Saturday, August 12, 2017

August Week 2: Marriage

Pactical advice about marriage

This is one of those lessons to think about, put it in the back of your mind and return to it often.

Talk to your parents and get their opinions about marriage

Assumptions:
- You want to get married
- You want to stay married

If you don't agree with those assumptions, then you can tune out / not listen.

Why marriages end in divorce
1. Financial problems
2. Communication issues
3. Family problems (children, in-laws, siblings)
4. Intimacy
5. Friend problems - faithfulness, committed to marriage
6. Addiction
7. Abuse
8. Personality
9. Expectations
10. Time

Hallmarks of a successful marriage
- Remember the central importance of your marriage
- Pray for its success
- Listen, empathy
- Avoid “ceaseless pinpricking.”
- Keep your courtship alive
- Be quick to say, “I’m sorry.”
- Learn to live within your means.
- Be a true partner in home and family responsibilities

Crucial conversations before you get married (while there is still time to back out)
1. Kids
  a. Do you want them?
  b. How they should be raised / disciplined
2. Money & careers
  a. Who will earn the money?
  b. What is your standard of living?
3. Religion
  a. Morals, values
  b. What if one of you changes?
4. How will you handle fights?  You will have fights :-)
5. Deal breakers and bucket lists
  a. Hobbies, habits
  b. Dreams, life goals

Review the the five suggestions from Hanging Out, Hooking Up, and Celestial Marriage

1. for all Cinderellas and Prince Charmings to throw away their glass slippers

2. don’t wait for others to carry your glass slipper about the campus looking for a match

3. to exercise faith and to have courage in dating and marriage

4. to keep physical intimacy at an appropriate level so as to enjoy the presence of the Spirit and to be worthy to seal your commitment to each other in the temple

5. to not only pray for yourself in a dating relationship but also to pray for the young man or woman in whom you are interested

Other links
Of Souls, Symbols and Sacraments (also see Personal Purity)
Nurturing Marriage - the Carrs

Saturday, August 05, 2017

August Week 1: Personal Journal

Read
- 1 Nephi 1:1-3 (Nephi starts his own journal)
- Alma 37:8-9 (journals help us remember)
- Moses 6:5, 45-46 (books of remembrances)

Why should you keep a journal?
- source of improvement
- better memory

What kinds of things can you write about in a journal?
- daily experiences
- major events
- feelings
- observations
- memorable stories
- important events
- goals
- specialized journals (scripture journal)
- picture journal
- videos
- letters from family and friends

Personal sharing
- my first journals (snowball fight w/ Christine)
- high school, BYU and mission journals, letters
(trip to San Diego, 1st day in Guatemala)
- Book of Mormon Inspection
- Instagram / Facebook
- FamilySearch (memory of Grandma Holladay)
- my Stoic journal on EverNote

Ask what they will do going forward.
How many keep journals now?
How can they improve journaling?