Importance of Family

Today I want to brag about my family.  Mostly just my dad.  Within my family there are contained four women, and two men.  That means three sisters, mom and dad, and then me.  I usually never got anything I wanted at the store because I was the youngest and the only boy.  We rent a movie, it was almost guaranteed to be a chick flick because three older sisters will always out-whine a single younger brother.  My dad was usually working late all the time so I didn't get a whole lot of backup either.  But that is just fine now, I can quote most of those movies better than my sisters.   ;)

However, as the years went by, my dad got a different job.  I got myself a job.  Then I went to college.  Then dad lost his job.  Then I came home from college.  Then me and my dad were home together all the time.  Almost everyday.  So we started doing more stuff together.  We went golfing.  I proceeded to lose somewhere about ten golf balls in the same spot, of the same water hazard, on the same hole, all trying to tee off. (I think it was hole 3.)

Then we decided that golfing would be expensive.  So we started doing things we already had at home.  I had some video games, and we started doing them together.  Dad found a game that he enjoyed, so we started playing.  I have a lot more experience in gaming than he does, but I would teach him how to do different things and mix up the strategy he was using so he wouldn't be so predictable.  I thought that I was the teacher and he was under me.  I was wrong.  Not until months later did I realize that he was teaching me to be a good dad.  True he had been gone most of when I was growing up trying to make money to support the family.  But when he finally had time to spend with me, he found a small interest in something I enjoyed that he could do with me.

Although my dad only ever won about 5% (maybe less) of the games we played, I know that he had fun because he was playing with me.  His son.  Although he really didn't know what he was doing, and I frequently had to let him win, he was happy being able to spend time with me.  I also enjoyed my time with him.

This picture is from snorkeling in New Zealand...I'm the scrawny one, standing beside my dad.

I know that the family is there for us to learn from.  Not only do we have our best friends within our own family, but the family also contains the best teachers.  No one other than my dad will ever be able to teach me about being a dad, and only I could teach him gaming.

So it is with our eternal family.  My Father in Heaven is the only one who can truly teach me about Himself.  These teachings come from the Spirit, but I have to make time to listen to Him, and learn from Him.  This applies to everyone.  Old or young, male or female, bond or free, none of these matter.  I know from experience, both temporal and spiritual, that we must look to our Father if we want to go very far.