What to do with those Apples?

Thanks to my mother-in-law (not meaning that negatively), we were blessed to receive a bag of apples last week. John loves apples and has grown up eating them. I, on the other hand, do not like apples. I enjoy applesauce but anything else to do with an apple, I do not like. Yes, people that even means the ol' American favorite, apple pie too. So I have been contemplating on what to do with all these apples since I knew John wouldn't be able to eat them all before they went bad. My visiting teaching partner also contacted my about going to visit our two ladies so of course I need a little gift to bring them too. Then an idea popped into my head!! What about apple butter! 

Apple Butter is actually super duper easy to make and makes your entire house smell like fall which I loved! The hardest part about the apple butter was peeling and coring the apples!

Apple Butter

- a dozen or more apples (depending on size)

- 1/2 cup of brown sugar

- 1/4 cup of honey

- 1/2 cup of water

- 1 tbsp of cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp of nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice

First you will need to peel and core all your apples. Because my husband and I are poor college kids, I do not have an apple peeler and corer. So I did it by hand and cutting the apples into fourths and into eighths if they were too big.

Next you need to put all your peeled apples into your crockpot along with the rest of your ingredients.

Mix the ingredients a little, place the lid on the crockpot, and let it sit for about six hours.

 After your six hours, the apples will be starting to break down so you want to stir everything together. Make sure to get all the ingredients that fell to the bottom mixed in. Then once again place the lid on and set to the side for an additional 10-12 hours. I started mine later in the day so that my ten hours was while we were sleeping. It smelled great when we woke up!

Right before the time is up, you need to pull out a large stockpot and fill it with water. Then separate your mason jars from the lids and rings. Add the mason jars you plan to fill with your apple butter into the water bath. Allow the jars to heat with the water.

You will also need to take the lids and add them to a small pot of warm water. Bring both the jars and lids to a low boil for at least 10 minutes.

While everything is boiling, you can prepare the apple butter. I removed mine from my crockpot to another bowl but you can leave it there. Here's where your preference comes into play. You can either blend the apple butter in the blender or with a mixer for it to be smooth or you can decide to leave it chunky and just slightly mix everything together. 

You can then pull your mason jars out of the hot water bath and place them on a clean towel, on your countertop. Go ahead to fill each jar with the warm, apple butter. Make sure to leave a half inch of wiggle room in each jar. With a clean towel, wipe down the rim of the jars so no butter gets between the lid and the jar. Then pull your lids out of the pot, and without touching the underside, place the lids on top of each jar. Screw your rings on the jars, making sure to not over tighten the jars.

After that then the  sealed jars need to be placed back in the pot of hot water. Process the jars for 10 minutes. After the ten minutes, you can remove the jars from the hot water bath. Wipe down the jar again, with a clean towel, to ensure no water is left on the outside of the jar. Go ahead, and then leave the jars on the counter to cool. 

If you do not can some and instead place in a container for immediate eating, do not leave in fridge for more than a week.

I hope you try and enjoy! My husband loved it! ;)

Eves Homecoming

This last weekend was total Michelsen Crazy!!

Thursday night, Sherry (my mother-in-law), Kim and Michael (John's youngest siblings) arrived at our little apartment to start our family-filled weekend. Kim and Michael were super excited to meet our five kittens! 

Side note: Yes, people we have FIVE kittens.... No not a crazy cat lady just fostering some very cute babies.

Kim and Michael had lots of fun playing with the kiddies while I was still running crazy getting our suitcase ready after procrastinating!

Friday, we left at 9:00am for Utah after picking up Leisha! Now, I get terribly car sick when I am not driving like I can't even go ten minutes in a back seat without getting a headache and then the nausea kicks in. I have mastered at least not vomiting during a car trip since I was fourteen but it's still not fun.

 One of my worst experience with my carsickness was on a family trip when I was about twelve. I had been feeling it for a good while when I told my mom I did not feel good. She told me to sit up, look out the window, and suck on a peppermint. Well, the peppermint was no good and to this day I still do not like peppermints. I knew I had very little time before everything I ate that day came spewing out. Telling my mom and Jaren, my brother, this, they threw me a bag. Now if you ask either of them, they will say that they handed me the bag wide open. I do not remember this! I swear up and down that they threw me the bag in a crumbled ball and I did not have time to un-crumble and open it before everything fell apart. I vomited all over the bag and all over the floor next to me. I swear I have never vomited that much before in my whole life and it was all over the car! It's no surprise at all that my parents were not pleased especially after we cleaned as much as possible but still had to drive hours with all the windows open so that the smell didn't cause a repeat situation. And now it seems to be brought up all the time when we get all together.

