Chapter 15 Yeah, Im goin there . . . abortion, adoption, and unwanted pregnancies. I feel like everyone has an opinion on this but hardly anyone knows why. I wish not to upset or for this post to be politicall driven but more to focus on the understanding of the sanctity of life and how abortion plays a role in the lives of our Heavenly Fathers children.I hear so many people that stand against abortion "because its wrong" and yes to many that is reason enough, but why is it wrong, what makes it bad, what laws does it break? And I've also talked to many who have a strong stand FOR abortion and beleive that its a right of the mother. Its always risky talking about things that fall into political issues with bloggers but, its my blog, so im goin there, and I finally have an opinion about this that I feel confident about, its odd to say this about a political issue but I have a testimony of my stance with abortion. Its more than an opinion for me now, its knowledge. I cant wait to share my new found knowledge and I hope to get alot of feed back! So lets keep it more opinionated, less offensive. I wanna hear what YOU know. "I am the way, the truth, and the life."-Jesus Christ Jesus refered to himself as 'the life'. So, what does that mean? We each have a life, every living thing is living through the posession of a life, that is Jesus. Its a very deep concept that I dont fully understand but the more i ponder its meaning, the more that I understand that the fact that Jesus is life, i feel that life shoulod be considered as sacred as the name and of Jesus Christ. Our lives are sacred becasue its the pocession of a body which is a temple for our spirits that belongs to the Lord, and what hit me most profoundly is that it reflects the divine image of our creator. I feel like much of the contraversy that lasts centuries is due to the lack of understanding and the inability to consider others reasoning. I know that soundslike the way any argument starts but so many refuse to understand that what is so sacred and holy to one person is so easily cast to the side as noth to another. I feel like the sacredness of life is one thing that is simply not important to so many, not becasue they hate babies but becaseu they have no reason to see them as divine sacred spirit children. I feel fortunate to have an understanding of the importance of a life. I know that through my understanding of that, abortion is not an option. On the same note, I also understand that every person and every situation is so different. I think that all decisions concerning the family need to be prayerfully considered and discussed with family. But the church is very clear on its stance. I made a really legit pie chart but I cant figure out how to get it on here, ill get it up by tomorrow, so i'll just tell you the stats that really helped me see the fast direction that the world is taking in regards to the understanding of what a life is.

This chart is refering to children had though an unwanted or 'accidental' pregnancy. In 1955 the statistics where entirely opposite. The abortion percentage was 1 percent, the adpotion was and the parental care was 50 percent. The tables have completly turned. These numbers tell me that the social understanding of the sanctity of life is twisted and desensitized. It used to be a procedure only used in the most tragic, desprate of circumstances, but is now used often as a form of birth control. Its used to 'easily' escape the responibilities of parenthood and selfishly deny life to aa spirit child of our father and heaven. There are so moany different reasons and excuses used to justify abortion and I'll admit that some of them are pretty stick situation. For example, a child conceived though rape or insent, or sexual abuse on a minor, even a young young minor, or if the childs birth determines the health of the mother, or if the doctors have found that the child would indefinatly be born with severe disabilities. Difficult desicions have to be made in these hard and painful situation, and as always I consider these decisions of such great magnitude to by approached prayerfully with the gospel teachings at the forefront of the factors to be considered. I know that there are a few points about abortion that completly rule that option out for me. One of those being, taking of the life, if you have ever felt the kick of a baby in its mothers stomache, you know that that life if very real, that the child has a future, they have a past ( a very short one at that point) and more importantly they have an affect. they affect at least 5 people by the time they are in the womb, they affect the mother, oviously, the most. They affect the father, the parents families, the doctors and the families waiting pateintly a to adopt. The unwanted child is affecting the doctor in an interesting way that I think makes a great point against abortion. With the mothers choice, the doctor is required to preform the procedure, whether the doctor is pro-life or not they are affected. By that life, one of two things will happen, 1 , they will recongnized the serverity of thier actions and become entirly sick with themselves and thier actions, discussed with themselves and wraked with guilt. the second thing that can happen is that the doctor will harden thier emotions and close themselves off from feeling remorse, or any sense of awareness to thier action, leading to a desensitized misunderstanding of what thier doing and how harmful it is to themselves and everyone involved in the process. Despite what many people believe, aborting a child isnt getting ride of the consequences of being a mother. You grow a natural enate attachment to the child. The guilt and remorse from aborting a child has driven 67 percent of those women into post-tramatic stress disorder, and all women who abort a child are four times more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol and the risk of depression is increased by a third. The families of the parents also often attend couceling after the abortion of guilt and depression.

