FAML 300 Week 12: Transitions in Marriage: Power Relations and Children

President Henry B. Eyring gave a talk entitled “That We May Be One” in May of 1998, and even though it is almost twenty years old, his counsel is still applicable today. He stated, “A man and his wife learn to be one by using their similarities to understand each other and their differences to complement each other in serving one another and those around them.”

I love this quote, it really stuck out to me because it takes both sides of a marriage, the easy parts and the hard parts, and President Eyring says that it is possible to still be one. He helps us see how we can relate to each other in marriage, through our similarities we can understand each other. Then instead of using our differences as a dividing factor, we can use them to our advantage and help and serve each other and those around us.

An amazing cake my husband made.

 Here is an example of how we can use our differences to our advantage. My husband loves to shop and cook, and he is really good at it. Cooking and shopping cause me a lot of stress which makes me feel terrible in the end. We use these differences to our advantage, my husband will make amazing dinners—much to the surprise of those that visit us, and I am good at keeping the home organized and running. I feel that through our differences, we can accomplish so much more together.

The Sacrament teaches us ways we can be one not only with God, but with our spouse.

President Eyring gives us direction in how we can become more unified in our marriages. He states that even a child can understand what needs to be done to bring the Spirit into our lives, which will lead us to being unified—it is through the sacrament prayer. “They are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them” (D&C 20:77).

1. We promise to take His name upon us, meaning the Savior’s name.
2. We promise to always remember Him.
3. We promise to keep the commandments
4. We are promised His Spirit to always be with us.

President Eyring then warns that we must keep ourselves “clean and free from the love of the things of the world,” and we must always beware of pride. Those will divide us. We are also taught that “the spirit of God never generates contention. …  It leads to personal peace and a feeling of union with others. It unifies souls. A unified family, a unified Church, and a world at peace depend on unified souls.” President Eyring also quote President David O. McKay, “We must speak no ill of anyone. We must see the good in each other and speak well of each other whenever we can.”

As we strive to live by these teachings, and keeping Christ at the center of our lives, living each day seeking and following the promptings of the Spirit, we will find way that the Lord will show us how to be unified in our marriage relationship. I am thankful for the step by step guidance God has given me through the years. Of course unity is something we build, it is not something we get all at once. It takes conscientious efforts to keep the spirit of God in our lives no matter what the challenge is. Take your spouse’s hand, kneel in prayer, turn to the scriptures, and always have His name written in your hearts.