Inquire well.
This was my first week back to school in about 13 years. It has been completely overwhelming and completely awesome all at the same time. I am thoroughly enjoying my classes which are all about marriage and family. Each week I will be sharing some of what I've learned and what has specifically stuck out to me in my studies on these topics. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, I believe that the world has been given a road map by which we can obtain happy and healthy marriages and families. This road map is called "The Family: A Proclamation To The World" and I believe it was revealed to a prophet of God from a loving a concerned Father in Heaven for us in this day. I believe, if followed, this plan would change the world for the better.(follow the link below for more information).One of the things that struck me this week was a reading assignment on the topic of divorce. I was very touched by this article from the May 2007 issue of Ensign magazine, a publication distributed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This particular address was given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks who serves as a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is obvious to all that society has lost respect and reverence for the sanctity of marriage and with today's emphasis on individualism and making choices to please oneself only, the rate of divorce in this country is rising rapidly. In "The Family: A Proclamation To The World" we are warned of the calamity that will follow if this trend continues: "WE WARN that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets."
Almost everyone has been affected in someway by the damages of divorce. Whether through a friend, a family member or ourselves, we have all experienced the pain and emotional trauma that result when a divorce takes place. It is overwhelming to try and figure out how to help turn these trends around and refocus our efforts to creating and maintaining happy and healthy marriages and families. I think that Elder Oaks made a profound and helpful statement when he said, " I speak briefly to those contemplating marriage. The best way to avoid divorce from an unfaithful, abusive, or unsupportive spouse is to avoid marriage to such a person. If you wish to marry well, inquire well."("Divorce" Ensign, May 2007) This is such an important step in the process of building a family. In our faith we believe that marriage is a sacred institution, ordained by God and that "Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan." ("The Family: A Proclamation To The World.") We believe that our goal should be to be worthy to enter sacred Temples of the Lord where we can be married and sealed to our spouse for not only time, but all eternity. When we choose a spouse, we choose that person forever. How important than is it, to make sure without a doubt that we have chosen the right person. I don't think that it can be overemphasized that we need to know this persons values, goals and personality. We need to see them under stress and in sadness. We need to evaluate how they treat us and how we treat them and watch for any "red flags" that may make building a life with this person unnecessarily difficult. I believe that if we all took these steps to fully get to know the person we choose to marry, then the issue now becomes making the decision to love them forever. A fantastic resource for learning more about how to strengthen homes and families can be found at I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post, feel free to comment. Until next time,
sarah
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