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5 Ways a Gospel-Based Education Can Strengthen Your Family

The spiritual aspects of PathwayConnect helps bring families closer together

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Courses through BYU-Pathway Worldwide can strengthen much more than a student’s intellect. While earning a degree or certificate is the end goal for many students, the gospel-centered curriculum of BYU-Pathway helps students accomplish so much more.

Many students notice how their studies and their relationships with their families are related. As they bring themselves closer to the Savior and His teachings, they are brought closer to their families as well.

Here are five ways gospel principles taught through BYU-Pathway courses can help strengthen relationships between families:

1. Have a Stronger Feeling of the Spirit in Your Home

“Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” 1
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The Temple” Bible Dictionary, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/temple
Obedience to the commandments helps the Spirit grow brighter in the home, helping the entire family come closer to Christ.

With BYU-Pathway, students have the unique opportunity to strengthen their testimonies through a gospel-centered curriculum. Through reading scriptures, reviewing general conference talks, and watching gospel videos, students are challenged to apply gospel principles to their learning and everyday life.

Trevon Morris , a student from Kingston, Jamaica, joined PathwayConnect to help him learn more about self-reliance. On top of gaining financial guidance, he found that studying the gospel brought the Spirit into his home.

“PathwayConnect hasn’t just strengthened my spirituality, it has strengthened the spirituality of my whole family,” he said.

family at the temple
Trevon with his family after being sealed in the temple

Since completing PathwayConnect, Trevon has started a BYU-Idaho online degree in web design and development, presented and coordinated through BYU-Pathway, and continues to develop professionally and spiritually.

couple in sunday attire
Julie Williams with her husband in 2008

2. Increase Knowledge of the Plan of Salvation

BYU-Pathway’s gospel-based curriculum constantly reinforces the true doctrine of forever families. Having a greater understanding of this principle helps students come closer to their families while they’re here on Earth.

Learning more about the plan of salvation helps students gain an eternal perspective of their family. They learn that they aren’t only helping their family on Earth, but they’re also preparing for their family’s eternal home in heaven.

Julie Williams , a PathwayConnect student from Sandy, Utah, said, “PathwayConnect has helped me to begin thinking more eternally. Before, I saw things so shallowly, but everything goes so much deeper than on the surface. That is what I love about PathwayConnect. I have begun to see just how important the eternal nature of the family is.”

3. Become Self-Reliant

Families can be a great motivator for students to begin or continue working toward higher education. After enrolling in PathwayConnect, many parents have a rejuvenated sense of responsibility to their families. They realize how important it is to be a provider, and that earning their degree will help them become one.

Janalie Freeman from Mesa, Arizona, learned this principle firsthand. After her husband had a tumor removed from his brain, Janalie realized how important a college education is.

“My husband’s health issues raised my eyes and helped me realize that if anything happens to him, I don’t have a way of providing for my kids.”

Freeman family
Janalie (far left) with her family in 2015

PathwayConnect gave Janalie the opportunity to start her path toward an online degree and be prepared to help her family moving forward.

4. Grow Together Spiritually

young couple on wedding day
Psalm and his wife, Camille, on their wedding day at the Manila Philippines Temple

As families come closer to the Savior, they begin to feel connected in a way they might not have experienced before. Accomplishing assignments and readings in BYU-Pathway’s gospel-centered curriculum can help a student’s family grow spiritually as a whole.

Psalm Serrano , a former PathwayConnect student from the Philippines, clearly understands how a stronger emphasis on gospel principles can bring a family closer.

“When my wife and I chose to obey the Lord’s prompting to establish our family, He knew our loyalty was with Him,” said Psalm. “When we as disciples make that decision to follow Him, we are entitled to His help. Learning more about how to follow the Savior’s teachings in PathwayConnect has been God’s inspired way to help me and my family.”

5. Learn to Motivate Each Other

Seeing a spouse or family member accomplish their goals is a blessing. Working toward a goal alongside a friend or family member can be even more motivating.

Patricia Maples from Hawaii and David Ellington from Texas are siblings who enrolled in PathwayConnect and went on to receive their bachelor’s degrees in spring 2017. They constantly motivated each other through the program. Even though Patricia was tempted to give up, remembering the goal she made with her brother kept her moving forward.

Patricia and David on their graduation day at BYU-Idaho
Patricia and David on their graduation day at BYU-Idaho

“The first week attending PathwayConnect I almost quit,” Patricia said. “I thought I wasn’t smart enough to earn my degree . I didn’t think I had the time. But finding a study partner helped me succeed. My brother and I have now accomplished the goal we set to walk across the stage together and graduate at the same time. Finishing my degree has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.”

The Most Important Work

Jeffrey R. Holland said, “The most important work we do in this life is in our homes with our families.” 2
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Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Patricia T. Holland. On Earth As It Is in Heaven. Deseret Book Co., 1989.
As students move forward in their studies with BYU-Pathway, they also move forward in the gospel. The education they’re receiving will help their families here on Earth and in the eternities to come.

Experience PathwayConnect’s gospel-centered curriculum and enroll at byupathway.org today!