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Why is temple marriage important?


Why is temple marriage important?

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

In our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness, a man and a woman can be sealed to one another for time and all eternity. Those who are sealed in the temple have the assurance that their marriage will continue forever if they are true to their covenants. They know that nothing, not even death, can permanently separate them.

Resources to Help You Prepare

These resources are to help you prepare for the “Learn together” section of the meeting.

Questions to Ponder before You Teach

Why is temple marriage important to you? What blessings does this ordinance provide for you and your family?

What righteous examples of temple marriage do the young men have? How can you help instill in them a greater desire to marry in the temple?

What can the young men do to prepare to learn? For example, they could read a talk, watch a video, or study a scripture related to this doctrine.

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

During His earthly ministry, the Savior asked questions that caused His disciples to think and feel deeply. He was sincerely interested in their answers and rejoiced in their expressions of faith. Try to think of some questions that will cause the young men to think and feel deeply about the ordinances of the temple and particularly temple marriage. Listen carefully to their answers and respond with kindness as prompted by the Spirit.

Video: “Ask Us Questions”

Meeting Outline

1. Counsel Together and Share Experiences

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

Lead a discussion about items such as the following:

  • Our quorum: Who is missing today? What visits do we need to make? Who should we invite to an upcoming activity? Who needs our help and prayers?

  • Our duties: What assignments do we need to make? What assignments have we fulfilled? How have we invited others to come unto Christ, and how can we invite others now?

  • Our lives: Remind the quorum of the discussion from the last meeting. What experiences have we had with applying what we learned? What experiences have we had in the past few weeks that strengthened our testimonies of the gospel?

If possible, discuss these items beforehand in a quorum presidency meeting.

2. Learn Together

Led by a leader or teacher or a member of the quorum; approximately 25–35 minutes

After studying the above resources and following the inspiration of the Spirit, you may select one or more of the activities below to help quorum members understand the doctrine.

  • Invite the young men to imagine they have a friend who wonders why they have the goal of a temple marriage instead of simply a civil marriage. Ask them to read the scriptures suggested in this outline or “The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage” in True to the Faith (page 98) and look for words and phrases they could use to write a letter to their friend. Encourage them to explain in the letter the importance of eternal marriage. Invite them to share with the class what they wrote in their letters.

  • Bring two or three objects (or pictures of objects) that demonstrate different levels of durability (for example, a plastic spoon and a metal spoon). Ask the young men to discuss why the more durable object is better than the less durable object. How does this relate to marriage? Ask the young men to read, watch, or listen to portions of Elder L. Tom Perry’s talk “Why Marriage and Family Matter—Everywhere in the World” or watch the video “Face to Face: Why is marriage sacred to Heavenly Father?” Ask the young men why they want to have a temple marriage.

  • Invite a quorum member to teach a portion of this lesson. He could do this as part of his Duty to God plan to learn and teach about eternal families (see “Understand Doctrine,” page 18, 42, or 66).

  • As a quorum, read Doctrine and Covenants 131:1–4 and “The New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage” in True to the Faith (page 98), looking for answers to the question “Why is temple marriage important?” If necessary, help the young men define any unfamiliar words or phrases. Ask quorum members to list some things that might keep young men from marrying in the temple. What can they do now to make sure they marry in the temple?

  • Give each young man a copy of Elder Richard G. Scott’s talk “The Eternal Blessings of Marriage.” How did Elder Scott feel about his eternal companion? What impresses the young men about his relationship with his wife? Ask them to ponder what it would take to achieve a relationship like Elder and Sister Scott’s. Young men might also enjoy watching the video “Elder and Sister Bednar—Love” to learn about Elder and Sister Bednar’s marriage.

3. Plan to Act

Led by a member of the quorum presidency; approximately 5–10 minutes

  • Ask the young men to discuss any feelings or impressions they had during the meeting. What was meaningful to them? Is there something they can do personally or as a quorum to apply what they have learned?

  • Give the young men a few minutes to record what they will do in the coming weeks to act on their impressions. Invite them to share their ideas.

  • Remind the young men that they will have the opportunity to share their experiences at the beginning of the next meeting.

Related Youth Activities

Plan a Mutual activity that will help the young men apply what they learned in this lesson.