Being away from my parent's home causes me to think a little more about what the word "Home" means to me. As I ponder only upon that simple word I become more determined to create my own little home where ever I am.
A home is not just a place where you live; that is a definition of a house. A House becomes a Home when a certain spirit resides there: A Spirit of Love, Joy, Kindness, Service, and many other qualities.
D&C 88:124-125 says, "Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace."
This, I think, is something that can be applied to our homes. I mean imagine if we could incorporate it into our lives.
There would be no idleness. We would be extraordinarily productive if only because the ordinary are not. If we accomplished everything that is on our "To Do" list, then we have time to develop a talent, serve someone, visit someone, learn something, etc.
There would be order and cleanness. A Spirit of peace, tranquility, openness, etc in which allows a person to more easily express love and learn different things.
There would be no arguments. There would be peace in the home. Growth in healthy relationships. Helping each other progress. More love.
Not taking naps that are not needed cause you to be more involved in your day and in your life and in those around you. Going to bed early and waking up early causes you to become more productive and healthy. (Benefits of Sleep)
Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul. Moroni 7:45 says, "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
Imagine if we took all of this upon ourselves. Upon our homes.
It is no wonder that President Hinckley has said, "Imagine how our own families, let alone the world, would change it we vowed to keep faith with one another, strengthen on another, look for an accentuate the virtues in on another, and speak graciously concerning one another. Imagine the cumulative effect if we treated each other with respect and acceptance, if we willingly provided support. Such interactions practiced on a small scale would surely have a rippling effect throughout our homes and communities and, eventually, society at large."
Married, Single, or still in your parents home, can you not imagine the wonders that would happen if we took these simple principles into our homes? Even if it be with only with roommates, rather then immediate or extended family. Life is a fantastical thing. It is amazing what progress we can make in it, if only we put forth the effort of doing so.
As President Kimball has once said, "When Satan is bound in a single home – when Satan is bound in a single life – the Millennium has already begun in that home, in that life" (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], 172).
This is what we strive for: the Millennium, the Zion within our home. It will grow outward from there into the communities around us, into other's lives. Not just our own.
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