You don't have to be married or have children to be a good spouse or parent. Sister Silvia H. Allred said in General Conference October 2010, "You don't have to be married to keep the commandments and to nurture families, friends, and neighbors. Your gifts, talents, skills, and spiritual strengths are greatly needed in building up the kingdom. The Lord relies on your willingness to perform these essential duties."
You can be a good spouse now by keeping yourself morally clean, taking care of your body, developing your talents, educating yourself both temporally and spiritually, supporting yourself financially, praying for your future spouse, learning and practicing positive relationship skills, developing habits you want to instill in your family, such as scripture study, and getting rid of bad habits that cause contention in marriages, such as spending too much money or being negative.
You can be a good parent now as you serve in your ward. You can teach skills to other members in Relief Society and priesthood quorums. You can practice patience, love, and appropriate discipline as a Primary teacher. You can pray for and guide teenagers in Young Men's/Women's. You can also do these things for your extended family and community. What makes a parent is not birthing or adopting children but having a paternal or maternal heart.
Although the blessings of marriage and/or children may not come to you until the eternities (if righteous), you must practice those duties now and become a celestial person worthy of celestial blessings. Remember, the Lord sees us as how we are meant to be; to Him, we all are husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers and should act accordingly.
Furthermore, the Christlike attributes needed in marriage and parenthood are ones we are supposed to acquire anyway. Those who are married and have children are not automatically exalted; it is not enough to just make covenants and obey some of the commandments. We must keep those covenants, obey all the commandments fully, and become like Christ to return to Heavenly Father's presence and claim our eternal blessings.
Challenge: Start being a good spouse or parent now. If you already are a spouse or parent, become a better one!
You can be a good spouse now by keeping yourself morally clean, taking care of your body, developing your talents, educating yourself both temporally and spiritually, supporting yourself financially, praying for your future spouse, learning and practicing positive relationship skills, developing habits you want to instill in your family, such as scripture study, and getting rid of bad habits that cause contention in marriages, such as spending too much money or being negative.
You can be a good parent now as you serve in your ward. You can teach skills to other members in Relief Society and priesthood quorums. You can practice patience, love, and appropriate discipline as a Primary teacher. You can pray for and guide teenagers in Young Men's/Women's. You can also do these things for your extended family and community. What makes a parent is not birthing or adopting children but having a paternal or maternal heart.
Although the blessings of marriage and/or children may not come to you until the eternities (if righteous), you must practice those duties now and become a celestial person worthy of celestial blessings. Remember, the Lord sees us as how we are meant to be; to Him, we all are husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers and should act accordingly.
Furthermore, the Christlike attributes needed in marriage and parenthood are ones we are supposed to acquire anyway. Those who are married and have children are not automatically exalted; it is not enough to just make covenants and obey some of the commandments. We must keep those covenants, obey all the commandments fully, and become like Christ to return to Heavenly Father's presence and claim our eternal blessings.
Challenge: Start being a good spouse or parent now. If you already are a spouse or parent, become a better one!
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