Mission:

           To have a rewarding and fulfilling family life built around significant and fantastic activities that we will thoroughly enjoy as well as helping us to grow in love and commitment to our Heavenly Father, religion, family, friends, music, learning, humanity, and nature.

"To have a rewarding and fulfilling family life" -

           The focus here is on enjoyment. We hope that we and the children will be able to look forward to activities that we will enjoy as a family, and that the children will look back on their lives being able to say that they had great family experiences. We want the entire family to have fun together and not see family activities as chores. Some of the primary relationships that we will build are those within the family. We will learn to communicate effectively, and rely on each other throughout the rest of our lives—emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

"significant and fantastic activities" -

           We will not sacrifice these activities for the pressures of the present. We will not say that we will work hard now, never seeing the children, so that we can have fun in the future. We will be thrifty in the activities that we plan and do, saving money where we can; but we will not save money or accomplish any of our other goals at the expense of these activities.

"helping us to grow in the love for our Heavenly Father" -

           Our personal relationship with God is the most important thing that we need to cultivate. Family support can strengthen this faith. And, just as Alma testifies, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." (Alma 30:44)

"helping us to grow in the love of our religion" -

           We all rely entirely on faith. Although discussions that we have will explore the intellectual strength of our faith, no amount of logic or intellectual prowess can successfully prove or disprove our faith. We must and will simply believe in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some activities will focus on church historical sites and our pioneer heritage to develop, in us, an intimate relationship with our church, the sacrifices that others have made for it, and the sacrifices that we will make for it.

"helping us to grow in the love of our family" -

           We will make it together. It is important to us that our children not only have fun together and learn to get along, but that they cultivate a deep love for one another and the family. By encouraging that from birth, showing our love for them and each other each day, emphasizing the love of our Heavenly Father and Christ for each of us, and providing the opportunities to be together and have exciting experiences together, helping one another achieve goals, we hope to go far in the development of this love.

"helping us to grow in the love of our friends" -

           Being able to create and keep good relationships outside of the family is an important aspect of our lives on earth as well as through eternity. Our children's friends will always have a place in our home and our activities.

"helping us to grow in the love of music" -

           Kahlil Gibran wrote that God gave music to man as a common language for all mankind. We believe that there is an art and power in music to move people, to inspire, to enliven, to comfort—whether through listening to it or through participating in its creation. We will support our children in musical activities, whether they play an instrument or sing, or not, we will work to help each of them develop a love and appreciation for music of all kinds. We will accomplish this primarily by exposing them early on to various types of music as we play it in our home, as their mother practices opera in our home, and as we learn and sing songs together.

"helping us to grow in the love of learning" -

           It is not enough just to believe and follow. One of the purposes of our existence is to learn and grow intellectually. "Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come." (D&C 130:18-19) We will study together. We will use activities to engage in discussion and build an appreciation for the arts and academics.

"helping us to grow in the love of humanity" -

           We will follow the example of Christ in his love for all of us. We feel that the best way to do this is to have exposure to as many cultures and people as possible. We will help others as a family.We will learn from others as a family.

"helping us to grow in the love of nature" -

           Not only do our experiences with nature help us increase our faith in our Heavenly Father and his power. Nature also gives us a vision of the divinity within ourselves. It helps us to feel part of something greater. It restores the soul and replenishes our minds.It teaches us balance, endurance, resiliency, and serenity as well as how to deal with struggle, fear, death, and vulnerability.