Marriage
“Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple. The noblest yearning of the human heart is for a marriage that can endure beyond death. Fidelity to a temple marriage does that. It allows families to be together forever.”
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, Celestial Marriage, October 2008 General Conference)
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, Celestial Marriage, October 2008 General Conference)
“Marriage brings greater possibilities for happiness than does any other human relationship. Yet some married couples fall short of their full potential. They let their romance become rusty, take each other for granted, allow other interests or clouds of neglect to obscure the vision of what their marriage really could be. Marriages would be happier if nurtured more carefully…My suggestions use three action verbs: to appreciate, to communicate, and to contemplate.”
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, Nurturing Marriage, April 2006 General Conference)
(Elder Russell M. Nelson, Nurturing Marriage, April 2006 General Conference)
“Two of the vital pillars that sustain Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness are marriage and the family. Their lofty significance is underscored by Satan’s relentless efforts to splinter the family and to undermine the significance of temple ordinances, which bind the family together for eternity. The temple sealing has greater meaning as life unfolds. It will help you draw ever closer together and find greater joy and fulfillment in mortality…Pure love is an incomparable, potent power for good. Righteous love is the foundation of a successful marriage…It is so rewarding to be married. Marriage is wonderful. In time you begin to think alike and have the same ideas and impressions. You have times when you are extremely happy, times of testing, and times of trial, but the Lord guides you through all of those growth experiences together.”
(Elder Richard G Scott, The Eternal Blessings of Marriage, April 2011 General Conference)
(Elder Richard G Scott, The Eternal Blessings of Marriage, April 2011 General Conference)
“One of the most beautiful, comforting doctrines of the Lord—one that brings immense peace, happiness, and unbounded joy—is that principle called eternal marriage. This doctrine means that a man and woman who love each other deeply, who have grown together through the trials, joys, sorrows, and happiness of a shared lifetime, can live beyond the veil together forever with their family who earn that blessing. That is not just an immensely satisfying dream; it is a reality. Any husband and wife who have shared the joys of marriage here on earth would want that blessing. But only those who meet the requirements established by the Lord will receive that supernal gift. I bear witness that all those things that have and will bring me the greatest happiness in life have roots in the temple ordinances. Decide now to receive the ordinances of the temple at the appropriate time. Don’t let anything overcome that resolve.”
(Elder Richard G Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference)
(Elder Richard G Scott, Receive the Temple Blessings, April 1999 General Conference)
“The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given his children. Its use was mandated in the first commandment, but another important commandment was given to forbid its misuse. The emphasis we place on the law of chastity is explained by our understanding of the purpose of our procreative powers in the accomplishment of God’s plan. The expression of our procreative powers is pleasing to God, but he has commanded that this be confined within the relationship of marriage. President Spencer W. Kimball taught that “in the context of lawful marriage, the intimacy of sexual relations is right and divinely approved. There is nothing unholy or degrading about sexuality in itself, for by that means men and women join in a process of creation and in an expression of love” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982, p. 311).”
(Elder Dallin H Oaks, The Great Plan Of Happiness, October 1993 General Conference)
(Elder Dallin H Oaks, The Great Plan Of Happiness, October 1993 General Conference)
“I strongly urge you and those who advise you to face up to the reality that for most marriage problems, the remedy is not divorce but repentance. Often the cause is not incompatibility but selfishness. The first step is not separation but reformation…A couple with serious marriage problems should see their bishop. As the Lord’s judge, he will give counsel and perhaps even discipline that will lead toward healing.”
(Elder Dallin H Oaks, Divorce, April 2007 General Conference)
(Elder Dallin H Oaks, Divorce, April 2007 General Conference)
“This fine lad had already begun to understand two of the most important principles anyone could know: that our Heavenly Father has provided that marriage and family ties may be established permanently, to endure forever; and that a marriage that we can joyfully look forward to eternally must be a good marriage here, a marriage that is the heart of a happy home and family. I also wish to testify that the principles and covenants of the gospel, particularly those of the temple, are the best possible basis on which to build a strong union; and that such a marriage never just happens. It is brought about not simply by ceremony or circumstance or chance, but by two mature, loving adults who are able and willing to learn the principles upon which a vital and durable marriage may be fashioned and who, day by day, year by year, work on that process.”
(Elder Marion D Hanks, Eternal Marriage, October 1984 General Conference)
(Elder Marion D Hanks, Eternal Marriage, October 1984 General Conference)
“Learn to live within your means. Some of the most difficult challenges in marriage arise in the area of finances. “The American Bar Association … indicated that 89 percent of all divorces could be traced to quarrels and accusations over money” (Ensign, July 1975, p. 72). Be willing to postpone or forgo some purchases in order to stay within your budget. Pay your tithing first, and avoid debt insofar as possible. Remember that spending fifty dollars a month less than you receive equals happiness and spending fifty more equals misery. The time may have come to get out the scissors and your credit cards and perform what Elder Holland called some “plastic surgery” (Ensign, June 1986, p. 30).”
(Elder Joe J Christensen, Marriage and the Great Plan of Happiness, April 1995 General Conference)
(Elder Joe J Christensen, Marriage and the Great Plan of Happiness, April 1995 General Conference)
“Every man who truly loves a woman, and every woman who truly loves a man, hopes and dreams that their companionship will last forever. But marriage is a covenant sealed by authority. If that authority is of the state alone, it will endure only while the state has jurisdiction, and that jurisdiction ends with death. But add to the authority of the state the power of the endowment given by Him who overcame death, and that companionship will endure beyond life if the parties to the marriage live worthy of the promise…But this gift, precious beyond all others, comes only with a price—with self-discipline, with virtue, with obedience to the commandments of God. These may be difficult, but they are possible under the motivation that comes of an understanding of truth.”
(Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, The Marriage That Endures, April 1974 General Conference)
(Elder Gordon B. Hinckley, The Marriage That Endures, April 1974 General Conference)
“The union between husband and wife is not something to be trifled with. The marriage covenant is essential for the Lord to accomplish His divine purposes. Consistently the Lord has declared that His divine laws were instituted to safeguard and protect the holy union between husband and wife.”
(Elder L.Tom Perry, An Elect Lady, April 1995 General Conference)
(Elder L.Tom Perry, An Elect Lady, April 1995 General Conference)
My Personal Position Statement on Marriage
Eternal marriage is so important because it is the only way that we can be exalted and receive the highest degree of exaltation. Marriage takes a lot of work and isn’t supposed to be easy. Following the principles of the gospel is key in making a marriage work. Both partners should put the Lord first in the marriage and by moving closer to him they will draw closer to each other as well. Both should exercise selflessness and a desire to constantly please the other to help strengthen the relationship and make it last. Divorce should not be the first resort when things get tough. A couple should seek counsel from their bishop and find a solution to the problem rather than subject themselves and possibly any children to the damaging psychological effects of a divorce.