"The most important is the one that lasts the longest"Flag,November 2005, 41–44
Several brothers and I recently visited several refugee centers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas where the devastated and displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina were staying as they began to rebuild their lives. Many of their stories and situations are tragic and painful, but of everything I heard, I was most moved by the cry of the family, "Where is my mom?" "I can't find my son." - I lost my sister. They were hungry, scared people who had lost everything and needed food, medical help and all kinds of help, but most of all they wanted and needed their families.
A crisis or change of any kind reminds us of what is most important. In the routine of life, we often take our families for granted - parents, children and siblings. But in times of danger, need and change, there is no doubt that we care most about our families! There will be even more when we leave this life and enter the spiritual world. Certainly, the first people we will look for there will be father, mother, spouse, children and siblings.
I believe that the mission of mortal life can be "building an eternal family". Here on this earth, we strive to become part of extended families with the ability to create and shape our own part of those families. This is one of the reasons our Heavenly Father sent us here. Not everyone will find a mate and start a family in mortality, but everyone, regardless of their individual circumstances, is a precious member of God's family.
Brothers and sisters, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the proclamation to the world about the family issued by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1995 (see "The Family: A Proclamation to the World," p.Liahona,Nov 2004, 49;Flag,November 1995, 102). It was then and now a clarion call to protect and strengthen the family and a stark warning in a world where declining values and misplaced priorities threaten to destroy society by undermining its basic unit.
The Proclamation is prophetic not only because it was issued by prophets, but also because it was ahead of its time. It warns of the many factors that have threatened and weakened families over the past decade and calls for the prioritization and push that families need if they are to survive in an environment that seems increasingly toxic to traditional marriage and parent-child relationships.
The clear and simple language of the declaration is in stark contrast to the vague and complex concepts of a society that cannot even agree on the definition of family, let alone provide the help and support that parents and families need. You know the words from announcements like these:
"Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained by God."
(Video) Break Through The Noise - Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts"Gender is a fundamental characteristic of individual identity and purpose in premortal, mortal, and eternal life."
"Husband and wife have a great responsibility to love and care for each other and their children."
"Children have the right to be born in marriage and to be raised by a father and mother who faithfully keep their marriage vows."
"The disintegration of the family will bring to individuals, communities and nations the disasters foretold by ancient and modern prophets."
And the last words of the proclamation express the simple truth thatthe family is the "basic unit of society".
Today I call upon members of the Church and devoted parents, grandparents, and extended family members around the world to hold fast to this great proclamation, to make it a banner like General Moroni's "Title of Liberty," and to live according to its commandments. Since we are all part of the family, the declaration applies to everyone.
Polls show that people around the world generally consider family to be their top priority. However, in recent years, the wider culture seems to have ignored or misinterpreted the family. Consider some of the changes that have occurred in the past decade:
Many of the largest national and international institutions that once supported and strengthened families now seek to replace and even sabotage the very families they were meant to serve.
(Video) The People Who LIVE LONGEST Eat These 8 Popular Foods!In the name of "tolerance", the definition of family has been expanded beyond recognition to the point where "family" can be any person of any gender who lives together, with or without involvement, with children or cares about the consequences.
Widespread materialism and selfishness lead many to believe that families, especially children, are a burden and an economic grindstone that holds them back, rather than a holy privilege that will teach them to become like God.
However, most parents around the world still understand the importance and joy of natural families. My friends who have just returned from speaking with families and parents on several continents told me that the hopes and concerns of parents around the world are remarkably similar.
In India, a worried Indian mother said, "All I want is to have more influence on my children than the media and my peers." A Malaysian Buddhist mother said: "I would like my boys to be able to act in the world, but I don't want them to be of the world." Parents from different cultures and denominations say and feel the same as we do as parents in the Church.
People need to know what the message teaches because the family is the fundamental cell of our society, economy, culture and government. And as Latter-day Saints know, the family will also be the basic unit in the kingdom of heaven.
In the Church, our belief in the paramount importance of the family is rooted in renewed doctrine. We know the sanctity of the family in both directions of our eternal existence. We know that before this life we lived with our Heavenly Father as part of his family, and we know that family relationships can continue after death.
If we live and act in accordance with this knowledge, we will attract the world to us. Parents who value their families highly will be drawn to the Church because it offers the family structure, values, doctrine, and eternal perspective they seek and cannot find elsewhere.
Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. This should give us immense respect for our children, who are indeed our spiritual brothers, and should motivate us to take the necessary time to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more connected to our own happiness and the happiness of our children than how much we love and support each other in the family.
President Harold B. Lee spoke of the Church as the basic "scaffolding" that helps build up the individual and the family (see Conference Report, Oct. 1967, 107). The church is the kingdom of God on earth, but in the kingdom of heaven the family will be the source of our eternal progress and the joy and order of our Heavenly Father. As we are often reminded, one day we will be released from our callings in the Church. but if we are worthy, we will never be freed from our family relationships.
Joseph F. Smith said: "There can be no true happiness except in the home, and every effort to consecrate and preserve its influence elevates those who labor and sacrifice in its establishment. Men and women often try to replace life at home with some other life. They will convince themselves that home means prison. that the highest freedom is the most complete possibility to move at will. There is no happiness without service, and there is no greater service than that which makes the home a divine institution and promotes and protects family life.Class presidentsChurch: Joseph F. Smith[1998], 382).
One might ask: How do you protect, preserve and strengthen your homes and families in a world that pulls so strongly in opposite directions? Let me make three simple suggestions:
Be consistent in daily family prayer and weekly family dinner. Both of these elements invite the Spirit of the Lord to provide the help and strength we need as parents and family leaders. Church curriculum and magazines contain many good ideas for home family home evening. Also, consider holding a family testimony meeting where parents and children can express their beliefs and feelings to each other in a private and personal setting.
Teach the gospel and core values in your home. Create a love for reading scriptures together. Too many of our parents abdicate this responsibility to the Church. While seminary, auxiliary, and priesthood choirs are important in addition to parental gospel teaching, the primary responsibility lies with the home. You can choose a gospel theme or family value and then look for opportunities to teach it. Be sensible and do not involve your children or yourself in so many activities outside the home that you are so busy that you cannot recognize or feel the Spirit of the Lord giving you the promised guidance for you and your family.
Create meaningful family bonds that give your children an identity that is stronger than what they can find in their peer group, at school, or anywhere else. This can be done through family traditions around birthdays, holidays, dinners and Sundays. This can also be done through family policies and rules, which have natural and well-understood consequences. You have a simple family economy where children have certain jobs or responsibilities and receive praise or other rewards based on how well they do. Teach them the importance of avoiding debt and profit, saving and spending money wisely. Help them learn responsibility for their own physical and mental self-confidence.
In today's world where Satan's aggression against families is so common, parents must do everything in their power to strengthen and protect their families. But their efforts may not be enough. Our most basic family institution desperately needs the help and support of the extended family and public bodies that surround us. Siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents and cousins can have a big impact on children's lives. Remember that expressions of love and encouragement from an extended family member often have a real impact and help your child at critical times.
The Church itself will continue to be the first and most important institution - the "scaffold" - that helps create strong families. I can assure you that those who lead the Church are very concerned about the welfare of your families, so you will see an increasing effort to prioritize and focus on family needs. But as your leaders, we invite Church members around the world to put family first and identify specific ways to strengthen their families.
Furthermore, we call on all public bodies to reconsider and take fewer actions that could harm families, and more actions that help them.
Media are invited to submit offersmore that promotes traditional family values and encourages and supports families, and less that promotes immorality and materialism.
We call on governments and political leaders to put the needs of children and parents first and to consider the influence of families in all legislation and policy making.
We call on ISPs and website developers to become more responsible for their ability to influence and adopt the conscious goal of protecting children from violence, pornography, filth and nastiness.
We appeal to educational institutions to teach universal values and family and parenting skills, supporting parents in their responsibility to raise children so that they become the head of the family in future generations.
We invite our Church members to lovingly reach out to neighbors and friends of other faiths and include them in the many resources the Church has available to help families. Our communities and neighborhoods will be safer and stronger as people of all faiths work together to strengthen families.
We must remember that all major social units depend on the smallest and most basic unit, the family. No matter who or what we are, we help each other by helping families.
