The following is excerpted from the Church Newsroom. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. 

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” is “the Lord’s plan for the eternal destiny of all His children.”

Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared this message and more as he spoke to students at Brigham Young University (BYU) on September 23, 2025, the 30th anniversary of the landmark document first read to the public by President Gordon B. Hinckley at a global gathering of women on September 23, 1995.

Elder Rasband, a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was speaking to students at the weekly campus devotional in Provo, Utah.

As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Rasband said one of his duties is to teach people about the proclamation. He and other Church leaders have done this with kings and religious and civic leaders around the world, he said. This includes President Henry B. Eyring speaking about it during his 2014 visit to the Vatican.

“The proclamation helps us as disciples of Jesus Christ to recognize that our lives, our daily choices, distinguish us from the ways and advocacy of the world around us,” Elder Rasband said. “We have accepted the teachings and example of our Lord and Savior to help us live righteously.”

The Apostle, reiterating his April 2024 general conference message that “words matter,” highlighted five words and phrases from the proclamation: family, creator, eternal destiny, children, and happiness.

Family

The Apostle urged students to make the Savior of the world the beating heart of their family life, saying, “Whether there is just one in your family or already a handful, decide right now to put the Lord Jesus Christ at the center of your family. Read the scriptures together. Pray together and ask the Lord to guide you in these critical years ahead.”

Creator

God “created the plan that brought us here,” the Apostle said, encouraging students to live according to God’s plan to one day return to his presence.

Eternal Destiny

The proclamation is clear that “our life did not begin here in mortality, nor does it end at the grave. You are here, on earth, with a physical body and the agency to choose your direction in life,” he said, advising students to stay vigilant in their spiritual pursuits.

Children

Each person is a “son or daughter of heavenly parents.” That means God “loves us. Every one of us — no exceptions,” Elder Rasband said, explaining that God knows where we will thrive and what experiences we need to help us grow in spirituality.

Happiness

“The answer to finding happiness is always Jesus Christ,” he concluded, testifying of the Lord’s love for us.

To read the full article from the Church Newsroom, CLICK HERE.