been faith promoting and others not so much, but as I seek out the heritage that these individuals have left behind, suddenly the idea of spending eternity with a family spanning back generations seems more appealing than it was before.
Showing posts with label heritage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heritage. Show all posts
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Living our Heritage (7/22/2009)
Where we will celebrate the arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake valley this Friday, I wanted to share a thought with you today about our pioneer heritage. Instead, I found a quote from Elder L. Tom Perry that was a good reminder of just how valuable our pioneer heritage is:
"I was shocked by a statistic that crossed my desk a few weeks ago. It stated that only thirteen percent of the children being reared in our country today come from traditional homes consisting of a working father, a stay-at-home mother, and one or more children. Each day we see the effects of the breakup of the traditional home. There is an alarming increase in the number of battered wives, physically and sexually abused children, vandalism in schools, teenage crime rates, pregnancies among unmarried teenagers, and elderly people growing old without the solace of an extended family.
"Our present prophet has warned us that the home is the place to save society. A proper home, of course, is not created automatically when a boy and girl fall in love and marry. It takes those same virtues that were taught in pioneer homes - faith, courage, discipline, and dedication - to make the success of a marriage. But just as those pioneers made a desert blossom as a rose, so it will happen in our lives and in our homes if we follow their traditions and follow the great heritage that they establish in these valleys of the mountains. Yes, a pioneer faith is needed as much in the world today as in any period of time. Once again, we need to know that heritage. We need to teach it; we need to be proud of it; we need to preserve it."
As a father of six children, I have seen the wide eyes that say "why would you have so many?" I have been scoffed by others when they hear that I practice my religion. But just as Elder Perry talked about here, I know that by living the values and religion that those pioneers fought to preserve, my life and the lives of my family will be better.
"I was shocked by a statistic that crossed my desk a few weeks ago. It stated that only thirteen percent of the children being reared in our country today come from traditional homes consisting of a working father, a stay-at-home mother, and one or more children. Each day we see the effects of the breakup of the traditional home. There is an alarming increase in the number of battered wives, physically and sexually abused children, vandalism in schools, teenage crime rates, pregnancies among unmarried teenagers, and elderly people growing old without the solace of an extended family.
"Our present prophet has warned us that the home is the place to save society. A proper home, of course, is not created automatically when a boy and girl fall in love and marry. It takes those same virtues that were taught in pioneer homes - faith, courage, discipline, and dedication - to make the success of a marriage. But just as those pioneers made a desert blossom as a rose, so it will happen in our lives and in our homes if we follow their traditions and follow the great heritage that they establish in these valleys of the mountains. Yes, a pioneer faith is needed as much in the world today as in any period of time. Once again, we need to know that heritage. We need to teach it; we need to be proud of it; we need to preserve it."
As a father of six children, I have seen the wide eyes that say "why would you have so many?" I have been scoffed by others when they hear that I practice my religion. But just as Elder Perry talked about here, I know that by living the values and religion that those pioneers fought to preserve, my life and the lives of my family will be better.
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