The family unit is fundamental not only to society and to the

In the words of Henry B. Eyring, a servant of faith and a teacher of eternal truths, there shines a reminder of divine order: “The family unit is fundamental not only to society and to the Church, but to our hope for eternal life.” These are not words meant for the passing ear; they are a call to remembrance — a call to look upon the home not as a mere shelter of stone and wood, but as the foundation of heaven upon earth. In an age when the bonds of kinship are often neglected and the heart drifts toward solitude, Eyring’s voice arises like that of an ancient prophet, reminding us that the family is not an invention of man, but a creation of God.

The family is the first school of the soul. Before there were nations, temples, or kings, there was a family — Adam and Eve, bound together by love, learning the sacred dance of labor, sorrow, forgiveness, and joy. In their home, the pattern of divine order was established: the giving of life, the nurturing of it, and the shaping of hearts in righteousness. Eyring’s words echo this eternal design, teaching that the family is not merely a social structure, but the living image of God’s covenant with humanity. It is in the family that faith is first spoken, that love is first learned, and that eternity first touches time.

To say that the family is fundamental to society is to recognize it as the beating heart of civilization. When families are strong, nations flourish; when families decay, even the mightiest empires crumble. History bears witness to this truth. The rise of ancient Rome began with loyalty to home and hearth, but its fall came when luxury replaced love and ambition divided fathers from sons. Similarly, every age that honors the home as sacred finds peace and purpose; every age that forgets it descends into chaos. Thus, Eyring’s wisdom reminds us that to heal the world, one must first heal the home. Peace begins at the table; faith begins in the cradle.

Yet Eyring’s teaching goes beyond mortal order — he speaks of the hope for eternal life. The family, he says, is not only for this world, but for worlds without end. In his belief, the bonds of parent and child, husband and wife, are not severed by death but sanctified through covenant. This is the divine mystery: that love, when consecrated by God, outlasts the grave. It becomes a thread woven into the fabric of eternity. For those who live in faith and charity, the family becomes not just a circle of mortal kin, but a celestial kingdom in miniature, a reflection of heaven’s own harmony.

Consider the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter-day Saint movement. Amid persecution and loss, he taught that the family is central to God’s plan — that temples exist not merely for worship, but for the sealing of eternal families. His words comforted countless widows and parents who had buried their children, assuring them that death could not destroy the bonds of love. This vision transformed the despair of loss into the strength of hope. For if families endure beyond the grave, then no farewell is final, and no separation eternal. Love, purified by faith, becomes the very ladder by which souls ascend to divine glory.

And yet, such a vision demands labor. A family is not made eternal by words alone, but by daily acts of grace — forgiveness given before anger festers, patience offered when tempers rise, compassion extended when pride would rather turn away. To live as an eternal family is to practice heaven within the walls of home. It is to see one another not as burdens, but as sacred trusts. As the ancients said, “He who would rule kingdoms must first rule his own household with love.” For the family is the first temple, and its altar is the heart.

Therefore, let every soul who hears Eyring’s words take them to heart: guard the family as the holiest of gifts. Cherish your spouse, honor your parents, nurture your children, and mend every bond that time or pride has broken. Teach the young that faith is not only found in churches, but in the way a mother comforts her child and a father sacrifices for his home. For when the family stands united in love, the heavens rejoice — for there, eternity begins.

So remember, my children of the future: the family is both the seed and the harvest of life. It sustains nations, strengthens faith, and carries the soul beyond the veil of mortality. To love your family is to walk in the footsteps of the divine; to honor it is to prepare for eternity itself. As Henry B. Eyring taught, the home is not the end of heaven’s journey — it is where heaven begins.