Shortly after Kyle and I were married, we discussed the topic of when we should start our family. Some felt that we should wait considering how young I was and our financial situation. But Kyle based our discussion on scripture. When we were married in the Los Angeles Temple we were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” declares:
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.
From there we turned to Genesis. Genesis 1:27-28 reads:
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them , and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth….”
Looking for more about Adam and Eve bearing children I found this scripture in Moses. Moses 5:11
And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed…
I felt that she was expressing her joy for the ability and opportunity to bear children. I felt that if Eve was SO happy to obey the commandment to ‘multiply and replenish the earth’, why would we want to delay that happiness, that joy in our family? After all Psalms 127:3-5 reads:
Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man’ so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them…
I just knew that if we did all that we could to obey God’s commandments we would be blessed for our efforts. Here we are several years, and several children later, and I know that we have been blessed for our faith in starting our family when we did, and allowing our family to grow since.
In October 2011 General Conference, Elder Neil L Anderson spoke on children. He said:
It is a crowning privilege of a husband and wife who are able to bear children to provide mortal bodies for these spirit children of God.
I truly enjoy being pregnant. I look at my young children, and as I watch them grow and learn I find myself thinking “I think this is the best age, they are so fun when they are at this stage”. But as they keep growing, I keep thinking the same thing. Yes, my children do things that are frustrating to me, and sometimes make me ask “WHY?!?!”, but that’s just part of watching them learn. I only hope that I am doing a good job at teaching these little spirits. My life is crazy, my house is full of little people, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t wait for #7 to be born later this summer!