Obviously, after looking at the great effect that this unborn child can have on so many, it would be naive to say that they arnt really a person with a life and a purpose yet ( which is the argument that many standing for pro-choice use in thier defence). I feel like even constitutionally the mother has no right to end the life of her child, no matter what stage thier life is in, its sounds blunt and overzealous but abortion is murder, and the worst kind, its the murder of the most innocent and defenceless of people.

bleh, Im done with that, I hate that topic but I feel like after being educated on it and forming a real opinion, its my responsibility to record it and share it with other. like I said though...Bleh :(

Next single parenting, or keeping the child. I love this one. I feel like thier are so many factors that go into this decission, and I know that famioy support units are so important. If a child is had out of wedlock the mother has to decide, if thier are fit to raise a child on thier own, if they want to raise the child on thier own, if the father is suitable to be the father and if marriage is an option. this one if tough for me because unfortunatly I have seen to many people get married because of a pregancy just to be divorced years later and cause the child just as much trama as if they didnt have married parents in the first place, this could even cause guilt to the child that the parents failed divoce was thier doing. Its such a delecate thing and will indefinatly have struggles.

ADOPTION!!! This is MY FAVORITE part of the chapter. Years ago I was asked to sing Michael McCleans song 'From Gods Arms, to My Arms, to Yours" at a fireside for the adults in my stake to attend to inform them of the LDS adoption agencies and how they should deal with teen pregnancies. I can say with confidence that The spirit confirmed to me the sanctaty of families that night, I truely understood how important it is for a family to have a loving mother and father, with a stable relationship. Im so grateful that we have the LDS adoption agency to educate young mothers and assist in the building of strong families.

I have a dear friend who agreed to allow me to share her story and testimony of adoption. I met Janna Hansen in high school in a preforming group we were both apart of, it wasnt until a year or so later that I discovered that she was adopted becasue I met her family. they were all so different! I asked Janna about her family and she told me about each of her sibling, coming from other families. Her and all her siblings were adopted and many of them entered the family with health condition. Despite the challenges that come with those health issues, they had a loving mother and father that wasready to raise them in rightousness and support thier needs. I was around her family more and more though out high school and realized how close they all were. All of them looked so different but there is no doubt that they are siblings.

I asked her to share her testimony with us to get a better idea from someone who knows very personally about the blessings of adoption, this is what she had to say...

"Although I do not know what it feels like to be from a 'normal' biological family, I feel as though we ARE no different than you. The only difference from yours or the next family, is that our skin is all different shades and we are ALL different sizes:) We also may get looked at more often in public than the average family but we don't know any different hahaha...we love one another no less:) We each come from VERY different places and circumstances but this has not come between us in becoming a family. I'd like to take a moment and give gratitude to our birthmothers. Our birthmothers ranged from 13-22 yrs of age and I am constantly reminded of, and impressed by the courage and sacrifice that was put forth in doing such a wonderful thing. Although they will not read this, this is my prayer to them. I am SO grateful for the courage and love that was shown in placing each of us for adoption. I too have sung Michael McLeans "From Gods Arms, To My Arms, To Yours" and have felt by the conviction of the spirit, a small amount of the pain, suffering, and heartache that our birthmothers went through. I have also felt their love. I recently recorded that song and could hardly get through it without completely falling apart. It is a sacred song for our family and I think touches EVERY persons heart, who hears it. I have never met my birthmother, nor do I know much of anything about her, but I have a very special, unwavering love for her. I feel her in my heart daily and want to make her proud. I often wonder who I would be, what life would consist of, or if i would even be alive today (due to cancer), had she kept me. I honestly believe, and KNOW, each of our birthmothers were guided by the spirit of our Heavenly Father in placing us and that each of us were meant to be in THIS family, not another. I have a strong testimony of adoption and believe that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. This is my opinion but I believe that adoption is always a better option than abortion or keeping a child that is not wanted. There are thousands of people in this world who pray daily to be blessed with a child and who are willing to take care of and love someone else's child unconditionally. I know without a shout of a doubt, that I am where I am supposed to be. I wouldn't change it for the world:) I love my family so much and thank my Heavenly Father every day for them...for the trials we have, the differences we obtain and the unique spirits that we each bring to the table:) I LOVE BEING ADOPTED!!!

-Yours truly, Janna Hanson:) "

The Hansen family isnt the only one. I know so many families that have been blessed through adoption and so many children that where given thier lives back becasue a family was willing a ready to help raise a child of god that was born in unfortunate circumstances. I know that adoption is a sacred part of heavenly fathers plan for the families.

I hope my opinions didnt offend, that was not the intention, but Im glad I have one, Im glad I know whats right and that I have a strong conviction about it, I know that adoption can be a wonderful thing. I know that no matter what the child should never suffer for being born, but most importantly I know that life is sacred, its the responsibility of a mother and fother in the bounds of marraige to prayfully decide on the addition of a child into thier family. BIG shout out to Janna for all her help! what a living testimony of family unity! Love you Hansens!