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Gramps,My companion (of 23 years) got involved with another woman and left our family. I had questions about our sealing and how his actions would affect our children and myself in regards to our sealings. I was told the reason sealings are not canceled was that if the parents’ sealing was voided the childrens’ sealings to the parents would also be voided. Is this correct?

Marge, from Utah

 

Dear Marge,

The validity of the sealing of one person to another as husband and wife in the holy temples is conditioned on the faithfulness of the two parties. If one of the two parties breaks the covenants that were made in the temple, that marriage for eternity is no longer valid. However, if the person thoroughly repents, and complies with all the principles of the gospel, that union may be reaffirmed by the Holy Spirit. One of the reasons that sealings are not canceled is in the hope for repentance of the offending party and reconciliation of the family.

If the sealing between husband and wife were canceled,  the sealing of their children is not affected by the cancellation. Although the sealing of a wife to a husband is conditional, the sealing of children to parents is not. Such sealed children will inherit the celestial kingdom. Here are the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith as reported by President Gordon B. Hinckley—

“The Prophet Joseph Smith declared-and he never taught more comforting doctrine-that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p.54)

I f the worthy wife were to be married again in the temple, it is my understanding that the children would remain sealed to the mother. In order for minor children to be sealed to the new father they would have to first be legally adopted by the new father.

Gramps

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