The Power of the Priesthood

Class discussion changed directions just slightly from talking about marriage in general and what it means in terms of eternity, to the roles of men and women—husbands and wives. These topics are very interesting and I think it’s very helpful to talk about them. Over the years we are filled with stereotypes and opinions, but when it comes down to it, it’s nice to hear once again what church authorities have to say about these roles. I also find it very encouraging. Someday I will be a wife and a mother and there is nothing I want more than to have a household full of love and comfort and of activity.

I love that it has been said that the roles of men and women are of “divine design.” This illustrates not only the duty of each, but also the guidance and responsibility given by our Heavenly Father. I feel so much confidence from this.

Another thought from class that I really appreciate is that of “creating a marital identity.” To me, this means truly and anxiously working with your spouse to create a relationship—and ultimately a home—built on the values and goals you decide as a couple. Some of the importance aspects of a marriage and of a family that I am excited to determine with my future spouse are “nurturing the sacredness in your marriage”—meaning being obedient and setting goals to increase spirituality and to increase how much the Lord is in our lives. Also, I love the fact that as a husband and wife, we are entitled to revelation pertaining specifically to our family. What a blessing to have the Lord lead and guide a relationship.

In terms of men and the responsibility and authority they have in the family, thinking of the difference between the word “preside” in terms of the church is different than the way a husband should “preside” in the home. Personally, as a woman in the church, I am extremely comforted and excited to one day have a husband who worthily holds the priesthood and has the authority to preside and protect our family. I remember an experience from years ago when I first received a testimony of the priesthood. We were part of a “trek” Youth Conference one summer a few years ago. The guys were called away and just the five or six of us girls in our group were left to pull our heavy handcart along a lengthy trail and up over a small hill. The task was extremely difficult for us girls, yet we persisted. As we came over the crest of the hill, all of the young men from the entire conference lined the trail on either side, standing silently and reverently. Walking between rows of men, I felt the spirit of the priesthood. I felt like their comfort encouraged us to come to the end of our trail. I had never felt so strongly the real power of the priesthood. I admire men for holding such power and for being worthy to do so. They are a blessing in the lives of women.

Entry #2 Marriage and the Eternal Plan

A huge goal for my marriage is to avoid contention with my spouse. I avoid contention at all costs these days; since I was little I have always preferred peacefulness to "getting my way." Recently in class, our professor mentioned that, "there is really no need to fight." This struck me very hard. Growing up in a home where this wasn't always true, it really is amazing to me to think that it is possible to have a relationship where you do not need to fight. You can imagine how wonderful this sounds to me. Hearing him say this to the class made it more realistic in a way. That same day, it was said in class that, "The best thing you can do for your kids is to love your spouse." What an incredible thought. It is so true; as you show love and respect and kindness to your spouse, your children will be able to develop these same qualities with family members, friends, and eventually in their own relationships.

In another lecture this last week, we talked about marriage and our eternal plan, which was a follow-up on what we read previous to the class. One of the great things said in class was that what we do here has real consequences; choices and actions directly affect your marriage and family. This puts marriage and starting a family into a whole new light. Even the process of choosing a spouse is altered when we consider the heavy decisions at hand. I imagine that if everyone on earth knew of the importance of a spouse and about eternal marriage, they would be much more careful and thoughtful with who they date and what decisions they make along the way. Perhaps they would be more careful about when to bring a child into the world and more careful about getting an education to support a family. What we do right now DOES effect eternity and if we align our perspective with this, we will innately align our perspective with our Heavenly Father's plan for us.

We also have talked in class that who you are before you get married is the same person you bring into the marriage after the wedding. This thought is very interesting. How much more does this encourage us to strengthen our testimonies and to organize our lives? I know that I personally am very encouraged by this thought. I am encouraged both by my strengths now and how they will serve me and my spouse in our marriage, as well as my weaknesses and how many little traits I should be working on in order to align myself with the Lord. It has been an exciting few weeks and I am learning many things from my classes right now.

Entry #1

This being my first experience writing a blog, I am excited to see what new things I can learn and also excited to tell those that read this what I am learning in my Preparation for Marriage course here at BYU.

For starters, this course is one that I am very excited about. I am mostly looking forward to learning how to feel secure and confident about marriage as well as learning to better the relationships in my life. Thus far, we have read one talk given at the recent December graduation for BYU-Hawaii by M. Russell Ballard. This was very interesting to read; I especially enjoy the fact that he discussed how the internet is setting the way for a new wave of possibilities. He compared the breakthrough of the internet to the invention of the printing press. This was very shocking to me and also, being an internet user, it was fun to hear an authority talk about the internet in such a great light. Both instances (the internet and the printing press) brought new light to society--brand new opportunities and immense access to knowledge.

We read this talk to get us ready for the semester and also to feel at ease and comfortable sharing out thoughts through online blogs. This is a completely new things for me, but like I said, I am excited to try something new. I have also read the next reading for the class which had to do with the eternal nature of families. Specifically, it tied families into the creation of the earth, Adam and Eve, and the Atonement. It is amazing how an eternal perspective expands your own personal perspective and also how you interact with your family and friends. We can be tied together with our family for all of eternity because of these things. I will discuss these more next time I write, but I wanted to mention how cool these aspects are when tied to the family. This will be a great semester.