Marriage

 

"We the First Presidency, and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim 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....We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife....Husband and Wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations."  -The Family: A Proclamation to the World

"The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood. Husbands and wives should understand that their first calling --from which they will never be released--is to one another and then to their children."  -Richard G. Scott, The Eternal Blessings of Marriage

"I urge husbands and fathers of this Church to be the kind of men your wives would not want to be without. I urge the sisters of this Church to be patient, loving, and understanding of their husbands. Those who enter into marriage should be fully prepared to establish their marriage as the first priority in their lives."  -James E. Faust, Fathers, Mothers, Marriage

"Marriage itself must be regarded as a sacred covenant before God. A marriage couple have an obligation not only to each other, but to God. He has promised blessings to those who honor that covenant...Husbands and wives who love each other will find that love and loyalty are reciprocated. This love will provide a nurturing atmosphere for the emotional growth of children..." - Ezra Taft Benson, Salvation-A Family Affair

"Brethren and sisters, material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But your union as a wife, husband, and family can. The only duration of family life that satisfies the loftiest longings of the human soul is forever. No sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an eternal marriage. To qualify, one needs only to deny oneself of ungodliness and honor the ordinances of the temple. By making and keeping sacred temple covenants, we evidence our love for God, for our companion, and our real regard for our posterity--even those yet unborn. Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life."  -Russell M. Nelson, Set In Order Thy House

"Temple Marriage covenants do not magically bring equality to a partnership.Those covenants commit us to a developmental process of learning and growing together--by practice....Equal partnerships are not made in heaven--they are made on earth, one choice at a time, one conversation at a time, one threshold at a time. And getting there is hard work."  -Bruce C. Hafen,Crossing Thresholds and Becoming Equal Partners

"I give counsel to husbands and wives. Pray for the love which allows you to see the good in your companion. Pray for the love that makes weaknesses and mistakes seem small. Pray for the love to make your companion's joy your own. Pray for the love to want to lessen the load and soften the sorrows of your companion." -Henry B. Eyring, Our Perfect Example

"Let us not live a life...that would bring regret...It is not going to matter very much how much money you made, what kind of house you lived, what kind of a car you drove, the size of your bank account--any of those things. What is going to matter is that dear woman who has walked with you side by side as your companion through all of the years of life and those children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and their faithfulness and their looking to you...with respect and love and deference and kindness...The only thing you will take with you, when all is said and done, are your family relationships...God bless us to be good fathers... good parents, and good husbands to our wives."   -Gordon B. Hinckley, Inspirational Quotes

"Latter-day Saint spouses should do all within their power to preserve their marriages...To avoid so-called incompatibility, they should be best friends, kind and considerate, sensitive to eachother's needs, always seeking to make each other happy. They should be partners in family finances, working together to regulate their desires for temporal things."  -Dallin H. Oaks, Divorce

"Men and women joined together in marriage need to work together as a full partnership. However, a full and equal partnership between men and women does not imply the roles played by the two sexes are the same in God's grand design for His children. As the proclamation clearly states, men and women, though spiritually equal, are entrusted with different but equally significant roles. These roles complement each other. Men are given stewardship over the sacred ordinances of the priesthood. To women, God gives stewardship over bestowing and nurturing mortal life, including providing physical bodies for God's spirit children and guiding those children toward a knowledge of gospel truths. These stewardships, equally sacred and important, do not involve any false ideas about domination or subordination. Each stewardship is essential for the spiritual progression of all family members, parents and children alike." -M. Russell Ballard, The Sacred Responsibilities of Parenthood

"Remember, brethren, that in your role as leader in the family, your wife is your companion. As President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught: 'In this Church the man neither walks ahead of his wife nor behind his wife but at her side. They are coequals' (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996, 68; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 49). Since the beginning, God has instructed mankind that marriage should unite husband and wife together in unity (see Gen. 2:24). Therefore, there is not a president or a vice president in a family. The couple works together eternally for the good of the family. They are united together in word, in deed, and in action as they lead, guide, and direct their family unit. They are on equal footing. They plan and organize the affairs of the family jointly and unanimously as they move forward."  -L. Tom Perry, Fatherhood, An Eternal Calling

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I believe that marriage is a very sacred covenant that should only be between a man and a woman. I feel like its such a blessing to enter into this covenant with your spouse and the Lord, and I want to do all I can so that I can live worthy of these blessings. I feel like with marriage, it's important to enter into it with an eternal perspective, not just a "We'll see how it works out." perspective. Husbands and wives should constantly be relying on the Lord for strength, patience, love, and faith so that they will be able to more easily withstand the hardships and struggles of marriage. I feel like it's also extremely important to marry someone with similar beliefs and standards so that you can each help each other to progress, and also help your kids to grow up in a gospel centered home. I'm so excited to be able to get married to my best friend some day. :) To be able to grow together in love and righteousness is such a blessing that so many people have forgotten about! I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father for providing these blessings to me, and I'm so excited for the day that I can enter into this sacred covenant with my husband and Heavenly Father. :)

I just wanted to show some pictures of my immediate family and all of the wonderful marriages that I've been able to witness! :) Love you guys!

And they all lived Happily Ever After...  :)