Relationships are
at the very core of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the Savior was asked,
"Which is the greatest commandment in the
law?", His answer pointed to relationships. First, our eternal
relationship with our Heavenly Father: "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." And second, our eternal
relationships with one another: "Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself." Our Savior was never distracted
by anything temporal. His attention was always
focused on the eternal, and ours can be too when,
like Him, we put relationships first. By focusing on our relationship
with our Heavenly Father, our Savior, our
family and others, we're focusing on what
lasts, and Christ's gospel can move from our
heads to our hearts. I often think of my
grandparents and others who have gone before me, and I'm
grateful for the relationships that I've developed with them. And as I pass through
each stage of my life, my love and appreciation
for my family has matured and developed, and
my testimony that relationships are eternal has deepened. More joy and comfort are
found in the sealing power of the priesthood, which
can strengthen and bind our family relationships. We are each an important
link in our family chain, and each of us, regardless
of our current family circumstances, can begin
working on the things that last. I recognize that not everyone
has had the opportunity to nurture and develop
family relationships, but don't be discouraged. Stronger relationships can
begin with you, right now, where you are. Through all kinds of family
history and temple work, you can increase in love
and help your family heal going in both directions,
toward your ancestors and toward your posterity. Maybe you've started
your family history and have become
discouraged because of damaged relationships,
missing information. Don't give up. Keep seeking the eternal. Pray and look for connections,
relationships, and stories. And when you begin to find
those personal connections, you'll start to understand what
it's like to have your heart turn to your fathers,
and the gospel will have an opportunity to move
from your head to your heart. You will feel for yourself
the power and eternal nature of family relationships.