Give Me This Mountain

One crucial aspect to a marriage is that each partner is now part of a family. For example, the wife is now a Jones and the husband is now a part of the McCarthur family. This means as equal time as possible for each family and sharing traditions. There have been so many family members that I have seen break their parent's hearts because they only focus on the other family. Both families need to be considered. That is a part of being a family. You split time and holidays for both and try your best to include both families because one day you will have your own family and that will mean that you will want your own kids to share time and be a part of your family as much as the other. Time is precious and it is important that it is shared as equally as possible. You can't make everyone happy, but you can try your very best to be as fair as possible.

In a marriage there is more to it than living under the same roof, joint bank accounts, and the same last name. Marriage means that man and wife are to become one. This happens when both the wife and the husband are in sync with each other. They treat one another kindly and with respect. They value one another's opinions and they trust each other with all their hearts. They commune with God together and make decisions based on how they both feel about the situation. They are partners in crime when it comes to parenting their children. And they support one another in their trials. Husband and wife are to be as one, together, united.

It is a beautiful thing for a husband and wife to come together as one and be united in marriage. As one of the wonderful aspects of marriage, man and women each hold strengths and weaknesses that the other can support and uplift. Why else would God create the two sexes if they weren't important for each other? Elder David A. Bednar stated in a June 2006 General Conference address, "After the earth was created, Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden. Importantly, however, God said it was “not good that the man should be alone” ( Gen. 2:18 ;  Moses 3:18 ), and Eve became Adam’s companion and helpmeet. The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the plan of happiness. Alone, neither the man nor the woman could fulfill the purposes of his or her creation." (  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2006/06/marriage-is-essential-to-his-eternal-plan?lang=eng  ) How powerful is that? The Lord specifically ...

I have realized this week that in marriage hopes and dreams are greatly different than the dreams we have as children. When we are young we have dreams like eating ice cream for every meal, and never having to go to school again and just play all day. When we are in marriages we have dreams that we may not sometimes realize we have. For example, I could not wait to have my own place so that I could live how I wanted and not be told to do anything. After I got married I realized that my husband likes things a little more tidy than I do. I didn't think of it as a big deal. Then it came to the point where my husband was frustrated that things weren't staying clean and so we talked about it. I came to know and understand that my husband grew up with a cluttered house and didn't want to have that when he had his own place because it made his anxiety spike. When I came to know this, my whole attitude and demeanor changed. I decided that I needed to help him in his dreams as he...

This week I was thinking about my marriage and how blessed I am to have my husband. It has been almost six months since we got married (clearly we are veterans), and I reflected on our relationship. Of course we have had little disagreements and such, but it has never escalated. I actually just watched our wedding video and cried the whole time thinking about him and how grateful I am for my husband. I think one of the many blessings of marriage is the companionship. Husband and wife together to lift and support one another. If there is one thing that my husband does very well at, he is a fantastic listener. He always makes me feel like my thoughts and opinions matter, that I am valued and that he cares.  Although it is amazing to have him in my life, it made me wonder how  I  am to  him.  Do I make  him  feel the same way? Do I encourage  him  in a way that strengthens and uplifts him? Do I sincerely listen to  him  in a way t...

Since the beginning of time we have seen families as such, first the father then the mother and then the children follow suit in order of age from eldest to youngest. At least that is how my mind always worked. As I have gotten older and carefully observed my parents and their relationship, I have found that in a way I was wrong in how I viewed a family. Yes, the father is the head of the household and the patriarch, however that does not make the role or place of the mother to only be second in command. They are a partnership and deserve to treat each other as such. This means that the man should be as considerate as the woman in the marriage and her input in their relationship and their family. Men who choose to follow this counsel will not only have a longer and more successful marriage but will find themselves to be much happier. When the husband yields his need for complete control in his relationship he finds happiness and balance in his marriage. When he doesn't, there is mo...