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Foundations for a Healthy Marriage

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Because of the knowledge we have of eternal families, we know there is a much greater purpose to marriage than just having a companion that we fall in love with. Stephan F. Duncan and Sara S. McCarty Sazuhka gave six principles for couples that want to grow their eternal marriage to its potential. 1. Personal Commitment to the Marriage Covenant 2. Love and Friendship 3. Positive Interactions 4. Accepting Influence from Your Spouse 5. Solve Differences and Resolve Problems 6. Continue Your Courtship through the years. Some thoughts that I loved from these six principles is that a covenant marriage gives 100%. In a contract marriage, each couple gives 50/50. When each couple gives 100%, they are able to compensate for what the other lacks. An eternal marriage is based on personal dedication. This means you make sacrifices for the relationship, make personal goals based on the relationship, and honestly want the best welfare for your partner, not just yourself. Marriage is also...
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FACTS about Marriage

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Society tends to romanticize marriage. But what are the facts? If we can gain a more realistic view regarding marriage, maybe we can all set ourselves up for success rather than failure. Conversely, society can also call marriage outdated and unnecessary. So what are the facts?! MYTH: Marriage is sexless, boring, and oppressive. FACT: Married adults are healthier than non married adults. FACT: Married people are happier, have better mental health, and are more economically stable. FACT: Cohabiting leads to a decrease in happiness, health, and financial security. FACT: Cohabiting couples who eventually get married have a much higher divorce rate than those who are at least engaged while cohabiting or those who are married before they live together. FACT: faithfully married people report better sex lives than any other category of sexually active people.
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Equal Partnership

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"A helpmeet results in an absolute equal partnership between a husband and a wife."          Elder Earl. C. Tingey It is important not to misinterpret the Proclamation to the World: The Family. Though it spells out the separate but equal roles of mothers and fathers, it does not mean one has dominion over the other. The stewardship of priesthood does not superimpose a hierarchal relationship over the God-ordained equality between husband and wife. James E. Faust taught that "every father is to his family a patriarch and every mother a matriarch as coequals in their distinctive parental roles." Benefits to couples with an equal partnership: Happier relationships Better individual wellbeing More effective parenting practices Better functioning children Better overall marital quality Less likely to experience verbal aggression Less likely to experience physical violence More satisfied with physical intimacy I chose this picture for this post, ...
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Family + Faith

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Ecclesiastes 4:12    "... a threefold cord is not quickly broken." In our world today, it is almost looked down upon to have religious affiliation. Many associate religion with a judgmental lifestyle, thinking you're better than others. Many studies, however, have proven otherwise, and show that religious affiliation is paired with many positive traits for the practicing person. Many of these positive traits lie within the realm of marriage. Benefits of Religion in Marriage Holding any religious affiliation is associated with reduced odds of marital infidelity compared to those with no religious affiliation. Greater church attendance is related to lower pornography use. When men attend church with their wives, there are fewer disputes. Familial religious involvement is linked with more positive behavioral outcomes in children. Having even a perceived sacred relationship is beneficial for marriage. It leads to lower levels of infidelity and helps resist...
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Multi Generational Families

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Adults are living longer than ever which means grandparents are able to enjoy more relationships with grandchildren. Fewer kids per family has made the grandparent role more distinct. Grandparent involvement is related to grandchildren’s prosocial behaviors, such as wanting to help others. Children’s perceptions of emotional closeness to their grandparents is related to reduced acting out behaviors (sexual promiscuity, drug abuse, and delinquency). Elder Neil A. Maxwell calls the extended family the Family National Guard. He describes the grandparents as sitting back to allow their adult children to live their own lives. When an emergency happens, they get more involved and help out. Adult children may even live with their parents for a while. When things get back to normal, they back off and allow their children to run their own lives independently again. We have lived out the exact example that was mentioned above. My husband and I lived with ...
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Temple Covenants: A Saving Factor

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It is normal to feel guilt, shame, hopeless, and many other negative emotions when you have a wayward child. You feel like you have done everything you could have done for them, and they chose their agency to walk another way. First off, just continue to love them. Don't allow them to see those negative emotions if you are feeling them. That can only make the situation worse. I chose to include teachings from prophets and apostles that have a really promising message to parents who have children who might not be making the best decisions. Joseph Smith taught that the eternal sealing of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of the Divine providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Eit...
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