Brothers and sisters, as we raise the banner of family preaching to the world and as we live and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we will fulfill the measure of our creation here on earth. We will find peace and happiness here and in the world to come. We don't need a hurricane or any other crisis to remind us what's most important. The Gospel and God's plan of happiness and salvation should remind us of this. The most important thing is what lasts the longest, and our families are forever. To this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
FAQs
What is the meaning of The Last Question by Isaac Asimov? ›
The story asks the question of humanity's fate, and human existence as a whole, highlighting Asimov's focus on important aspects of our future like population growth and environmental issues. "The Last Question" ranks with "Nightfall" (1941) as one of Asimov's best-known and most acclaimed short stories.
Can entropy be reversed Asimov? ›"We both know entropy can't be reversed. You can't turn smoke and ash back into a tree." "Do you have trees on your world?" The sound of the Galactic AC startled them into silence.
Who are Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov? ›Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov were two of the faithful attendants of Multivac. As well as any human beings could, they knew what lay behind the cold, clicking, flashing face -- miles and miles of face -- of that giant computer.
What is Multivac What did Multivac do on May 14 2061? ›However, on May 14th, 2061, Multivac transforms into reality what had only existed in theory, when it successfully converted, stored, and utilized solar energy to fuel all energy-based operations across the planet.
What is the moral lesson of the fun they had by Isaac Asimov? ›MORAL The author's message is one of warnings against the dangers of computerized homeschooling which keeps away the children from the benefits of the personal interactions between students and teachers , which help develop social skills as well as many more things.
What is the saddest aspect of life right now Isaac Asimov? ›“The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” ~Isaac Asimov, Isaac Asimov's Book of Science and Nature Quotations, 1988 A quote from a man who knew more about our society today than we do now.
How do you destroy entropy? ›Entropy cannot be destroyed by any means, at any scale, and thus, entropy cannot overall decrease. Instead of entropy increase and decrease, it would be more appropriate to account for entropy production (or generation) and destruction (the latter being impossible).
Does life go against entropy? ›In this direction, although life's dynamics may be argued to go against the tendency of the second law, life does not in any way conflict with or invalidate this law, because the principle that entropy can only increase or remain constant applies only to a closed system which is adiabatically isolated, meaning no heat ...
How do you escape entropy? ›The only way to escape entropy is to intentionally put yourself in entropy. To seek entropy. This means seeking to expand our comfort zone and try new things. It is only through these experiences that we will grow and live the best life we can.
What is Multivac and how does it function? ›In all cases, it is a government-run computer that answers questions posed using natural language, and it is usually buried deep underground for security purposes. According to his autobiography In Memory Yet Green, Asimov coined the name in imitation of UNIVAC, an early mainframe computer.
What is cosmic AC? ›
Asimov's Cosmic AC was created by linking all datacenters through hyperspace, which explains a lot. It didn't reverse entropy--it just discarded the universe when it reached end-of-life and ordered a new one.
Who is the character in the last question by Isaac Asimov? ›“The Last Question,” a short story by Isaac Asimov, starts in the month of May of year 2061. A conversation occurs between two men, Alexander Adell and Bertram Lupov, both attendants of the Multivac. Multivac is a giant computer that can perform extremely complex computations beyond any human's capability.
Is MultiVAC a good project? ›✅In terms of the core team, MultiVAC is relatively strong compared with similar projects at the same industry, especially around technical expertise and background experience.
What blockchain is MultiVAC on? ›MultiVAC can be traded on a decentralized exchange (DEX) using your Coinbase web3 wallet. MultiVAC is only supported on a DEX.
What is MultiVAC proof of? ›MultiVAC utilizes a Proof of Instruction Execution (PoIE) consensus mechanism, which verifies honest computation in a way similar to proof of replication.
What is the lesson moral of the story? ›The moral of a story is the lesson that story teaches about how to behave in the world. Moral comes from the Latin word mores, for habits. The moral of a story is supposed to teach you how to be a better person.
What is the message of a story the moral or lesson? ›A theme is the message, or lesson, that the reader learns by reading the story. Sometimes a story has a particular kind of message, known as a moral. A moral is a type of message that teaches a reader a life lesson, such as what is right or wrong, how to make decisions, or how to treat other people.
What is the main point message lesson or moral of a story known as? ›The term theme can be defined as the underlying meaning of a story. It is the message the writer is trying to convey through the story. Often the theme of a story is a broad message about life.
What does Asimov think about how we get ideas? ›Echoing Einstein and Seneca, Asimov believes that new ideas come from combining things together. Steve Jobs thought the same thing. What if the same earth-shaking idea occurred to two men, simultaneously and independently? Perhaps, the common factors involved would be illuminating.
