Two of those Latter-day Saint teens, Naga Bushan Ratnam and Pavani Kotala Ratnam, live with their parents in a small apartment far from town but near the steel mill where their father works. You can tell by the pictures in the apartment what the priorities are. Family photos fill a bookshelf near the front door, and in the sleeping area, pictures of the Savior, the temple, and the First Presidency adorn the walls.
"When I wake up, those pictures are the first things I see," Pavani says. "When I go to sleep at night, they are the last things I see."
Pavani believes we all can create havens of peace in our homes. "That's why I keep things clean," she says. "That's one way to make it comfortable for the Spirit to be here." And at school, "I always have For the Strength of Youth in my book bag, so whenever I take up a book, I keep seeing it."
Naga finds that conversations with his sister bring him peace. "Of course we talk to our parents and seek their counsel on many things," he says. "Our father is the district president, so we talk with him all the time both officially and unofficially. And we love to talk with our mother. But there's something special about being able to share with my sister." When Naga gets upset, Pavani calms him down. Naga is somewhat reserved, so Pavani helps him to be more outgoing.
"But most of all, we strengthen each other in keeping the standards," Naga says. For example, Pavani will ask Naga for advice about modest clothing. "If he doesn't think it's up to Church standards, I won't wear it," she says. And they often talk about giving service, both in the Church and in the community. Such discussion is partially responsible for Naga's dream to someday be a cardiologist (heart doctor). "I want my career to be another way of giving service," he says.
The Ratnam teens explain that having the priesthood in their home also adds to their family's well-being. They reminisce about how their father led the rest of them into the Church eight years ago, even when they had to travel—all four of them—40 kilometers (25 miles) each way on a single motorbike just to get to their meetings. They talk about prayers of faith for Pavani when she was sick on the day Dad was baptized, about the priesthood blessing Dad gave to seriously ill Naga during school exams, and about the way Dad always counsels with Mom, with them, and in prayer with Heavenly Father when making major decisions.
"I have seen positive changes as our family has grown in the gospel," Pavani says. "My parents' example and my brother's example have guided me as the youngest of the family. I know that Jesus Christ has helped me through every part of my life. I have people around me who help me and love me, and I have the Savior's love. That love is more important to me than anything else."
Such love was evident when the family traveled to the Hong Kong China Temple to be sealed. On earth, Naga says, the temple is the safest harbor of all: "It is a place of holiness. Just thinking about it brings holiness into our home." And that makes the Ratnams' apartment a joyous place to be.