Celestial Marriage

Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God.
(reading: "Family: A Proclamation to the World" from the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

There is a quote I once read, I don't remember from who, that says "We are not mortal beings having a spiritual experience.  We are spiritual beings having a mortal experience."

Not many remember this truth today.  Not many people realize the importance of marriage and family.  We are heavenly beings come to Earth to have a mortal experience.  Relationships are meant to last longer than this life.  They are meant to be eternal.

Satan wants to win, but we don't need to let fear and doubt overpower us.

Even before marriage, we should all be aware of the attachments we are forming with others in our life.  We should be aware of who we become attached to, how and why.  There is a RAM model of attachment with 5 steps:

This model tells us that we need to know someone very well before we can completely trust them, rely on them or commit to them.  These levels of each category allow for a healthy attachment between two people.  It is important to know someone and understand them.  To know someone requires togetherness, talking and time.  Once you share experiences and things close to your heart, you begin to form an emotional attachment.  Just don't forget to keep physical touch in bounds.  Don't forget.  It needs to be kept in bounds, especially before marriage.  But the level of physical touch does increase after marriage, which is good for the marriage relationship.

A note on cohabitation: it does not actually have any proven benefits to the quality of a relationship or marriage.

Strong marriages:
- helping each other
- struggling together, not separately and alone
- coping together, not alone
- supporting each other
- overcoming trials and hard times together

Exercise faith and have courage!  When two people have their sight set on the same things and share the same visions, dreams and goals in life, then they will be able to work through problems.
Another quote I like: "A team of two will always win when one of them is God."
Before any readers get offended, remember this: I know this is true!  I have seen this time and again in my life!  My parents have been a living testimony to the principles of faith and courage and love.
Never give up!

The joy and fulfillment in a strong marriage is worth the wait.  It is worth the sacrifices that need to be made now to have that strength in the future.  It is worth every effort to obtain and maintain a celestial marriage.