What did Isaac Asimov mean when he said the saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom? ›As Isaac Asimov once said, “The saddest aspect of society right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.” Unlike information, it cannot be dispensed via blogs and Internet chatter. Since we are drowning in an ocean of information, the most precious commodity in modern society is wisdom.
What is all the troubles of the world by Isaac Asimov about? ›
It receives a precise set of data on every citizen of the world, extrapolating the future actions of humanity based upon the personality, history, and desires of every human being, leading to an almost complete cessation of poverty, war and political crisis.
What is the reverse of entropy? ›Negentropy is reverse entropy. It means things becoming more in order. By 'order' is meant organisation, structure and function: the opposite of randomness or chaos. One example of negentropy is a star system such as the Solar System.
What is the opposite of entropy? ›Negentropy is the inverse of entropy. This indicates that things are becoming more ordered. Order is the opposite of randomness or disorder, implying organization, structure, and function. Negentropy can be seen in a star system like the solar system. The inverse of entropy is negentropy.
How does life reverse entropy? ›It is a chemical reaction called photosynthesis. As you probably are aware, it is the chemical process by which a plant turns the energy in sunlight into a sugar molecule. This simple chemical reaction has allowed every living thing to be created and to overcome the decay inherent in entropy.
Are humans high or low entropy? ›Some objects have low entropy, such as the sun which won't begin its final descent for another five billion years. A human life, compared to the sun at least, has a high rate, seven or eight decades or so, depending on your health, lifestyle, and gender. Systems naturally move from a low to a high rate of entropy.
Why does life exist on Earth? ›What makes the Earth habitable? It is the right distance from the Sun, it is protected from harmful solar radiation by its magnetic field, it is kept warm by an insulating atmosphere, and it has the right chemical ingredients for life, including water and carbon.
Do humans violate the second law of thermodynamics? ›Life does not violate the second law of thermodynamics, but until recently, physicists were unable to use thermodynamics to explain why it should arise in the first place. In Schrödinger's day, they could solve the equations of thermodynamics only for closed systems in equilibrium.
Is entropy the same as chaos? ›In short, we can define entropy as a measure of the disorder of the universe, on both a macro and a microscopic level. The Greek root of the word translates to “a turning towards transformation” — with that transformation being chaos.
What is the Murphy's Law of entropy? ›One of Murphy's1 famous laws states that “left to themselves, things will always go from bad to worse.” This humorous prediction is, in a way, echoed in the second law of thermodynamics. That law deals with the concept of entropy. Stated simply, entropy is a measure of the disorder of a system.
What is an example of entropy in real life? ›Melting ice makes a perfect example of entropy. As ice the individual molecules are fixed and ordered. As ice melts the molecules become free to move therefore becoming disordered. As the water is then heated to become gas, the molecules are then free to move independently through space.
What did the men do to the data fed to MULTIVAC? ›
John Henderson, Multivac's Chief Programmer, admits that he altered the data being fed to Multivac, since the populace could not be trusted to report accurate information in the current situation.
How much is MULTIVAC now? ›| MultiVAC Price | $0.001012 |
|---|---|
| Price Change24h | -$0.00001552 1.51% |
| 24h Low / 24h High | $0.001011 / $0.001028 |
| Trading Volume24h | $107,647 15.06% |
| Volume / Market Cap | 0.02965 |
Unmatched Experience: MULTIVAC US was established in 1987 and is the #1 daughter company of MULTIVAC Global. There are currently more than 8,000 active US based packaging machines, with growth of more than 250 new machines sold annually.
What is the symbolism of The Last Question? ›Like the symbol of Ouroboros – snake devouring its tail, The Last Question depicts the cycle of the universe and humanity. After humans have evolved to the point where all of their consciousness has melded into one, the AC still cannot answer how to reverse entropy.
What does cosmic mean spiritually? ›: of or relating to the cosmos, the extraterrestrial vastness, or the universe in contrast to the earth alone. cosmic radiation. : of, relating to, or concerned with abstract spiritual or metaphysical (see metaphysical sense 2) ideas. cosmic wisdom.
What are the quotes from The Last Question? ›“THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR A MEANINGFUL ANSWER.” “One by one Man fused with AC, each physical body losing its mental identity in a manner that was somehow not a loss but a gain.” “And AC said, "LET THERE BE LIGHT!" “If the stars must someday die, at least some could yet be built.”