Anyways, somehow I forgot this situation and that I don't do good for trips, and got in the car without any form of dramimine. I didn't realize it until we were already on the highway when I started getting a headache. I immediately thought "oh crap" with the incident I just described running through my head! Luckily, we weren't too far just yet and were able to stop in Idaho Falls for some travel sickness pills which put me completely asleep for the next four hours of the drive. Sweet!

We arrived in Draper about 1:00pm to see Kristie and my niece, Lilly! She is too cute! Lilly was very apprehensive at first with everyone in her face and cooing at her but after a couple days with us, she was laughing and playing!

After a very quick pitstop at Kristie's, we were in the car again to Springville where the Eves live which was the whole reason for us coming to Utah. Grandma & Grandpa Eves just came home from their mission in California!! What is crazy is their mission area what the exact area where I have lots of relatives! Small world, right? Both my mom's parents and my dad's mom go to the Oakland temple every week right where John's grandparents were called to!! Crazy!

Anyways after we ate a quick lunch and we said our hellos, Sherry took Kim and I over to John's cousin, Annie. Annie does hair and is amazing....totally recommend if you live near or in the surrounding area of Mapleton. Annie gave me a great haircut and helped me achieve a long time coming dream..... Drum roll please ......... Dye my hair dark!! My mom has given me highlights and I went one other time and got professional haircuts but this was my very first time to dye ALL OF MY HAIR! And I love it!! It's exactly what I wanted!

I need to take a better pick of my new hair.....coming soon!

Well now we are still on Friday!! Holy long day..... Right after and I mean as soon as we were picked up from Annie's house, we were off again! This time, we drove all the way to Logan which ended up being almost two and half hours. We were all super excited though because we were going to watch Jake's soccer game! Bt man was it cold. All ten, and later eleven, of us were bundled up in blankets but that did not stop us from screaming at the top of our lungs, rooting on Jake's team. It was a pretty exciting game too and we flew off our seats when Jake made a goal!

(Wish I could have gotten better pics of Jake's game!!)

Saturday morning, we had pictures with my amazing cousin, Melodie Scott! And the grove that Melodie picked for the pictures was fanatastic! I wish I had taken some pictures myself. The falls colors were sublime and were the perfect setting! We ended up having lots of fun and laughing during the process too, which, of course, helps tremendously with smiles.

(Repeat Picture!! But seriously ... It is that good.)

Luckily after that we had a more relaxing day at the Eves. At least it was for me since John needed to finish a good amount of homework while we were there. I did make him take a break and get a nap in with me ;).

That night we met up with our clan at the Brick Oven to celebrate Leisha's birthday. It's so funny listening to everyone debate on what we should order. I definitely took longer than us actually eating the pizza later! It was super funny though and I believe we had a great time. The night got even better when the balloon lady came over and we insisted that she make Leisha a crazy birthday hat. It is so mesmerizing to watch someone manipulate balloons, all the while talking to you and not popping the balloons. The monkey she made for Michael was too cute! I hope Leisha enjoyed her birthday dinner!

Sunday was very nice as all of Sherry's sisters and their families showed up for their parents homecoming talks. It was great to feel the support and love the children had for their parents and what they had just accomplished. I am not one who gives their testimony at church a lot. But I love listening to others' testimonies! It's amazing to feel the spirit as others bear witness of the gospel, of our leaders, and of our standards. I feel like my own testimony grows through the things that they speak of. And missionary testimonies are the best of all! I loved listening to Grandma and Grandpa Eves talk about some of their experiences and trials that they pushed through. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity of being there.

Before we left but after church, we had a lunch at the Eves with most of the family. There was lots of us! The time with family was super enjoyable but the same time, I craved my bed! About two o'clock, we left back to Rexburg for another five hour drive to make it back to our own bed safely! 

Thank you to the Michelsens for taking John and I with you. It was great to have time with family!

Broken Vessel

Life is hard and there are times were even the most put together person can feel overwhelmed. I know that I have definitely felt overwhelmed with my life and the way it was going. I had some very, very low points when I wasn't sure what my purpose was. I loved how Jeffrey Holland shared his feelings.

If you would like to listen or watch Jeffrey R. Holland's talk, click here

Like a Broken Vessel

Jeffrey R. Holland

The Apostle Peter wrote that disciples of Jesus Christ are to have “compassion one of another.”1 In that spirit I wish to speak to those who suffer from some form of mental illness or emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent over a lifetime. We sense the complexity of such matters when we hear professionals speak of neuroses and psychoses, of genetic predispositions and chromosome defects, of bipolarity, paranoia, and schizophrenia. However bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.

