Becoming the Strong Link

"Become a welding link in the chain of generations."

-David A. Bednar

I recently listened to Elder and Sister Bednar's devotional called "A Welding Link". In it they discuss how to become a strong link in the generations of your family. I really loved listening and learning about the ways to keep my eternal family strong. I also think it sort of applies to the traditions and lessons that we pass down to our children and future generations. It makes me wonder what has been passed down to me, and what I'm going to pass down to my future family.

I think the biggest thing that I obviously have been given and will pass on is definitely the gospel of Jesus Christ. My Great Great Great Great Grandparents traveled with the pioneers across the ocean and then across the country for that gospel. It has been passed down through generations all the way down to me, and I hope that I can continue to pass that down to my Great Great Great Great grandchildren. It is something that has made such a difference in my life. It has shaped who I have become and it has effected how I live my life. This past year has been really hard for me, but I know that if I hadn't been given this amazing knowledge of the truth of the gospel, then I wouldn't have made it through this last year. That is one of the greatest gifts my ancestors have given me.

Something that I find interesting is that the chain of generations is more of a web that can connect all of us as a human family. So, I love that I get to be linked to two chains in order to create a much bigger web. That second chain has passed on many traditions and lessons to me as well. The biggest lesson I've learned from them is love everlasting. I have been taught to love others no matter their trespasses. Sure, people make mistakes, and sometimes it's hard to forgive them for those mistakes, but we have to keep loving them. I have learned that from stories I've heard about my great grandma and grandpa. It is my goal to pass that eternal and everlasting love on to my children and grandchildren so that they can have wonderful loving families. My heart aches for the recent generations who have seemed to struggle to find that love. I hope that as a strong link I can also teach them how to love forever no matter what.

It was also interesting to hear how one link can change everything. Sister Bednar talks about a sister that used to have a grandmother who was a member of the church. Sister Bednar says that she has always wondered where the chain was broken in that sister's family. For me, I know where that chain was broken. It has been multiple times, but each time someone has become a stronger link and helped to fix that chain. At one point that person was my mom. She is the reason I have such a strong testimony. She is the one who taught me to love. She answered my gospel questions, she was excited to discuss gospel topics, and she helped me learn to be a wonderful mother someday. She was a strong link that helped our family's chain grow stronger. Recently that chain has been broken again. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming my mom for that break, but she was a part of it. And I think that it has changed everything for both the chains that are connected to me. Suddenly the web has snapped, and I am not completely sure who I'm linked to anymore.

But I know that as I learn more about the gospel, as I strengthen my testimony, and as I learn to love my momma no matter what she does or says, that I can become a stronger link. I love that sweet and simple truth. I can't wait to become and stay strong so that my posterity can stay linked to their ancestors. I hope that I can help them become strong links as well as they learn the lessons and truths that have been passed down the chains for generations.

A Welding Link