MY ETERNAL FAMILY
"The Prophet Elijah was to plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers, Foreshadowing the great work to be done in the temples of the Lord in the dispensation of the fulness of times, for the redemption of the dead, and the sealing of the children to their parents, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse and utterly wasted at his coming."
-D&C 138:47-48
"But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness;
ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another."
-Mosiah 4:15
"Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.
Alma 56:47-48
The Story Behind the Song
After Justin graduated from law school, the Lord prompted us to take a job offer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was not very happy about this arrangement. This was the first time we would be living away from Utah, and I wanted to stay close to all of our extended family. Our second son was just six weeks old at the time of our move, and my parents, in-laws, siblings, and nieces and nephews all lived within 20 minutes of one another. We had no family in Albuquerque and didn't know a soul that lived there. Despite my initial hesitation, we received so many blessings living in Albuquerque and made friendships there that will last a lifetime. Even with all the blessings, I still missed my family, so more to console myself than anything else, I wrote this song as a gift to my parents.
I am so grateful for the blessing of the gospel in my life, and the knowledge that whatever separates us in this life, we have been sealed in the Lord's temple and can be together as an eternal family. The lessons my parents taught will go with me throughout my life, and they are the same lessons I try to teach to my own children.
LYRICS
There’s a place I can go in those times I feel alone
If I think of my loving family.
Because no matter where I go,
I will always be home
With my family for all eternity
Now we know that we can be sealed as a family
Through our Heavenly Father’s wondrous plan.
And I know with all my heart this much is true;
My eternal family’s you.
I was blessed in my youth as you taught me the truths
That have made me the person that I am.
You gave me strength, you gave me love.
Taught me faith in God above.
And these gifts can all be mine eternally.
For I know that we can be sealed as a family
Through our Heavenly Father’s wondrous plan.
And I know with all my heart this much is true;
My eternal family’s you.
Even now that I’m grown and have children of my own.
Little ones, precious spirits from above.
They look to me for how to grow
And I’ll teach them all I know
So our family can go on eternally.
And they’ll know that we can be sealed as a family
Through our Heavenly Father’s wondrous plan.
And I know with all my heart
That I always want to be
With my own family
With you.