Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the latter-day Twelve Apostles, recently had this to say about family reunions:
"This summer I attended three (!) family reunions in St. George, Utah. It was wonderful to celebrate with siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.
"In our busy lives it is crucial that family members spend time together. Whether it’s making memories, sharing stories of our youth, or passing on tales and traditions of ancestors, these moments together cannot be replaced. It’s something we need to do a lot more of, keeping traditions alive for the next generation.
"I am extremely grateful for the special bond that was shared with me by my family. The kind of love that parents share with their children is unequaled in a world that needs a lot more love, not less. While no family is perfect—certainly ours was not—moments of grief, pain, and trial, as well as the joyful, happy times have brought members of our family closer together and forged even stronger ties than we might have dreamed possible. The key to happiness—and to hanging on when times are difficult—is to unitedly rely on each other as family members and on the Lord.
"When Pat and I were raising our family, we always assured them we would rather be with them than anyone else we knew, and we genuinely meant that. I still feel the same today. I love my family beyond expression, and I’m thankful that we can be together for eternity."
Elder Holland's family picture from his Facebook post
