Family as the Foundation

(Recorded in Manila, Philippines, February 2024)

So much of everything here in the Philippines seems to center around the family. You see tight-knit family relationships—not just among parents, children, and siblings, but across multiple generations. A grandparent, a nephew, a sister-in-law, a second cousin, they’re all simply family, and that means they love you, care for you, and, quite often, live nearby. It’s part of the Filipino culture of family love and strength, so it’s no wonder people in the Philippines are known to put family first.

It’s been said that “if there is only one thing Filipinos will walk to the ends of the Earth for, it definitely is family. There is nothing they wouldn’t do for the happiness, comfort, and safety of their families.”1Each year, the fourth week in September is National Family Week in the Philippines. During this week, churches, businesses, government, the media, and of course families unite to recognize, in the words of the Constitution of the Philippines, “the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a strong supporter of Family Week, promoting the theme “Building Forever Families.” This beloved annual celebration affirms that strong families are not only essential to a productive society, they’re also foundational to a happy life.2

This is why, even though there is a lot of important work to be done in the world, the greatest work we “will ever do will be within the walls of [our] own homes,”3 as a wise religious leader taught many decades ago. And work is the right word for it. Like laying the foundation for a strong building, strengthening a family is hard work, but it’s also a labor of love. It requires sacrifice, patience, humility, and a lot of forgiveness. Surely God sees and honors such efforts, and He carries us through every hardship, because He knows that family matters in time and eternity.

No family is perfect, but every family is worth saving, strengthening, and protecting. A building is only as strong as its foundation, and this is why, today more than ever, the world needs strong families.

References1. Patrick, “Importance of Family in the Philippines,” discoverthephilippines.com.2. See “Church of Jesus Christ celebrates 31st National Family Week; encourages Filipinos to ‘build forever families,’” Church News, Oct. 3, 2023, news-ph.churchofjesuschrist.org.3. Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee (2000), 134.