Marriage Standards

So I'm the 1st Counselor in the Young Women's program at church and I'm specifically over the 14-15 year old "Mia Maids."  I taught a lesson on Marriage Standards to the entire YW group and invited my amazing husband, whom I feel so blessed to have, to team teach it with me.  We started by reading a journal entry of how we felt the morning of April 26, 2003...it reads:

A-"Doug and his dad came and picked up my mom and I.  We drove to the temple...and I felt very calm.  It was like, 'yeah, this is what's supposed to happen.'  My mom and I went into the beautiful brides room and got ready.  It was so beautiful- the feeling."

D- "Of course this whole time I was just sitting, waiting, we (a couple of guys) had the pre-mission/pre-temple talk, and then I just waited in my tux.  Finally Amber came out and I about passed out.  She is so beautiful!!!!!!

A-"My escort was this cute lady from Latin America.  She was about 4'10" and spoke with a heavy accent.  She was so sweet to me.  In the elevator up, Doug and her talked in Spanish.  Then we did the veil ceremony and waited in the celestial room.  I was so exhausted that all I wanted to do was lay down on the couch we were sitting on.  Doug said it would be ok, but the fact that we were going to be married in 10 mins and that I might mess up my hair restrained me from doing so.  (it had been an exhausting week of finals, putting on BYU's Senior Celebration for work, packing to live in Puerto Rico that summer, moving out and cleaning my apartment, last minute wedding prep, etc.)

D-"I was just thinking about eternity and Amber and both of them together.  I was sooooo excited, yet very calm inside, very sure and very peaceful.  It seemed like hours till they came back to take us to the sealing room.  And it was full of our family and friends, all smiling."

A- "It was the coolest feeling to walk into the sealing room and see sooooo many friends and family members.  I think that this was probably the best part of the whole day.  It was beautiful.  I held my composure until Doug and I were kneeling across the alter and the Sealer said- well, I can't totally remember what he said but it was when the question that Doug answered "yes" to.  Then I got a little emotional.  Afterwards everyone gave us hugs.  I really started to cry when I hugged my Dad.  The room was filled with people.  We reserved the biggest room for 55 people.

D- "OK, so you know how you always wonder what the kiss will be like when they say "you may kiss the bride."  Well, I don't remember.  I was so overwhelmed with the whole "this is my wife" thing and the eternity part that I forgot to focus.  It was good, but don't ask me how it went.  Then to hug everyone and just think about the decisions we made our whole lives to be in that spot together.  It was awesome!"

A- "It's such a blessing to have the Gospel in our lives.  Because it blesses us with the knowledge and ordinances so we can be sealed together forever."

Then we talked about how we prepared for this day along time before it occurred.  I told the girls that I remembered sitting in young women's when I was 15 and making my "list" of characteristics I wanted in my future eternal companion.  And how my list evolved as I matured, dated, and priorities shifted (to when I was 20 and met Doug).  I wrote the following on the board:

Doug then read his journal entry he wrote on his mission of the characteristics he wanted his eternal companion.  He got emotional as he read:

1.  She must have a strong testimony of Christ, and be willing to share it.
2.  She must be willing to look for and accept God's will.
3.  She must have musical/dance talent and be willing to share them.
4.  She must be strong willed- def. be able to stand up for what she believes to be correct.
5.  She must be affectionate but not smother me.
6.  She must like children, and have desires to have a large family.
7.  She must be active- plyisically (ie. sports, activities) - mentally (ie. intelligent, positive thinker, reasonable) - spiritually (ie. prayer, fasting, scriptures)
8.  She must be a positive person- like Elder Morley
9.  She must be willing to serve others, even when difficult for herself.
10. She must honor the priesthood and support me in my callings.
11. She must be HOT!

I felt the Spirit so strong as I just feel so blessed that Doug and I set our sites on a temple marriage and did not let any temptation or choice deter us from it.  I'm so thankful that the Lord not only blessed me with everything on my list, but that He generously went above and beyond my expectations!  I wrote this poem to Doug when we were dating:

Love Poem

You've opened my eyes to a new hope, a romantic dream, and a world I never thought would be my reality.  The love you've continued to share holds me in daily amazement.  This happiness experienced was so foreign to my mentality, but unconsciously desired.  For the first time, I've really experienced the joy of external truth.  Our honesty and trust dissolve my fears.  The honor and royal service rendered has raised my expectations.  Recently, my logic intertwines our lives and my heart beats gratitude, joy, and peace when it's next to yours.  To you, I am the Queen and the more I'm with you, I want to give you everything...possibly even eternity.

To my boys:  Set your standards high.  Strive for a temple marriage.  Don't let Satan's temptations prevent you from receiving the joy and peace an eternal relationship brings.  Marriage is not easy, but it's glorious in so many ways!  I feel so blessed to have your father as my eternal companion....he's wonderful to me and to this day I still feel like his queen!

I love this quote:
"I would admonish you to maintain an eternal perspective.  Make certain that the marriage in your future is a temple marriage.  There is no scene so sweet, no time so sacred as that very special day of your marriage.  Then and there you glimpse celestial joy.  Be alert; do not permit temptation to rob you of this blessing."  President Thomas S. Monson, "Whom Shall I Marry?" New Era, Oct. 2004, 4,6.