In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to       pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.

Let me leave the extraordinary illnesses I have mentioned to concentrate on MDD—“major depressive disorder”—or, more commonly, “depression.” When I speak of this, I am not speaking of bad hair days, tax deadlines, or other discouraging moments we all have. Everyone is going to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. The Book of Mormon says Ammon and his brethren were depressed at a very difficult time,2 and so can the rest of us be. But today I am speaking of something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking!

No, this dark night of the mind and spirit is more than mere discouragement. I have seen it come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. I have seen it in new mothers with what is euphemistically labeled “after-baby blues.” I have seen it strike anxious students, military veterans, and grandmothers worried about the well-being of their grown children.

And I have seen it in young fathers trying to provide for their families. In that regard I once terrifyingly saw it in myself. At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. With the grace of God and the love of my family, I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such gloom than I was. In any case we have all taken courage from those who, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, “search[ed] … and contemplate[d] the darkest abyss”3 and persevered through it—not the least of whom were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Elder George Albert Smith, the latter being one of the most gentle and Christlike men of our dispensation, who battled recurring depression for some years before later becoming the universally beloved eighth prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.”4 Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.5

In preventing illness whenever possible, watch for the stress indicators in yourself and in others you may be able to help. As with your automobile, be alert to rising temperatures, excessive speed, or a tank low on fuel. When you face “depletion depression,” make the requisite adjustments. Fatigue is the common enemy of us all—so slow down, rest up, replenish, and refill. Physicians promise us that if we do not take time to be well, we most assuredly will take time later on to be ill.

If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills, and good values. Be honest with them about your history and your struggles. Prayerfully and responsibly consider the counsel they give and the solutions they prescribe. If you had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care available. So too with emotional disorders. Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.

If you are the one afflicted or a caregiver to such, try not to be overwhelmed with the size of your task. Don’t assume you can fix everything, but fix what you can. If those are only small victories, be grateful for them and be patient. Dozens of times in the scriptures, the Lord commands someone to “stand still” or “be still”—and wait.6 Patiently enduring some things is part of our mortal education.

For caregivers, in your devoted effort to assist with another’s health, do not destroy your own. In all these things be wise. Do not run faster than you have strength.7 Whatever else you may or may not be able to provide, you can offer your prayers and you can give “love unfeigned.”8 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; … [it] beareth all things, … hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.”9

Also let us remember that through any illness or difficult challenge, there is still much in life to be hopeful about and grateful for. We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions! Stephanie Clark Nielson and her family have been our friends for more than 30 years. On August 16, 2008, Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were in a plane crash and subsequent fire that scarred her so horrifically that only her painted toenails were recognizable when family members came to indentify the victims. There was almost no chance Stephanie could live. After three months in a sleep-induced coma, she awoke to see herself. With that, the psyche-scarring and horrendous depression came. Having four children under the age of seven, Stephanie did not want them to see her ever again. She felt it would be better not to live. “I thought it would be easier,” Stephanie once told me in my office, “if they just forgot about me and I quietly slipped out of their life.”

But to her eternal credit, and with the prayers of her husband, family, friends, four beautiful children, and a fifth born to the Nielsons just 18 months ago, Stephanie fought her way back from the abyss of self-destruction to be one of the most popular “mommy bloggers” in the nation, openly declaring to the four million who follow her blog that her “divine purpose” in life is to be a mom and to cherish every day she has been given on this beautiful earth.

Whatever your struggle, my brothers and sisters—mental or emotional or physical or otherwise—do not vote against the preciousness of life by ending it! Trust in God. Hold on in His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee. Though we may feel we are “like a broken vessel,” as the Psalmist says,10 we must remember, that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.

I testify of the holy Resurrection, that unspeakable cornerstone gift in the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ! With the Apostle Paul, I testify that that which was sown in corruption will one day be raised in incorruption and that which was sown in weakness will ultimately be raised in power.11 I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.”12 Until that hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope, and show “compassion one of another,”13 I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

What breed?

So here comes a rant.....

I am a pet groomer. I give dogs haircuts, I wash dogs, I do all the nasty things no one wants to do. Sure it's not the greatest job in the world and it can be painful, disgusting and dangerous but occasionally it's rewarding. It takes a lot of patience which I have learned. And that's not just patience with the animals. Most of the time it's patience with the owners.

I love dogs. I have always been interested with learning about different breed and their behaviors and characteristic. I can actually be pretty good at telling you the breed of your dog or what characteristic it resembles. I have done my research. I made sure going into this job that I learned the warning signs of a dog on its last straw, what breeds tend to show no warnings, and levels of patience dogs will deal with. I knew that if I didn't want to be seriously injured or taken advantage of then I need to know what I was dealing with. 

