Young Adults

Blessed by Having Children

By Katherine Ramirez de Pineda

The author lives in Managua, Nicaragua.

People questioned us for having more children, but through our posterity, we are able to better understand Heavenly Father’s love and develop our divine potential.

Illustration by Tausha Coates

Is this your last child?” When I was pregnant with my third child, already having two other kids under age five, people often seemed to have an opinion about my children. “Is this your last one?” “Don’t you think you’re going too fast?” “What are you going to do with three kids?” were questions I would normally hear. Although it was understandable, since people in my country usually have only one or two children because of economic issues, what people didn’t know is that when my husband and I were dating, we talked about how many children we wanted and when to have them. Family planning was an important and serious decision to us, so it had to be made between the two of us, always seeking for God’s guidance. We listened to the Spirit rather than the voices of those around us, and we have been blessed by having children.

When the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, He promised him a numerous posterity (see Genesis 17:5–6; 22:17). From that passage of scripture, we get the sense that to our Heavenly Father, having children is one of the greatest blessings we can receive. Through our posterity, we are able to better understand our Heavenly Father’s love, and we develop our divine and eternal potential. When you have children, you not only help those spirits that are in the premortal life to come to the earth and get a body, but you also have the privilege of teaching them the gospel. I believe that few things in life prepare us better for eternal life than having children. Our families are where we best learn to apply the Lord’s attributes. Now that I’m a mom, I’m reminded daily of how important it is to stay close to my Heavenly Father. I pray all the time, asking for guidance, strength, and patience and thanking Him for the many blessings that come along with having children.

Parenthood is a life-changing experience filled with some challenges but lots of joy. Every time I listen to my oldest daughter singing a Primary song, or watch my two-year-old son trying to keep his eyes closed during our family prayer, or when I hold my sleeping baby boy in my arms, I feel my heart fill with indescribable joy. Our children are the fuel that keeps us enduring until the end, no matter how many challenges we face in life. I’m really thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to be my children’s mother.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. I have felt His love during those sweet little moments full of real everlasting happiness as well as during trials. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way back to our heavenly home. I love my family, and I know that families can be together forever.

Katherine Ramirez de Pineda is from Managua, Nicaragua, and joined the Church when she was 18 years old. She studied how to teach English as a foreign language and works as an elementary school teacher. She and her husband were sealed in the Guatemala City Guatemala Temple and have three beautiful children.