How are you going to fight?

         My goodness, the amount of information that I have learned this week has been so exciting. I have discovered things about the world and about myself in my learning. We discussed in my class about sexual intimacy in marriage, fidelity, as well as how to talk to children about sexual intimacy and at what times to give them information. My take home this week was this: 

If you do not talk to your child about sexual intimacy, someone else will talk to them about it in school, in their friend group, or in the public environment. If we are not teaching our children about pornographic pictures before the ages of 5 and 6 years old, they will run into pornographic images before parents talk to them about what to do when they encounter it. Finally, if we are not guarding our marriage, setting boundaries around our marriage, and nourishing our marriage everyday, it will likely crumble. 

       It is interesting how the world has changed. It used to be that we could just talk to our children once about sexual intimacy and how it is something that we reserve for marriage. Now in the world, sex is a casual and recreational activity that has lost meaning. Sex is thought of with much less respect. Morals have been lost and instant gratification has taken over. As parents of children in a society today, sexual intimacy needs to be talked about from early years all the way through a child's adolescent years. Children need to be aware of how to act and what to do when they see pictures that are inappropriate. Children need to know boundaries around their body. Children need to know that they can come to their parents at any time in their life if they have questions or feel concerned about situations. Think, when we as parents do not take the initiative to talk and discuss these importance principles with our children, who is going to talk to them about it? The internet or their friends? We as individuals and parents have the responsibility to protect our children. We want to teach them proper morals and boundaries. We want our children to know that sexual intimacy is wonderful within bonds of marriage. 

Second, I feel there is a large need in the world to address the importance of protecting marriage. What boundaries are we setting around our marriage? What are dos and don'ts? How do we protect ourselves emotionally and physically? I have come to realize this week that the answer is this; are we talking with, nurturing, and loving our spouse daily? Are we emotionally connected on a deep level only to our spouse? The key to keeping a marriage protected is about setting boundaries within and around your marriage. 

Spencer W. Kimball said:

" The adversary is subtle; he is cunning, he knows that he cannot induce good men and women immediately to do major evils so he moves slyly, whispering half truths until he has his intended victims following him, and finally he clamps his chains upon them and fetters them tight, and then he laughs at the discomfiture and their misery." 

Satan is real. He is attacking families. He is attacking marriages. He laughs and feels powerful when a marriage falls apart. He loves that morals are falling apart and pornography is everywhere in the world. He loves that parents have fear and feel uncomfortable about teaching their children correct standards and morals about sexual intimacy.

WE need to fight. We need to guard our marriage and families. We fight back by teaching correct principles. showing love. and bringing the Spirit into our homes through the scriptures. 

SO, I pose these questions to you:
How are you going to fight for truth? What thing can you do to protect your marriage? How can you build trust in your relationships with your children? 

Start the fight today. 

The beginning of a life time.

Hello! I have been inspired this week as we have talked about transitions in marriage and learning how to form boundaries around a marriage. I have been thinking about if I went back to being engaged what would I tell myself and what would I tell others who are engaged right now. This is what I have come up with.
Enjoy the Journey of getting to know and adjust to one another. Openly, talk about the struggles and hardships you are having with adjustments to going from being engaged and now to being married. One of the hardest transitions for a girl is learning how to rely on their spouse. When hardships come up, going to your spouse instead of your mom or best friend.
When Zach and I went on our honeymoon, I really learned how to rely on him rather than family or friends through quite the terrible experience. Many know the story, but our original plan was to go on a cruise together for our honeymoon. Well, there were many things that came up on the day before we were supposed to go on our cruise. I woke up with a funny feeling, we were told that toll roads only accepted quarters from a lying rental car salesman, we had to get our birth certificates faxed to the cruise ship company, the directions were different than we had looked up before, and we were supposed to return our rental car at the port that ended up being somewhere else. All of this resulted in many tears when we arrived at the port and the ship was sitting there but security had already closed the gate to get on. This was one of those moments when everything stood still and I had to remember what really mattered the most. We experienced healing from being upset and unkind. This was a transition that took us time to learn.

Dating?

           Dating, courting, engagement, and marriage! Where has actual dating gone? This week we have talked a lot about dating and courting. We have discussed the difference of hanging out and actually dating. Dating takes preparation, time, and money. Hanging out does not take as much effort and come sometimes become too casual. 

         As I have been thinking this week about the importance of dating, I was reminded of how amazing my Husband is at this. When we first met, he was very persistent on calling me to ask me on a date instead of doing it over social media or text. I found this to be very respectful of him. He always made it an efforts to set up actual dates and not get too casual with just hanging out. I think this is very important. We as young people can get too relaxed when we are just "hanging out." I think that it is really important to teach young people in the world today how to properly date. Something else that has been on my mind this week is how a lady or young woman is supposed to act on dates and when they get asked out. I came up with three things that I feel are very important in the dating world. 1. Girls should be grateful whether or not she really is interested or not. She should say thank you, she should smile, and she should be kind. 2. Girls show build up her date. Women are naturally great at making people, especially men feel good about themselves. When a woman can compliment the person she is on a date with and build their dates confidence. 3. Girls should be present. I have seen it happen too often when a girl goes on a date with a guy she is not interested in and gets on her phone, looks around the room or area instead of listening to her date. I think there is an importance in treating each other with respect, kindness, and most importantly having fun together whether you are into each other or not. I have learned that it is not as much about who you are with, but your attitude towards the situation and the feelings you have toward who you are around. So, make a difference. Build up your date, smile, laugh, enjoy time with someone that you can learn from!

Fathers and Mothers...

          I've been thinking this week about the importance of a mom and dad. How have your mom or dad influenced you to change the world, or think differently than the average?  And how have they supported and loved you? I have been learning this week about the important roles of a mother and father in the family. As I have been learning about these roles in my classes this week, I have been reflecting on my own experiences in my home growing up with a father and mother. How do we teach our family that marriage between a man and woman is ordained of God? How do we teach our children the joy that marriage can bring between a man and woman?
         WE can be the example. How did I learn my divine nature as a woman and future mother?  I watched. My mom showed through her example what it means to be a woman of courage, faith, and confidence. Growing up, I saw the importance of being a mother, developing feminine characteristics,nurturing, loving children, and embrace my identity as a lady. I was taught the important role that I have as a woman in the world. My eyes saw my mom put make up on, run a home, and rock a baby. I learned from watching that I wanted to be a mom, wife, and beautiful lady like my mom is.
I also watched my dad. I learned from my dad the importance of working hard, providing for a family, diligence in helping in the home, and showing love to his children. I saw the important role of a father, male, and protector. I watched him change diapers, put kids to bed, pay the bills, read scriptures, and work long hours. I saw my dad take care of my mom. I saw my dad support our family. I listened to my dad give advice about life. My dad gave his time and energy to help my mom and family.
          It was through the example of watching with my eyes and listening with my ears that I learned the truth that is stated here:

THE FAMILY

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A PROCLAMATION TO THE WORLD

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

WE, THE FIRST PRESIDENCY and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

WE DECLARE the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

HUSBAND AND WIFE have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

THE FAMILY is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

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.

WE CALL UPON responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

          In a world where people are confused, we can see that the way children learn the importance of family life and marriage between a man and a woman is through the example they see and the lessons they are taught in the home. Let us strive to think of how we can embrace and share the truth of a mother and father in the family.