Standing for Traditional Marriage by Jeff MIchaelson

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I was 17 when the family proclamation was given to the world.  I didn’t think much of it.  I had grown up in what I thought was a typical household.  We went to church every Sunday and had family night every Monday.  My dad was my bishop, and I was worried about what was going on next weekend, not what marriage and family meant to me or my faith. 

On my mission I was able to really see the devastation first-hand of homes where marriage was not important, where it was just a silly piece of paper.  I was able to see hundreds of broken homes, because there was nothing holding them together, not even a silly piece of paper. 

After returning home to California from Chile, I resumed normal life and really focused on school.  It wasn’t until early 2008 that I once again found myself spreading the joy of the family proclamation.  I was calling around to different areas throughout CA before the general election in November about Proposition 8, a proposition to ban gay marriage in the state.  I felt it was part of my duty as a Christian to follow God's law and keep the bonds of marriage between a man and a women.  Needless to say, it passed.  I was overjoyed that there were so many people who believed in traditional marriage throughout the state of CA.  The few that were mad did put my name up on the internet as a “homosexual hater” and gave out my personal information and phone number, which you can still find to this day.  I do still get calls now and then but I write it off to misinformation by mass media.  

I do not hate people--of any belief. I was simply following the guidance I was given--through God's prophet and apostles in the Family Proclamation--that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. 

I know that God loves all of His children, and that is why He has given us this important guidance on marriage and family found in The Family: a Proclamation to the World.

I am so grateful for the proclamation of family and what it has meant in my life.  All of my siblings and I have been married in the temple.  We just had a family reunion at my parents’ house in August and our family has grown from our original 7 to 22 in just a few years.  The teachings of the family proclamation are true, and if followed can lead to happiness and joy in marriage and family.  I love my family, my extended family and especially my wife.  

Thank you, Jeff, for sharing your experience defending the Family. If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it on Facebook! We are sharing our family-related photos and the reasons why we love the proclamation under the hashtag #ILovetheFamilyProclamation all month long.

Scroll down to enter today's giveaway at the end of this post!

And please check out the other host blogs today for more wonderful posts and testimonies about family:

CranialHiccups
and
A Thing Called Love

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