How Does Class Affect the Cultures of Family?

     All around the world, we are surrounded by people form different cultures; they may have a different ways of life, different traditions, or different beliefs or religions. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, men are taught to wear white button up shirts in the United States of America, but in other parts of the world, it is part of other cultures to wear different forms of clothing. Culture is what makes every group of people different from one another. Did you know that families have different cultures as well? Every single family has their own little difference that makes them unique from other families.

    How are these cultures created and put into affect? Well, cultures can be formed through the "class" of a family. Everything from how much money they may have, how they view themselves, what their hobbies or habits are, what education they may receive, all the way to what clothing they wear, what they may own, where they live and what support they have through the family can determine the difference between each families culture. The google definition explains that culture differs through ethnicity, beliefs, behaviors or national origin and I think that can also include families. Do you believe in something different from what your extended family believes? That could be considered a "difference in culture".

    In Elder D. Todd Christofferson's talk called, "Sustainable Societies" he explains that we as a society  used to be one sustainable group. We thrived, loved and succeeded amongst each other. That was until we split up into "classes". I find this really interesting because classes is made through poverty levels, gains, and education. How can we get back to being a sustainable society once more? Well, Elder Christofferson explains that the reason why we split up into classes was because we lost site of God and gave into Satans' temptations. I believe that the way we can become a sustainable society is through starting with our families. Having a strong faith in the Lord and love for the lord will not only strengthen our spirits, but also build a foundation of love and faith in our families.

    In class we talked about one single mom who was very poor. She felt like she wanted to change her life for the better. She walked eleven miles to get to work, and once she got to work, she was too exhausted to change anything. She didn't have a car, couldn't get a job that paid enough for her to spend time with her family, and she didn't have enough room in her home to keep everything nice. There are three things that can prevent poverty. One, you must graduate high school. Two, you should wait to have children till marriage. Three, have a full time job. It is much easier said than done though. If this lady were to have graduated high school, she might have been able to get a closer job to where she lived. If this mom was married, she could also have the income of her husband that could help support their way of life. She might be able to work less hours and spend more time with her children. If she had a full time job, she might even be able to pay for a car that could get her to and from work much faster, and would relieve herself from exhaustion.

    Money, beliefs and traditions all have to do with where you live, what your money status is, and what your education level is. If we all strived to be the best person that we could be, I think a lot more people would be successful in their lives. If you strived to be your best self, you would graduate high school, build strong lasting relationships and work the hardest you could to provide for a better way of life. There are several things that I hope to adopt into my own family to better our culture. Some of these things would be to have family home evening every Monday night. By doing this, I could strengthen my families love and bond with each other and God. I also want to implement hug time after prayer with the family. I believe that by pulling each other into the arms of one another, we indirectly signal that each person in the circle is loved. I noticed in my own families culture that when we feel like we aren't being heard, we raise our voices and command instead of converse with each other. I hope that I don't bring that into my own family culture. I know that by doing the small things starting with family, the world can become a better place.