Memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Today marks the 30th anniversary of The Family: A Proclamation to the World! I was one month away from giving birth to our first child when it was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley at the General Relief Society meeting. Looking back on those thirty years and seeing what has transpired in our world with the very definitions of gender, family, and marriage being questioned its not hard to see how our prophet and apostles were preparing us.

Fifteen years ago my children and I memorized The Living Christ as a Christmas gift to my husband. It is now a wonderful addition to our Christmas and Easter celebrations. When we memorized The Living Christ the things that helped us the most were small cards we put on rings (each child had their own to carry around) and posters to hang up near our dining room table.

We wanted the same type of thing to help our family memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World so I created these memorization cards back in 2012 and hope they are helpful for you too.

I have divided up the Proclamation into twelve weeks (actually eleven with the last week for review). Each weekly file contains four posters (8.5 x 11 inches) and a page that has four cards. Each card and poster has the lines to memorize for that week along with a picture for a visual cue.

The weekly reviews have 12 smaller cards on one page. I print them, cut the cards, and then laminate them so they last longer. Then I punch a hole on the side and attach them to binder rings.

If you start now as a family you can have the entire Family Proclamation memorized in time for Christmas! What a gift to say it for grandparents, parents, or other family members. As you memorize, the words become a part of you. You will find that certain phrases and doctrinal points will come back to help you in conversations or times of need.

You will find all the files at this Google drive: Memorize the Family Proclamation.

How You Can Use the Posters

• Hang them in the main room of your home for easy review. The bathroom door is also a great under-utilized place. ☺
• Use them in family home evening to present the coming week’s memorization.
• Explain what all the terms mean.
• Put them in a binder to use as a quiet book at church.
• Use when reciting the Family Proclamation together as a family.

How You Can Use the Cards

• Make a set of flip cards for each child to carry around and study – in the car, at church, etc.
• Make a game out of them by whiting out the page numbers. Mix them up and put them in order.
• Or choose a card and see if you can recite the phrase before and after the one on the card.

Other Memorization Tips

• Recite in the car while traveling.
• Recite several times every single day. Before family prayers or meals is a good time.
• Play games by have one person recite a phrase, then the next person recites the phrase after, etc.
• Make it harder by reciting one word per person going around and around!
• Use the phrases as copywork.
• Jump or clap while reciting to create a rhythm.
• Make up a tune to sing the phrases to. This site has sheet music and audio files. Here are two different youtube playlists (music by Marilyn or Atrium of Light) with different tunes. Find one that appeals to your family.
• Pair up an older child to help a younger one.

Enjoy the process!