Family Council

A few years ago I was taking notes during General Conference. Elder Ballard gave a talk on family councils. I felt so strongly that my family needed to start having family council. So we started weekly family council. I'd like to say we were awesome, but we fizzled out. Shortly after we fizzled out I was studying the scriptures and I read the story about the vineyard. The Lord of the vineyard tells his servants to build a wall around the vineyard and towers so they can see the enemy coming. The servants start and then fizzle out and don't finish. The enemies come and destroy the vineyard. I had the distinct thought come to my mind, "You have done the same as these servants with family council." I was ashamed. I learned that family council was essentially building a tower and wall around my family so we could be protected and see problems before they came so we could protect our family from spiritual enemies. I repented and we have regular family council now.
In Counseling with our Councils, M. Russell Ballard said, "I don't know that it is possible for any organization to succeed in the church... without adopting the genius of our Church government. What is that? As I conceive it, the genius of our Church government is government though councils."
I would say the same is true for families.
Fast forward to last school year. A problem arose in our family. I was concerned about it. So I started praying about it. During personal scripture study I came across a scripture that applied and I counseled with my spouse about it and we brainstormed some ideas on what to do. During family council I brought the problem up and immediately I was inspired to know exactly how to handle the situation. We agreed on the solution as a family and everyone began to actively work towards fixing the problem. Couples and family council literally helped our family prevent Satan from attacking our family with something that could have had a very negative impact on us.
Moses 1: 1-14 has some nuggets that apply to councils. In vs 4 God says, “you are my son." Then in vs 13 Satan comes to tempt Moses, but Moses says “I am a son of God.” God knew Satan would come to tempt Moses. He taught Moses exactly what he needed to know before Satan came. When we are righteous and striving to do as God wants us, he will do the same for us. He will prepare us to meet the temptations we will face.
It made me think of the tower I’m building with family council. God will prepare us before Satan comes. I bear witness that God will do the same for us in our family councils. I have experienced multiple times where we discuss something in family council and my children face the situation later and know exactly what to do because we've already talked about it. It is amazing and I am incredibly grateful for the influence and change it has had on my family.