The Blessings of Extended Family

At the center of our Father in Heaven plan of salvation is the family. It is not just an individual plan, but a plan meant for families, and not just immediate family. Extended family can play an important role, and we have the opportunity to be with extended family members forever as well.

We live in a world where, for many, extended family has become more prominent and important, but for many it has also become less important, and for some, practically obsolete. I feel very fortunate to be a part of a family that sees the importance of extended family.

My maternal grandmother lived with me and my immediate family for my entire life, until her passing this past May. I lived with my paternal grandparents for two years in high school, and again for a year after returning home from my mission; my aunt, uncle, and their three children lived there with us as well for a time. Growing up, my mother ran a daycare with her sister, and her three children (my cousins) were practically my siblings. It's also a tradition for my father's side of the family to go to a beach in North Carolina every single year, and we stay together as an extended family there for an entire week. My all time best friend is my cousin, who I talk with on a daily basis.

I suppose the point I am trying to make is that I spend a lot of time with my extended family, and they have played a huge role in my life, especially my grandparents. They have always been actively involved in my life. My maternal grandma was so actively involved (as mentioned earlier, she lived with my family my entire life until her passing) that she became like a second mother to me. She would take me back to school shopping, drove me to sporting events, cooked dinner for our family every night, and even dropped me off at the mall for my first date.

President Boyd K. Packer once shared that it is important to "teach our youth to draw close to [their] elderly grandpas and grandmas" (Hawkins, pg. 178), and that is something my parents have taught me continually throughout my life. My grandparents have been their for me in many ways, whether it was to offer support and give advice, or play a card game and spend time with me. Their impact has been an extremely positive one, and one I could never truly put into words.

As time has gone on, not only have they been able to help me, my parents, siblings, and other extended family members, but I have been able to assist them in return. Both of my grandmothers passed away early this year, just a few weeks apart. Neither was of old age, but of illness. As their bodies began to decay and they got sicker and sicker, they needed the help of their children and grandchildren more than ever. They taught me a deeper meaning of love, not only by loving and serving me, but teaching me how to do so, and allowing for me to do the same for them in return.

We have a responsibility to take care of one another as family units, and "despite the demands of caregiving, this labor of love also brings significant blessings" (Hawkins pg. 181). I have experienced many of those blessings in my life, and hope that others seek after opportunities to do the same. Family will always be important, and it's never too late to make them a priority.

Here is a photo of (most of) my paternal extended family on one of our yearly beach trips! :)

And a photo of me with my paternal grandparents: