Declaration of Purpose and Governing Principles
To raise faithful families. “Children are an heritage of the Lord. Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. The family is ordained of God. …Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Extended families lend support when needed.” (Psalm 127:3; The Family: A Proclamation to the World)
To re-unite families and weld the links of our patriarchal order. To honor fathers and mothers, and to unite families with the heritage of the patriarchal order with whom we will share exaltation. To have fun, positive, enjoyable experiences that draws families together and cements family relationships. To provide opportunities for younger family members to become acquainted with their relatives and their heritage. “It is sufficient to know, in this case, that the earth will be smitten with a curse unless there is a welding link of some kind or other between the fathers and the children.” (D&C 128:18)
To teach providence and self reliance. “The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land.” (Abraham Lincoln)“The land! That is where our roots are. There is the basis of our physical life. The farther we go away from the land, the greater our insecurity. From the land comes everything that supports life, everything we use for the service of physical life. The land has not collapsed or shrunk in either extent or productivity. It is there waiting to honor all the labor we are willing to invest in it, and able to tide us across any local dislocation of economic conditions. No unemployment insurance can be compared to an alliance between man and a plot of land.” (Henry Ford)
To serve others. “I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property…that you should covet that which is but the drop, and neglect the more weighty matters; …for what is property unto me? …To clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection.” (D&C 19:26; 117:4, 8; Jacob 2:19; Psalms 127:1; D&C 132:13)
To sustain family traditions and seek Zion. To govern the perpetuity so faith promoting traditions, family reunions, family scholarships, and worthy philanthropic efforts can be continued. “Blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day.” If they are obedient, “they shall have power after many days to accomplish all things pertaining to Zion.” (1 Nephi 13:37; D&C 105:37)
