Because this will post on my Facebook as well, I leave this disclaimer here too:
If this offends someone that read it, then you do not know us and are not our family-that is your loss-so we leave you with a God bless you, and please leave us and our children be :)
We are Mr and Mrs Jeff and Fawn Hoagland, we are Christians who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
We love 10 children as our 'own'-Jeremy 20, Amanda 19, Anthony(in Heaven 17 years), Katelyn 15, Amie 15, Monica 14, Preston 12, Tyler 12, Quien 8 and Elliot 6. We hope to someday add to this brood Jillian and JD, and know Heavenly Father will answer that prayer in His time, we have the faith to wait and pray.
We are currently working diligently to be sealed at the Portland Temple July 2, 2011 as a couple and then a family with Quien and Elliot, who 'officially' became Hoagland's as of October 4th when the adoption papers were final for Jeff becoming their Dad.
The following is called The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I have added, in cursive and bold letters, our testimony through personal trials, life lessons, blessings and the wonderful life we have together as a married couple. Those are our words, not that of the Church.
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. *,We testify that being part of a family, small or large, is the way to true happiness. A child needs their Mom and Dad there to show them how to tie their shoes, read books, take them to a pumpkin patch, teach them to clean dishes and drive. Having been a single Mom for less then a year I can say it is not ok to raise kids without a husband around-it's miserable. Following God's plan is the only way to be happy!All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. *Amen! Jeff and I have a very personal testimony of this particular statement due to Kmt's father living a gay lifestyle for the last 3 years. After 8 years of marriage, having 4 children and being a bible thumping, homosexual hating baptist all his life, he just up and decided to kick me out, take the kids from me and go live as a gay/cross dressing man for a year.Now that's called free will my friends-not being born a certain way! I know for a fact that we are born male and female, genetically and spiritually, personalities may differ in being more tomboy for girls off and on and more feminine for boys-but we are not asexual as the current trend says. God has given us all love,and we LDS do love-LOTS, no matter who you are or what you do, we love you, k? But satan has twisted that and told us that we should love eachother in a way that is only meant for husband and wives to love for the sake of procreation. This is a demonic sick thing, and is a gross misinterpretation of true love. As LDS members we know better then to love in any other way then how God has taught us. When we die and go to our Heavenly Father, we will still be the same beings we were before we were born-male or female-and will be held accountable for how we behaved here on Earth.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. *Jeff and I are SOOO anxious to goto the Temple and be sealed together as eternal husband and wife! And to have Quien and Elliot sealed to us as our sons for eternity as well. Jeremy, Amanda and Amie will be my eternal children then too! And sweet Anthony will be mine and Jeff's for eternity as well-one big happy eternal family! Then we'll just pray and wait for Kmt to join in someday, we have plenty of time and lots of faith. Jeff and I know that the Temple ordinances are true, we've made covenants there that make us happy and protect us daily. We look forward to our date nights because we almost always make the Temple a part of it. Dinner, Temple, dessert. Our sweet Q and Elly are anxious to goto the Temple, and sing the song in Primary "I know I'll go there someday".
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.* Jeff and I may already have a large amount of kids between us, but we have also had it in our hearts from the start to have more children-heck, we already have their names picked out! We know that they'll be with us someday. We also know that having children outside of marriage is not a happy way to bring a soul into this world. As I said before, a child needs both parents to be happy. People get grumpy, offensive when they hear that. Because the world has told them it's ok to be a single parent, or to be a gay parent and raise kids.The truth is that kids are only happy with a married Mom and Dad who love their child and the God who put them all together. God has a plan-and it's a great one! It works people! Just look at the Universe-He did a pretty awesome job with all that, so why is it so difficult for you all to trust Him on this other stuff?
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan. *I personally believe this to mean that life begins at conception, therefor abortion is murder and anyone that participates in, condones, or in anyway assist in the death of a baby through such a horrible painful death for an innocent child of God is a cold hearted murderer. End of discussion.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations. *THIS is the biggest part of all! Jeff and I consider our sacred duty to raise our children in love and righteousness, to provide for their mortal and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, obey the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens as our number one goal in life on a day to day basis. We succeed with the youngest 2 most days, and occasionally we'll have a victory with the other kids. We're pretty sure we've had a successful liftoff with Jeremy as an adult-he's in the AirForce,visits us often, helps us when we need it, is kind-ish to his siblings (let's not get carried away here huh?lol) and goes to church, holds callings and is preparing for a mission after his time in the military Yet it's extremely disheartening for us to have to deal with the trials we have with our older kids, whom we love.But we continue on every day, no matter how much we wish we could just pack up Quien and Elliot and move to Colorado. We do this because we know it's what Heavenly Father wants us to do, to never give up on our older kids while they are in our stewardship. And we never will, however much they fight us or their other parents teach them to disrespect us or our beliefs. Because we love them, and Him.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.* Jeff and I have had to really work the last 5 1/2 years to get to where we are now in our marriage. We love eachother wholeheartedly, and cannot wait to goto the Temple and become eternal companions. We practice the principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities. We have had to make this a daily work, had to make this something we do together as a couple and a family. We have me stay at home to take care of the house and the family, Jeff works 2 jobs to provide for us financially. I am happy with this and get very upset when people say I should go get a job or that I'm a bad example to my kids because I'm not in college or at work. I am doing what God has asked of me, I am taking care of my family and my husband. My husband loves being able to provide for me and our children, and that I am here at home decorating our home, going to the schools and volunteering, cooking dinner instead of eating out and making sure the kids are going to church functions like scouts. We love our family life.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.*We believe in this very much, and see it in today's news on a daily basis. Things people may see as global warming or just bad weather, or terrorist threats-we see as the warning signs that this world had better start going with the plan of the gospel, or Jesus will be here a lot sooner rather then later.
And if that's the case-then Jeff and I will be, as my favorite song says-lifting up our faces to Heaven above, for Salvation comes to those who do love!
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. *Yes, we do vote people. And we vote how we believe God would have us vote-not how the newest trend would have us vote. We don't vote what the world thinks, but what is good and righteous. We vote on measures that keep family values strong, our father's employeed and our mother's at home with their children. Jeff and I will not vote for a person who thinks abortion is a right-that person believes in murder. We will not vote for someone who thinks homosexuality is born in you-that person is immoral. We will not vote for someone who believes that it's ok to build a porn shop 2 blocks from our children's school just so that the city can get more money from their liqueur taxes. We do the research, we know who you really are, and we will make sure our children and our friends and neighbors are educated about you as well And those we do believe in will have signs on our front lawns and bumper stickers on our cars.
Lastly, Jeff and I would like to say that we are proud to be LDS. We are very happy to have all of our children in our lives, no matter how much or how little they are with us. We love them all so very much! We thank Heavenly Father for all our blessings!
We say these things with all our hearts, minds, might and strength in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The First ave Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
© 1995,08 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
English approval: 5/08. 35602
