I’ve been married before, a marriage which, after going the course of mutual frustration, blame, and unhappiness, eventually fizzled out in its seventh year. A lack of conflict was to blame. Good, you might think. Wrong. We no longer cared. When there ceases to be effort then the spirit of a contract has been dissolved and is in name only. At that point the only thing left to do is to break the contract. Perhaps a renewed vigor could keep this breach from realizing? Perhaps, but that is a discussion for another day.
Bruce C. Hafen in Covenant Marriage further explains to us what the difference between a contract and covenant marriage is. “When troubles come, the parties to a contractual marriage seek happiness by walking away. They marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they’re receiving what they bargained for. But when troubles come to a covenant marriage, the husband and wife work them through. They marry to give and to grow, bound by covenants to each other, to the community, and to God. Contract companions each give 50 percent; covenant companions each give 100 percent.”
Keep in mind that your 100% is likely different than your spouse’s 100%, as is our efficacy in achieving our desired effort. Give your spouse, and yourself, a little slack. Be forgiving, be patient, be kind. What is marriage if not to teach us these valuable qualities? Children help further develop and test these qualities, bringing us closer to the people that we would like to be for eternity, for that is what family is. Marriage and families are meant to last forever, for all eternity. Forever. Now how can this be achieved? Isn’t marriage ’til death do us part? No! Did that ever sound 100% right to you? I will tell you how it is possible to be married for all eternity, to infinity, and beyond! This is where:
A fairy castle, you might ask? Beautiful, yes. But no, even better! It is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (this one of 150 temples is in San Diego). Why am I showing you this? This is the holy and sacred place where the priesthood of God is used to seal spouses and families together for time and all eternity, just as it was in ancient times.
Without getting too far in depth in all of this (if you want to find out more then follow the links below), just know that there is power on the earth today that can keep you and your family together for all eternity. All you have to do is become a baptized member of this church, the only church that holds all of the priesthood keys on the earth today, and keep the commandments of God (you know, thou shalt not covet, love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, etc.). After you have made your marriage a covenant marriage through ordinances performed in one of these temples, then you do need to keep your end of the covenant: continue to keep the commandments and attend the temple. Act as proxy in ordinances for deceased ancestors so that they too can live in God’s presence and in the continued presence of their families, forever.
As reported by Ezra Taft Benson in What I Hope You Would Teach Your Children about the Temple, “when you attend the temple and perform the ordinances that pertain to the House of the Lord, certain blessings will come to you:
• You will receive the spirit of Elijah, which will turn your hearts to your spouse, to your children, and to your forebears.
• You will love your family with a deeper love than you have loved before.
• Your hearts will be turned to your fathers and theirs to you.
• You will be endowed with power from on high as the Lord has promised.
• You will receive the key of the knowledge of God. (See D&C [Doctrine and Covenants] 84:19.) You will learn how you can be like Him. Even the power of godliness will be manifest to you. (See D&C 84:20.)
• You will be doing a great service to those who have passed to the other side of the veil in order that they might be “judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (D&C 138:34.)
Such are the blessings of the temple and the blessings of frequently attending the temple."
Doesn't this sound beyond wonderful?
To answer my first question (why covenant marriage?), I say- why wouldn’t you want it? Think about it: you could have a marriage where each spouse is giving 100%, thinks more of their companion than themselves, and helps you both become stronger and better people. Why wouldn’t you want this to last forever? Isn’t that what real and true love is all about? I know my answer: I want it, and I will do everything that I can to ensure I never lose sight of this, the most important thing in the world, the secret of life.
Here are some links for further reading, to satisfy your curiosity, and hopefully to save your life and marriage:
https://byui.brightspace.com/content/enforced/94832-Online.2016.Spring.FAML300.01/Course%20Files/Benson_Temple.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=4F0jzAHLhugSvkHPmjLLyeh80&ou=94832
https://byui.brightspace.com/content/enforced/94832-Online.2016.Spring.FAML300.01/Course%20Files/JF_S_Fulness_Priesthood-1.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=4F0jzAHLhugSvkHPmjLLyeh80&ou=94832https://byui.brightspace.com/content/enforced/94832-Online.2016.Spring.FAML300.01/Course%20Files/Covenant_Marriage_Hafen.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=4F0jzAHLhugSvkHPmjLLyeh80&ou=94832
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2006/06/marriage-is-essential-to-his-eternal-plan?lang=eng
If you are curious about any other topics then please visit www.lds.org and type any word or topic you are curious about in the search bar. Go ahead, have fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment