Over the years, many good quality quotes have been given by general authorities giving insight, support, and encouragement for to construct of marriage, as well as how to have the best one possible. As you date and prepare for your own future marriage, perhaps these quotes can be useful, helpful, and motivational.
General Authority Quotes on Marriage:
An Opportunity for Eternal Marriage in this Life or the Next:
“Many of the most important deprivations of mortality will be set right in the Millennium, which is the time for fulfilling all that is incomplete in the great plan of happiness for all of our Father’s worthy children. We know that will be true of temple ordinances. I believe it will also be true of family relationships and experiences.” --Dallin H Oaks, The Great Plan of Happiness, Ensign, Nov. 1993
In regards to marriage, this quote gives hope and confidence that for those who desire an eternal marriage and are worthy, they will have an opportunity to find and have this blessing in the next life when not possible here in this life. In other words, no one will lose out on this blessing when they choose it and are worthy of it.
Spouses are Not to Dominate the Other:
“In some cultures, tradition places a man in a role to dominate, control, and regulate all family affairs. That is not the way of the Lord. In some places the wife is almost owned by her husband, as if she were another of his personal possessions. That is a cruel, mistaken vision of marriage encouraged by Lucifer that every priesthood holder must reject. It is founded on the false premise that a man is somehow superior to a woman. Nothing could be farther from the truth.”
-- Valerie Hudson, Equal Partnership in Marriage, General Conference, April 2013
Although this quote is slanted to refer to men not dominating women in a marriage, it is also true that women should not dominate men in a marriage either. Both spouses are to treat each other as equal partners, including giving the other respectful treatment and a balanced voice and decision-making powers.
Marriage Should be the Number 1 Priority:
“When the Lord says all thy heart, it allows for no sharing nor dividing nor depriving. …
“The words none else eliminate everyone and everything. The spouse then becomes preeminent in the life of the husband or wife, and neither social life nor occupational life nor political life nor any other interest nor person nor thing shall ever take precedence over the companion spouse. …
“Marriage presupposes total allegiance and total fidelity. Each spouse takes the partner with the understanding that he or she gives totally to the spouse all the heart, strength, loyalty, honor, and affection, with all dignity. Any divergence is sin; any sharing of the heart is transgression. As we should have ‘an eye single to the glory of God,’ so should we have an eye, an ear, a heart single to the marriage and the spouse and family”--Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, 1972, 142–43.
President Gordon B. Hinckley taught: “When you are married, be fiercely loyal one to another. Selfishness is the great destroyer of happy family life. If you will make your first concern the comfort, the well-being, and the happiness of your companion, sublimating any personal concern to that loftier goal, you will be happy, and your marriage will go on throughout eternity” (Ensign, Dec. 1995, 67)
In a marriage, the marriage should be the number one priority and relationship to both spouses. To the degree that this is so, this is an eternal, celestial quality. On the other hand, treating other people or priorities above the marriage makes for poor priorities and will hurt or even destroy a marriage. This is especially true when selfish attitudes and abusive or neglectful treatment of the other spouse takes hold. Put the other spouse first for the best results in your marriage.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World—Thoughts on Marriage:
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.
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.
In case anyone gets confused by the messages of the world, the Lord created marriage as the ideal construct for sexual relationships, child-bearing and rearing, and to reach your ultimate, eternal potential and destiny.
Final Thoughts:
There are many insightful, enlightening quotes from general authorities about marriage that will enlighten and inspire. These are but a few, but hopefully you found them useful and helpful for your particular situation. Marriage is the ideal. Please continue to search for this and to have this in your life. If so, you eventually will have this blessing either in this life or the life to come. And remember, “…neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.”—1 Corinthians 11:1.
Dr. G
P.S. If you have any questions, comments, or a future article request for me, feel free to contact me at drgilchrist@yahoo.com.
| 2022-08-29 | Randy Gilchrist | Marriage preparation |
About the author
Hello, my name is Dr. Randy Gilchrist (aka "Dr. G"). I am a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed marriage & family therapist, and a certified hypnotherapist in private practice in Roseville, CA (www.dr-rg.com), practicing since 1997. Also, I am happily married in the temple (Manti) since 1996 and have 4 sons. I am a volunteer writer and contributor to LDS Dimension. I use my training, education, and experience to share insights with LDS Dimension on all things of interest to the LDS dating community. Please read my articles and columns on this site to assist you in your online dating journey. Also, to be considered for an answer in a future Q and A column, please email me your dating/relationship oriented questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com. Finally, I also offer a powerful, effective worldwide custom hypnosis recording service just for LDS Dimension members for weight loss, pornography, and many other issues of concern to those in the LDS dating community (please learn more now at www.dr-rg.com/lds; email me questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com).