Thought on Marriage

“It is far more difficult to be of one heart and mind than to be physically one. This unity of heart and mind is manifest in sincere expressions of ‘I appreciate you’ and ‘I am proud of you.’ Such domestic harmony results from forgiving and forgetting, essential elements of a maturing marriage relationship. Someone has said that we ‘should keep [our] eyes wide open before marriage, and half shut afterward’ (Magdeleine Scudéry, in John P. Bradley and others, comps., The International Dictionary of Thoughts [1969], 472). True charity ought to begin in marriage, for it is a relationship that must be rebuilt every day.”

James E. Faust, “Fathers, Mothers, Marriage,” Liahona, Aug. 2004, 5

In the world today, marriage is sometimes characterized as “a ball and chain that prevents personal fulfillment”, causing some to shun marriage. Certainly statistics prove that many marriages end in divorce and divorce has become increasingly easy to obtain. So what’s so good about the old-fashioned concept of marriage for eternity?

The whole purpose of the Plan of Salvation was to create eternal family units. Heavenly Father, when creating this world, said it was not good for man to be alone and so created a helpmeet for Adam. “Eve was not taken out of Adam's head to top him, neither out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected by him, and near his heart to be loved by him.” (Matthew Henry)

When they were expelled from the garden, they faced their trials together, just as Heavenly Father intended that they should. Adam could see that it was better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her.

While much is written about the blush of first love, and also much about the difficulties of marriage, maybe too little is written or sung about the joys of marriage. But being married to the one person who you love most and who you also know loves you is one of the greatest joys life has to offer. “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.” (Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966)

There is something powerful about facing the worst the world can throw at you with the person who you share a history and a commitment with. It’s kind of like going into battle with your proven comrades at your side—it takes away some of the fear and replaces it with a confidence that you can make it through—somehow—together. “More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse.” (Doug Larson)

I would not say that having a fulfilling marriage is easy or just a result of “finding the right person”. It is more a result of trying to be the right person. There is work in building a strong marriage, but few things in life provide so much reward for the work involved. When a marriage is good you are with your best friend, biggest fan, your defender, playmate and sweetheart. You are willing to grow old together, but you see past the wrinkles and still feel the sweetness of young love. It is SO worth it to enter into the “old-fashioned concept of marriage”. And when you have found that kind of love, you don’t want to settle for anything less than forever!

I can testify that marriage has perhaps the greatest possibility for joy and happiness of any earthly relationship. I love my eternal companion more each passing day and I feel his ever increasing love for me. I pray that all of you can know the joy of marriage!

“What a happy and holy fashion it is that those who love one another should rest on the same pillow.” (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Apostles

Doctrine and Covenants 1:38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my ^aword shall not pass away, but shall all be ^bfulfilled, whether by mine own ^cvoice or by the ^dvoice of my ^eservants, it is the ^fsame.

FHE Thought

The Apostles in our days possess the same Authority as those Apostles we read about in the New Testament. Times have changed, problems have changed, people have changed, but one thing has always stayed constant and that is the ability we as God's children have to listen to the Lord representatives in these ever changing times. Let us listen to the words of our Holy Apostles and heed to the authority wherewith they have been ordained.

Reverence and Respect

Sorry I missed my posting Monday, but here is a thought to ponder during the week:

"If reverence is an attitude towards Deity, then it is a private feeling. It is something we feel inside our hearts no matter what is going on around us. It is also a personal responsibility. We cannot blame others for disturbing our reverent attitudes. Where, then, does the development of reverent attitudes begin? The home is the key to reverent attitudes, as it is to every other godlike virtue."

--L. Tom Perry, "Serve God Acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear'", Ensign, Nov 1990, 70

Lesson: Single Members of the Church

Single Members of the Church
The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have taught that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children" ("The Family: A Proclamation to the World,"Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). While this family unit is the ideal, many Church members find themselves in a variety of other circumstances. Some are not married, but have good support from their parents or siblings. Others may not have support from an extended family. The gospel of Jesus Christ was given by God to bless all His children, without exception, regardless of the family situations in which they find themselves. The gospel provides a brotherhood and sisterhood to strengthen and help all God's children.

Our Heavenly Father designed the gospel of Jesus Christ to help and strengthen families, and the family is central to His plan for His children. Each person on the earth is part of the great family of God the Father. Those who join the Church become part of another great fellowship, a true fellowship of brothers and sisters who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ.

In an address to single adult members of the Church, President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

"Because you do not happen to be married does not make you essentially different from others. All of us are very much alike in appearance and emotional responses, in our capacity to think, to reason, to be miserable, to be happy, to love and be loved.

"You are just as important as any others in the scheme of our Father in Heaven, and under His mercy no blessing to which you otherwise might be entitled will forever be withheld from you.

"You are precious and important to Him. You are precious and important to the Church. You are precious and important to all of us" ("To Single Adults,"Ensign, June 1989, 72).

FHE: Thought for Single Adults / Young Single Adults

There are a tremendous amount of Single Adults in the Stakes and Wards of the Church that have fallen into inactivity. Some have moved to a school or employment far away from home and have wanted to get lost and have succeeded. Some have stayed in the same area that they have grown up in and have made the conscious decision to withdraw from the blessings of the gospel and a ward family. I have learned in my Bishops Trainings that the percentage of YSA that fall away is in the 75 to 85 percent range. As a Bishop, I see some of these members return to activity later, some much later, in life. The thing that breaks my heart is that these young members sometimes don’t realize the huge blessings they are forfeiting. Our Stake President has recently made the comment that “Not one more youth will be lost” in our stake. It is my prayer that the young lost souls will find it in their hearts to at least look into and pray about this important decision to return to a ward family that loves them and wants them to succeed.

Bishop Richard Jay Carpenter

Belgrade 2^nd Ward

Bozeman Montana Stake