First things First

As fate would have it, both of my Grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary's were this summer. That meant that my family and I got to spend two weeks in Idaho and Utah with our extended Davis and Mickelsen relatives. This could not have been more perfect for me.

You see, when your family is all together, undisturbed by anything or anyone else, you realize how important they are. Sure, you're all quirky or loud or clumsy or opinionated, but in the end, you're all family. And when you're part of a family, you're part of something much bigger. Even with zero emotional attachment, you're part of someone else. And in the case of my big families, you're part of several someone else's. It's beautiful really. God knew that sometimes we would get lonely in this life, so he gave us an immediate safety net, an unwavering support group. And because of that, we must always remember, that Family comes first. Always. I believe it was Elder Nelson who said that Salvation is an individual matter, but Exaltation is a family matter.

Congratulations Grandma and Grandpa Mickelsen and Davis. It's really incredible what you've started.