The Blessings of Family Work

One of the greatest things my parents have ever done for my siblings and I was having us work together as a family. This work went far beyond the usual "clean your room." My parents always seemed to find ways for me and my siblings to work with them, and with one another. Whether it was through mundane tasks, or huge projects, the opportunities were endless. Some of the things we did included (but are not limited to):

1. Gardening/weeding
2. Mowing the lawn (depending on age)
3. Yard work
4. Cleaning the house (“spring cleaning”)
5. Washing the cars
6. Making dinner
7. Building our house together as a family

Yes, it's good that we were able to do these things, but why was family work such a blessing?

My siblings and I did not always work in perfect harmony, in fact, there were times that we would end up arguing to the point that our parents could have very easily justified discontinuing the work we did. They didn't though, and I am so grateful for that now.

As time went on (and the family work/projects continued), I came to realize that the more we worked with one another, the more harmony there was between us. We became more in sync, and were able to better serve one another and recognize each other’s needs, and that would not be the case if it were not for work. It wasn't necessarily the size of the task at hand, but rather more so about the time we spent with one another. We developed problem solving skills, communication skills, and a more genuine interest in one another.

I remember a conversation I once had with my sister while we were painting one of the bedrooms in our home. She shared some of the concerns and issues she had been dealing with in her life. We were able to have a meaningful conversation, and it provided her the opportunity to share some things she usually wouldn't disclose so easily. I pondered why she would share such things, and came to realize that it was because of the sense of bonding formed as we worked with one another side by side. I have had many experiences like this one with my sister, and as a result, I am far closer with my family.

Photos of my two youngest siblings and I, taken while painting one of the rooms in our house:

Elder Russell M. Nelson once said:

"The home is the great laboratory of love. There the raw chemicals of selfishness and greed are melded in the crucible of cooperation to yield compassionate concern and love one for another."

Work has played a significant role in my family's "laboratory of love," and I am so thankful for the blessing it has been.