Let's take my golden retriever for instance; I know that she is a breed that will shed all year long no matter what the weather is. I know that if she does not receive the physical activity she needs that she will get into things that she knows she shouldn't. I know that she is quick to please though.

What I don't understand is that if I put the time in to understand most of the breeds so that I could simply perform my job safely and to the best of my ability to only see these dogs every 12 weeks if that, why do people think that adopting a dog they know nothing about is a fabulous idea!?! Seriously people! Do some research before you choose a dog to take home. Even if you get a dog from a shelter you should still research the closest breed to what the dog looks like! It seems like common sense to me but then again I could be wrong....... But I would rather think not.

I don't know how many times I have had people come in or tell the receptionist that their dog is this breed when really it's something completely different. I love it to death when people come to me and say "we were told that he is a __________". My response.... Smile and nod maybe put in a "they are so cute!" But in my head it's a "oh geez you have no idea what you have and you took the word of someone who wanted the money for selling the poor thing.... *eye roll*". I mean come on, it's as easy as simply looking up pictures of said breed on Google. 

I had one poor lady thought she had a pure breed golden retriever. She came to me in shock about how thick his fur is and how he won't shed until mid summer and then it's like fire hydrant burst. Okay, so I didn't look to closely I just told her we could get him a good deshed and brushing. Now there are only a few breeds who have blue tongues or spotted tongues and the most popular is the Chow Chow. I got the dog in the bath and there it was! A spotted blue tongue..... Umm no wonder he has such a thick coat.

So the popular thing now-a-days is to breed a poodle to every breed! Well, I had a gentleman come in with what he said was a Maltese/Poodle. It was actually cute; they usually are. But because he didn't know both breeds and because old men are stubborn, he wanted the dog to have a very proper show dog poodle cut. I know you have all seen those ridiculous poodle cuts so yes one of those. I tried my hardest to talk him out of it especially because the only thing that his dog resembles of a poodle is his longer legs. The rest of him looks like a Maltese. But okay I get paid to do what the customer wants. So because the dog looks like a Maltese, the poof that's suppose to be on the top of his head looks like the start of a mullet, and his tail was long not docked like a poodles. I poor thing looked ridiculous. 

People research your breed! If you don't know how to start looking or what dog would be good for you, I would love to answer questions that I can. The AKC site is a wonderful tool for that too. And if I don't have the answers right away, I will try to find them and point you in the right direction. Think before you choose a dog. I would love for the shelters to be emptied and for all pets to have a loving home.... It starts with people being smart about what they can take on and what is right for them.

Favorite General Conference Talk

So life has been a little crazy of late so I apologize for the lack of posts but I refreshed and ready to start anew!! Thank you for being patient with me!

 I loved listening to this talk and it definitely had the most notes from me so I decided to share it with you all! If you would like to watch and listen to it instead of reading, I have posted the link below:

No Other Gods - by Dallin H. Oaks

No Other Gods

by Dallin H. Oaks

The Ten Commandments are fundamental to the Christian and Jewish faiths. Given by God to the children of Israel through the prophet Moses, the first two of these commandments direct our worship and our priorities. In the first, the Lord commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Centuries later, when Jesus was asked, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36–37).

The second of the Ten Commandments elaborates the direction to have no other gods and identifies what should be the ultimate priority in our lives as His children. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing” in the heavens or the earth (Exodus 20:4). The commandment then adds, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:5). More than merely forbidding physical idols, this states a fundamental priority for all time. Jehovah explains, “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, … shewing mercy unto … them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6). The meaning of jealous is revealing. Its Hebrew origin means “possessing sensitive and deep feelings” (Exodus 20:5, footnote b). Thus we offend God when we “serve” other gods—when we have other first priorities.

What other priorities are being “served” ahead of God by persons—even religious persons—in our day? Consider these possibilities, all common in our world:

1. •Cultural and family traditions
2. •Political correctness
3. •Career aspirations
4. •Material possessions
5. •Recreational pursuits
6. •Power, prominence, and prestige

If none of these examples seems to apply to any one of us, we can probably suggest others that do. The principle is more important than individual examples. The principle is not whether we have other priorities. The question posed by the second commandment is “What is our ultimate priority?” Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship? Have we forgotten to follow the Savior who taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments? (see John 14:15). If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day.

For Latter-day Saints, God’s commandments are based on and inseparable from God’s plan for His children—the great plan of salvation. This plan, sometimes called the “great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), explains our origin and destiny as children of God—where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality, including God’s commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been given this knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are in danger of serving other gods.

