A BORCHERT FAMILY PROCLAMATION

[From my dad. I debated if it should go on the blog (its kinda personal and not to brag but its pretty great). Such a great example to remember our blessings and cherish our families. I think its a great reminder of Heavenly Father's plan and how important families are. Thank goodness they are forever.]

From his email:  "I'm still here in St. George with your Mom [where else would he be? I thought that was pretty funny].  This isn't as entertaining as Mom's stuff but hopefully will be something the family will get encouragement from and can cause reflection.   Encourage your sisters to make sure they read it to the grand kids." 

I am privileged to explain and testify concerning "The Family Proclamation" issued by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve most days while serving my mission.  It has been a  remarkable experience to see how people respond and I've certainly reflected on my family much more in the context of an eternal perspective as a result.  These reflections are now captured in a proclamation concerning my own family. 

I am so grateful that I was raised in a wonderful home by loving parents.  They were a great examples to me and much of what I am today was shaped by their encouragement, demands and approach to parenting.   I look forward to learning why I was blessed to grow up in such an amazing environment.  I never had the sadness of going without good food, warm clothing or a roof over my head that the majority of spirits that have come to this earth experience.  Perhaps the greatest lessons taught by my parents were how to work hard and the importance of education.  These lessons have allowed me to create a wonderful quality of life in which I can't think of anything I lack.  I really have had substantial advantages. 

At this stage of my life I realize that there are just a handful of decisions that a person makes that determine your overall happiness, success and ability to function as God intends.   First among those decisions is the degree to which you embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Thankfully through family, friends, teachers and leaders I've been close to the Church my entire life. 

The person you marry is one of those decisions.  I have been blessed by having Dawna as my eternal companion.   I could not have made a better choice.  I married up;  way up.   Our marriage has reinforced and brought me closer to the Savior.  Dawna is a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and  friend.  She's mixed the right amount of encouragement, patience and forgiveness for my flaws that I can honestly say we've had love in our home our entire marriage.   We have lots of fun and enjoy being together.   Our mission has been validation of our marriage.  We are doing really well being together 24 x 7.

 

Parenting is a truly daunting experience.   Dawna and I had the additional challenge of spending most of our time raising our girls living away from home.   We missed the additional support of grandparents, uncles and aunts and cousins because of employment decisions.   Much of the time Dawna was on her own as I was consumed in building a career and the results have been spectacular.   My Family Proclamation isn't complete without declaring how well she did raising four girls in Tucson, Vermont, Atlanta and Mesa.   Dawna is an amazing lady. 

 

Our four girls survived us as parents and now are remarkable adults.   We are so proud of them.  We look at each of their individual personalities and can see pieces of each of us in them.   Some of the traits we've given them are strengths and some are weaknesses.   The good news is that our daughters are better than we are and give us much joy.  We are so happy with the lives they are leading and the choices they are making.  Their living close to the Lord and being strong in the Church is such a comfort to us.   Families have so many challenges today and it isn't easy to create  wonderful homes but our daughters have accomplished this feat.   They are great examples to our grandchildren.

Our three sons have come to us through marriage.  We couldn't ask for better son-in-laws.   I'm pretty certain we couldn't have raised such good young men.  Much of the goodness in our kids homes is a credit to these good men.   They honor their Priesthood and love the Savior.   They are terrific fathers; mixing the right amount of love, discipline and teaching by example.   It is a great relief to Dawna and I that they are good providers.   They really know how to work hard.  I am so grateful that they want to be part of a close family.   We have so much fun together and the best time of our life is when we are doing anything with our entire family.  So my Family Proclamation contains a huge thank you to my son-in-laws.

 

I've saved the best for last in my Family Proclamation.  The grand kids.  The best part of getting old is that grand kids come into your life.  We have the best grand kids on the planet.   Each of them is unique and they are special because of this.   They make us better because we want them to be proud of us and love us even as we get older and  weird in some ways.   As the grand kids get older and become young adults we are seeing greatness in their lives.  They are doing better than their parents and far better than Papa and Nema.   I want the grand kids to know how happy they make us by living good lives and doing what their Father in Heaven wants them to do.   We love them more than anything I can think of and want them to know that there isn't anything in the world that we wouldn't do for them. 

 

Eternity with my family in Heaven is going to be wonderful because I've had a glimpse of that here on this earth. 

 Love Dad (Papa)