Loose Connections.....

When I was in high school I was in a play called "Loose Connections." Essentially it was about all the barriers to communication there are in our lives. It was pretty funny, but also very accurate. This week in class we talked about communication. And one thing we specifically talked about was having councils. We talked about how the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have councils, and so here is a model we can pattern our own family councils after.

• Meet regularly - weekly if possible. Set aside a specific day and time to gather together and discuss important topics. Make it a priority.
• Set aside a place to meet - gather together in a quiet, private place where you can really focus and give your attention to the needs of your family.
•  When you meet:

            1. Begin by expressing love and appreciation for each other. It helps to remind each other
                that you love each other. It also helps to reduce contention as you counsel together.
            2. Open with a prayer. This invites the Spirit to inspire you, and gives you an opportunity to
                for the will of the Lord.
            3. Discuss to consensus. Give everyone a chance to speak, and make sure to listen to them.
                Consensus means that everyone comes to the same decision. Opinions are not important,
                but you must truly seek what is best for the family, and what the will of the Lord is.
                *Once a decision is made everyone  must go forward wholeheartedly with that decision.
            4. Close with a prayer. Seek confirmation from the Father, ask him to help you go forward
                with faith, and thank him for his guidance and the many blessings which he as given you.
            5. Share refreshments afterwards. This helps to loosen any tension that may have come up,
                and to bond the family together through shared experience.

If we can truly learn to counsel together after such a manner we can better make decisions as a family, and we can grow together through all we face. Communication really is key to family success and happiness. So here's to my "some day" family, and learning to communicate and counsel together so that we can eliminate as many loose connections as possible.