Who is the main character in True Love by Isaac Asimov? ›The story “True Love” by Isaac Asimovincludes two active characters, Milton and Joe, which we will help you characterize next.
What are the most promising crypto projects 2023? ›- DeeLance - Decentralized freelancer marketplace with upcoming Metaverse.
- Love Hate Inu - Exciting new meme coin with vote-to-earn rewards.
- Ecoterra - Sustainable crypto project that pays users to recycle.
- RobotEra - Virtual sandbox to build and earn.
Multivac is a family of fictional computers that are referred by Isaac Asimov in several of his science fiction stories; those stories can be grouped to form the Multivac series. The first appearances were in 1955, in the short stories Question and Franchise, but shows up in about twenty stories.
Is Chiliz a good project? ›In the past 24 hours, the crypto has increased by $0.0031 in its current value. For the last 7 days, CHZ has been in a good upward trend, thus increasing by 16.7%. Chiliz has shown very strong potential lately, and this could be a good opportunity to dig right in and invest.
Does ledger support MultiVAC? ›
Ledger Live does not support MultiVAC (MTV) account yet but you can safely create your first Ledger MultiVAC (MTV) account with MetaMask.
Where to invest in MultiVAC? ›You can trade for MultiVAC using ETH in your primary Coinbase account. If you do not already have ETH in your account, you'll be prompted to either “buy ETH with cash” or to “receive ETH from another Wallet.
Does MultiVAC have smart contracts? ›We construct and exploit a relationship between the network division of labor and consensus reliability to make our model effective. MultiVAC performs sharding independently for transaction processing and for smart contract execution, creating an incredibly supportive and flexible base-layer blockchain platform.
Does MULTIVAC have a future? ›Bullish Multivac (MTV) price predictions range between $0.004742 and $0.008957 by 2030. Market analysts believe MTV could reach $0.003688 by 2025. Bearish Multivac market price prediction for 2023 is $0.000843.
Who is the CEO of MULTIVAC crypto? ›Frank Lyu studied at Tianjin University .
What is the future of MULTIVAC coin? ›What is the short-term prediction for MultiVAC? MultiVAC will reach $0.0011 in the next 90 days, which is a 6.4% change over the current price which hovers around $0.0012.
What is the message in The Last Question? ›The Last Question, by Isaac Asimov, is a short story about the evolution of humanity and technology, a single question, and the inevitable end of the universe due to increasing entropy. The Last Question also explores the relationship between humans and technology.
What is the point of view of The Last Question? ›The story is written from a third person objective point of view. The only intelligence remaining in the universe at the end of the story was AC. However, AC can't be the narrator as by literary convention the point of view should have switched to first person when it became a character in the story.
What does the last line of the story mean? ›Last lines teach us lessons, give us memorable images, and provide the note that carries the reader away from the story and back into his or her world. If ever there were a place to make every word count, your last line is it.
What is the message of the three questions? ›The three questions were asked by the wise hermit to the king. The message of this story was the true purpose of life is to help others. The best time to live life is in the present time. This story deals with the theme of wisdom, kindness, acceptance, and forgiveness.
What is the message of the story? ›
A story's message, or theme, is what the author wants to teach you through his or her writing. Some stories have a specific kind of message called a moral, or a life lesson. You can find the message of a story by looking at the characters' actions and focusing on what is repeated throughout the story.
What is the 3 point of view? ›Third Person Point of View. In third-person narration, the narrator exists outside the events of the story, and relates the actions of the characters by referring to their names or by the third-person pronouns he, she, or they.
What are the four basic point of view? ›In fiction, there are four types of point of view: first person, second person, third person limited, and third person omniscient.
What important thing is not to stop questioning? ›"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day."
Who said the most important thing is to never stop questioning? ›“The most important thing is to never stop questioning.” Albert Einstein teaches us about the quintessential need for curiosity in our life through this motivational science quote.
What is the best quote from Foundation Asimov? ›“Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right.” “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” “It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for subtlety.” “To succeed, planning alone is insufficient.
What is the meaning of Isaac Asimov? ›Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) was a science fiction author best known for his "Foundation" series of novels, as well as the "I, Robot" collection of short stories. Asimov formulated the Three Laws of Robotics in the latter, which continues to influence researchers in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).