118 6/2/25

 Love One Another

Hello Family,

I was just thinking last night as we were sitting around the table doing our professional canvas art paintings of each other how fortunate (blessed) we are to all be together. What a unique and fun time this is for our family! We miss you Viry, and want you to know you are in our prayers!

Studying Elder Uchtdorf’s message from conference “By This All Will Know That You Are My Disciples” I couldn’t help but think of our family. Though his message was teaching about membership in the church, in my study this week I was thinking of it in terms of family (the basic and fundamental unit of the church). So in my email this week, in some of Elder Uchtdorf’s quotes below, I will change the word church to family. (I would encourage each of you to read or listen to his talk again)

Elder Uchtdorf talked about the “difference between what is real, living in and among imperfect people, and focusing our efforts and building on the ideal, each striving to become like Jesus Christ. Think of that in relation to our family unit.”

He said “Now, I realize that I’m describing the ideal. And in this mortal life, we rarely get to experience the ideal. And “until the perfect day,” there will always be a gap between the ideal and the real. So, what should we do when the “family“ doesn’t feel like the perfect “family”? When, for whatever reason, “one (or several) of us” doesn’t … nurture perfect faith or love? … One thing we should not do is give up on the ideal!”

This made me think of all the personalities that make up our family. As you kids get married you will see that you take on some of your spouses personality or traits. You really do become more as one. This change for the better shifts the dynamic in the original or “what we are used to calling normal, family unit. I liked what Elder Uchtdorf taught about having patients through growth and change.

“So, while we hold ourselves to the Lord’s high standards, let’s also be patient with one another. We are each a work in progress, and we all rely on the Savior for any progress we make.”

For example, I may be a piece of work, but hopefully I am a piece of work in progress. If we extend grace to each other in our imperfections, while at the same time actively working on our own progress, striving to be more Christlike, than we will find greater unity and peace in our family. As we each change (repent) in order to improve, we literally are changing our nature, taking on more of the character of Christ. 

So if there are times we are frustrated, quick to judge, or impatient with each other, let’s remember the end goal, an eternal family. Elder Uchtdorf spoke of this change saying: “that doesn’t mean changing my heart to align with yours. Nor does it mean changing your heart to align with mine. It means that we all change our hearts to align with the Savior.”

“The unity we seek is not to have everyone stand in the same place; it is to have everyone face in the same direction—toward Jesus Christ. We are one not because of where we’ve been but where we are striving to go, not because of who we are but who we seek to become.”

I am so thankful for family. I am so very thankful for my family! I love each one of you so so much. As our family continues to grow, let’s each make a concerted effort in doing our part to make sure our family and home are faced in the direction of the Savior.

Love,

Dad