Eternal Marriage

Since I was little, I have been taught that I should always strive to be sealed in the temple to a worthy priesthood holder.  As I have gotten older, this has continued to be a very strong desire in my life.  I’m going to get real here for a minute and share something that is very personal.  I recently ended a relationship with a man that I really did love.  He was extremely important to me and we had grown very close.  He had my engagement ring and was ready to propose to me.  I was prepared to say yes to him.  The thing is though, we weren’t going to get married in the temple.  We both made some choices throughout the course of our relationship that we needed to talk to our bishops about.  I’m not saying that I am perfect in this situation, but I went straight to my bishop while he did not.  Eventually, he decided that he didn’t care about changing and ultimately that is why I broke up with him (although there is more to the situation).  It was (and still is) extremely hard but I know I made the right choice. 

As I’ve reflected on the choices I’ve made in the past months, I have been surprised at the amount of influence I have let Satan have in my life.  In his talk, Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan, Elder Bednar said, “Satan works unremittingly to confuse understanding about gender, to promote the premature and unrighteous use of procreative power, and to hinder righteous marriage precisely because marriage is ordained of God and the family is central to the plan of happiness. The adversary’s attacks upon eternal marriage will continue to increase in intensity, frequency, and sophistication.”  The end is what really stood out to me, “The adversary’s attacks upon eternal marriage will continue to increase in intensity, frequency, and sophistication.”   I have experienced this in my own life.  I was tempted in ways that I never thought existed.  Satan knows what he is doing.  He has a lot of experience.  We MUST do all that we can to fortify our lives against the attacks of the adversary. 

While breaking up with this man that I loved was extremely hard, I know that ultimately, it would have been harder to raise a family with him because of his lack of commitment to God.  I want my children to be raised to love God and I want to have a husband who will be my equal partner in teaching them.  I loved how Elder Bednar used the example of the “marriage triangle” in his talk.

This has become an important principle to me.  I know that if a husband and wife are both devoted to God and continually strengthen their relationship with Him, they will be able to grow closer to each other as well.  It is so important that husbands and wives are equal partners in a marriage, and each is willing to give 100% to making the marriage work.  I know without a doubt that when we put God first in our lives, things really do work out the way that they are supposed to.  I’ve had to learn this the hard way throughout my life but I know that it’s true.