Lesson #1: The Covenant Marriage Relationship

Opening Prayer

Opening Song: Home Can Be a Heaven on Earth #298

Lesson: The Covenant Marriage

Marriage is a purposeful, divinely created relationship. Couples have God-given covenant obligations to one another and the correct understanding of these doctrines should set in motion the attitudes and behaviors that nurture covenant commitments.

Read the following statement by Elder Bruce C. Hafen regarding the difference between a covenant marriage and a contractual marriage.

"When troubles come, the parties to a contractual marriage seek happiness by walking away.  They marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they're receiving what they bargained for.  But when troubles come to a covenant marriage, the husband and wife work them through.  They marry to give and to grow, bound by covenants to each other, to the community, and to God. Contract companions give 50 percent.  But covenant companions each give 100 percent.  Enough and to spare.  Each gives enough to cover any shortfall by the other."

Successful marriages are founded on the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is the focal point in a covenant marriage relationship.

Share this image:

Notice how the Savior is positioned in this triangle.  He is the apex of the triangle.  The husband is at one corner and the wife is at the other.  If you as a couple grow closer to Christ, in turn, you will grow closer to each other.  You cannot do one without another.  You as a couple must "come unto Christ and become one."

Now discuss these questions as a couple: 

What are you, as a couple, doing now to strengthen your marriage?

-What can you do to grow closer to Christ?

-What can you do to ensure that you are on the same spiritual level?

As stated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World: "Marriage is essential to His eternal plan.....husband and wife have solemn responsibility to love and care for each other."

Closing Prayer

Activity: Card Stacking

Obtain a deck of cards.  See how large you can build your stack of cards together as a couple.  Try to use all of the cards in the deck and remember....a strong foundation is key!

Treat: Mini Turtles

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Rollo's unwrapped
• 1 bag of mini pretzels
• Pecan or walnut pieces

Directions:

Place a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet, lay out pretzels and add a unwrapped Rollo on top.  Bake at 200 degrees in oven for 2-3 minutes.  Immediately take out and press a pecan or walnut piece into the chocolate.  Let cool, until set-up and serve.

References: 

Image from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyhh_bE4OlXl-KFR1S_70i9bXRuUdgaTEKkNXrD9R-ufNtjd6DguLlfznBldqbB7mirk3OM9Yc-Oodepru0Xz5ZKb8j76t42ulSJLi2zYLCabbYy_tbRF2EnzvZ6icVwBKxx4DQ3fTm4/s1600/Couples+and+Jesus+triangle.jpg

Text: Hawkins, Alan J., David C. Dollahite, and Thomas W. Draper.  Successful Marriages and Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 2012. Print.

Activity:  Tolman, B. (1995). Dating for under a dollar 301 ideas. Fruita, Colorado: National Family Institute

Treat receipt: http://fheinasnap.blogspot.com/

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