Knowledge of God’s plan for His children gives Latter-day Saints a unique perspective on marriage and family. We are correctly known as a family-centered church. Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the fulness of eternal exaltation. We know this is possible only in a family relationship. We know that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God’s plan. Only this marriage will provide the approved setting for mortal birth and to prepare family members for eternal life. We look on marriage and the bearing and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan and a sacred duty of those given the opportunity to do so. We believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.

Because of what we understand about the potentially eternal role of the family, we grieve at the sharply declining numbers of births and marriages in many Western countries whose historic cultures are Christian and Jewish. Responsible sources report the following:

1. •The United States now has the lowest birthrate in its history,² and in many European Union nations and other developed countries, birthrates are below the level necessary to maintain their populations.³ This threatens the survival of cultures and even of nations.
2. •In America, the percentage of young adults ages 18 to 29 who are married fell from 59 percent in 1960 to 20 percent by 2010.⁴ The median age for first marriage is now at its highest level in history: 26 for women and almost 29 for men.⁵
3. •In many countries and cultures (1) the traditional family of a married mother and father and children is coming to be the exception rather than the rule, (2) the pursuit of a career instead of marriage and the bearing of children is an increasing choice of many young women, and (3) the role and perceived necessity of fathers is diminishing.

In the midst of these concerning trends, we are also conscious that God’s plan is for all of His children and that God loves all of His children, everywhere.⁶ The first chapter of the Book of Mormon declares that God’s “power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth” (1 Nephi 1:14). A later chapter declares that “he hath given [his salvation] free for all men” and that “all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden” (2 Nephi 26:27–28). Consequently, the scriptures teach that we are responsible to be compassionate and charitable (loving) toward all men (see 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 John 3:17; D&C 121:45).

We are also respectful of the religious beliefs of all people, even of those increasing numbers who profess no belief in God. We know that through the God-given power of choice, many will hold beliefs contrary to ours, but we are hopeful that others will be equally respectful of our religious beliefs and understand that our beliefs compel us to some different choices and behaviors than theirs. For example, we believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married.

The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given to His children. Its use was mandated by God’s first commandment to Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:28), but other important commandments were given to forbid its misuse (see Exodus 20:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). The emphasis we place on the law of chastity is explained by our understanding of the purpose of our procreative powers in the accomplishment of God’s plan. Outside the bonds of marriage between a man and a woman, all uses of our procreative powers are to one degree or another sinful and contrary to God’s plan for the exaltation of His children.

The importance we attach to the law of chastity explains our commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and has continued through the ages as God’s pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters and for the nurturing of His children. Fortunately, many persons affiliated with other denominations or organizations agree with us on the nature and importance of marriage, some on the basis of religious doctrine and others on the basis of what they deem best for society.

Our knowledge of God’s plan for His children⁷ explains why we are distressed that more and more children are born outside of marriage—currently 41 percent of all births in the United States⁸—and that the number of couples living together without marriage has increased dramatically in the past half century. Five decades ago, only a tiny percentage of first marriages were preceded by cohabitation. Now cohabitation precedes 60 percent of marriages.⁹ And this is increasingly accepted, especially among teenagers. Recent survey data found about 50 percent of teenagers stating that out-of-wedlock childbearing was a “worthwhile lifestyle.”¹⁰

 There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God’s decrees about sexual morality and contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. These pressures have already authorized same-gender marriages in various states and nations. Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those differences between men and women that are essential to accomplish God’s great plan of happiness.

Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an eternal perspective that does not allow us to condone such behaviors or to find justification in the laws that permit them. And, unlike other organizations that can change their policies and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the truths God has identified as unchangeable.

Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and “in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority—to love and serve God—requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. For example, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornication even when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called “same-sex marriage” do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and our standards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities—even those becoming popular in our particular time and place.

In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may incur accusations of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority—to serve God—and, like our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts forward with the same fortitude they exhibited.

A teaching of President Thomas S. Monson applies to this circumstance. At this conference 27 years ago, he boldly declared: “Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”¹¹

I pray that we will not let the temporary challenges of mortality cause us to forget the great commandments and priorities we have been given by our Creator and our Savior. We must not set our hearts so much on the things of the world and aspire to the honors of men (see D&C 121:35) that we stop trying to achieve our eternal destiny. We who know God’s plan for His children—we who have made covenants to participate in it—have a clear responsibility. We must never deviate from our paramount desire, which is to achieve eternal life.¹² We must never dilute our first priority—to have no other gods and to serve no other priorities ahead of God the Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May God help us to understand this priority and to be understood by others as we seek to pursue it in a wise and loving way, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.