With over 100 descendants, President Dallin H. Oaks has learned to be intentional about creating family traditions and sacred memories. Earlier this summer, he participated in his family reunion that he’s been attending for about 85 years.
During an interview recently released by the Church News, the prophet shared four recommendations for families who want to establish lasting traditions.
1. Pick a Consistent Place
“Have a place where you always gather,” President Oaks suggested.
His family gathers at a campsite in Joe’s Valley, Utah, where the descendants of his maternal great-grandparents, Abinadi and Hannah Seely Olsen, built a cabin.
“I have been coming to this Olsen reunion on this site since I was about 10 years old,” the prophet explained. “I have never missed a two-year Olsen reunion except when I was in the east and had schedules that made it impossible for me to attend.”
His wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, said that when she joined the family, one of the first questions the children asked her was, “Will you come to Joe’s Valley?”
“This is a holy place, and what [President Oaks] says about it—and I say this to everyone—create a place that your family can consistently come to on a consistent basis,” she shared.
2. Gather at the Same Time
Next, President Oaks gave the following piece of advice: “Have a time when you always come together.”
President Oaks’s extended family holds their reunion around the Fourth of July every two years, but this principle can apply to other traditions you might establish, such as family dinners, holiday gatherings, or even virtual gatherings.
“This is not the only time of the year when [family members] see one another,” President Oaks clarified about the Joe’s Valley reunion. “Cousins meet in Los Angeles or in Chicago and along the Wasatch Front. They share rides to come to the reunion, and they come for more than overnight. They come for several days. They camp, and they have a place and a time and a purpose.”
3. Determine a Realistic Cadence
When establishing a family tradition, it’s also crucial to choose a sustainable frequency and time frame.
“Have a duration—don’t do it too often, and don’t do it too seldom,” the prophet counseled. “In this case, we have it every two years on the weekend, including the Fourth of July.”
President Oaks said that this cadence provides special opportunities for their family to share stories and catch up on sacred milestones, such as missionary service.
“So many of our descendants serve missions, and in [family] programs, every one of those who has returned from a mission since the last two-year anniversary will say where they served,” he said.
4. Include as Many Family Members as Possible
Finally, President Oaks encourages families to create traditions that welcome all relatives: “Have a tradition where as many as possible get together.”
Sister Oaks said she believes that one reason family members return consistently is because of the true purpose and feeling at the root of this tradition:
“Because it is rooted in a belief of Jesus Christ, people don’t even realize why they’re drawn here. They just know it feels good. They know they feel loved. They know they feel accepted.”
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a family-oriented church,” President Oaks testified. “And that doesn’t just mean that we pull together as a family in our life on earth, but we began as a family, spirit children of heavenly parents, and the world was created for the benefit of the children of heavenly parents, and that is everyone who is born on this earth.”
Visit the Church News to listen to the full interview with President and Sister Oaks.
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