"There is a great difference between love and lust. Pure love yields happiness and engenders trust. It is the foundation of eternal joy. Lust will destroy that which is enriching and beautiful" ~Elder Richard G. Scott

Marital Satisfaction

People marry for many reasons. Some listed in my textbook are:
1.) The need for intimacy
2.) Social expectations
3.) Social Ideals and Personal Fullfilment
4.)Desire for Children
5.) Practical solution to problems/challenges
Marriage is a time to develop and strengthen your relationship with your spouse. Do not expect marriage to be bliss and care free. Yes, you can strive to create an environment of love and happiness, but there are going to be many bumps and road blocks along the way. This does not mean you can't work things out together as a couple. Here are some suggestions to keep your marriage strong:
~Make date nights a priority. ~Be selfless; put your spouse's needs first. ~Express appreciation/gratitude. ~Share your experiences--good and bad.
How do you engage each other in decision making? Show you deeply care about their opinion. Say something positive you liked about their opinion--even if you disagree with the overall opinion. Before saying your opinion, ask your spouse to share theirs.

"Marry not who you date, but how you date"

 "Practice how you would play"

So, this past week we learned about the wonderful world of dating! I think my professor intentionally planned this lesson around Valentine's day. Yeah, who knows..That's just Breanna Crabtree's guess! Anyways, it nonetheless was a very fun and interesting discussion. Below are some fun things I learned this past week:
The Five Functions of Dating:
1.) Recreation
2.) Intimacy & companionship
3.) Mate selection
4.) Status attainment
5.) Socialization

Here's a formula pertaining to dating: "Know-Quo"~A formula on how well you know someone
1.) Time~You begin to know the person not until 3-6 months.
2.) Togetherness~Shared activities
3.) Talk~mutual self-disclosure (ex: "This is how I feel...I like...")
What would be some fun/simple/effective dates involving the formula "know-quo"?
Dating Means:
1.) Paid for.
2.) Planned. Way more fun! Less likely to get into "trouble".
3.) Paired off. You're practicing commitment.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with the opportunity to come to Earth and live in a family. Marriage between man and woman is the only marriage ordained by God. We know that both the man and woman have specific gender roles that contribute to the overall picture. Listed below are a couple gender roles:
Girls 
1.) Relationship oriented
2.) Cooperative play
3.) "White matter"
4.) Nurture
5.) Sensitive/Emotionally expressive

Boys
1.) Agressive
2.) Mechanically minded
3.) Spaciously oriented
4.) Physical strength
5.) Competitive play
6.) "Grey matter"
7.) Provide, protection, preside

Here's a question that my Professor asked us: "What would Heavenly Father want us to do with these gender differences?" 

This past week, we've been learning about families from different cultures. Something which I like about the Hispanic culture are their cultural values for parenting. The following are the main values emphasized:
1.) Familismo: an emphasis on family values and family well being, more than individual desires.
2.) Respeto: Respect for, and responsibility toward elders.
3.) Personalismo- a value on individual character and inner qualities.
4.) Simpatía- The value of harmony in relationships--gained by politeness, agreeableness, and respect for others.

What have you become because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/jesus-christ-directs-his-church-and-his-work?lang=eng

Today, my roommates and I watched this great movie called Charly. Such a sweet movie! You will definitely want a box of tissues! I am so happy to know that families are forever! I know that this life does not end once we die. I look forward to spending eternity with my future husband and children. I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am grateful we have our Savior Jesus Christ who atoned for us; making it possible for us to return to our Father in Heaven :)