Opening Song: Love at Home #294
Lesson: Nurturing Love and Friendship
Husband and wives have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other. The Proclamation mentions the responsibility to love and care before any other marital obligations. Christlike love is what lights the way and draws attention to other virtues in marriage.
The Lord has commanded to love as Jesus loves and that it will set the standard for the pure love of Christ to be sought in the marriage. D&C 42:22 states, "Thou shalt love they wife with all thy heart." This applies equally to wives as it does husbands.
Share this Quote by C.S. Lewis, from his book Mere Christianity:
"Love as distinct from "being in love" in not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit....They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other....It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it."
Love emerges from true friendship. So what can married couples do to nurture love and friendship?
Watch the following video:
1. Get in sync with your partner's love preferences. Find out how your partner likes to receive love and then do those things often.
2. Talk as friends. Sometimes our conversations as couples are all about the business of life, the kids, the problems. Those things need to be handled but it is also important to make time to just simply talk as friends.
3. Set goals for couple interaction. Couples can turn towards each other in many different ways everyday.
These are some suggestions and to summarize the points above:
- Respond to bids for attention, affection, humor, or support. Acknowledge feelings by giving a hug and inviting one to talk more about it.
- Make an effort to do daily activities together such as reading, doing chores, or sharing a treat.
- Have a stress-reducing conversation at the end of the day that involves seeing how ones day went and listening and validating one another.
- Do something special every day to communicate affection and appreciation.
- Keep track of how well you are connecting emotionally with each other and make enhancements when necessary.
Share this quote by Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy:
"A relationship between a man and a woman that begins with friendship and then ripens into romance and eventually marriage will usually become an enduring, eternal friendship."
Closing Prayer
Activity: Would You Like a Penny?
That is an uncommon, ridiculous question, isn't it? It's amazing to see the many different reactions such a question can produce. Try it yourself. Cash in a dollar for a hundred pennies and give them away for this activity. You might videotape the proceedings from a distance and watch it at home later. Keep a tally of how many people accept and how many reject the money.
Treat: Uncooked Banana Pudding
You can find the direct link to the recipe here.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 (8 ounce) container of frozen whip topping, thawed
- 1 (5 ounce) package of instant vanilla pudding mix
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (16 ounce) package of vanilla wafer cookies
- 4 bananas peeled and sliced
Directions:
- In a large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix, and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mix, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.
References:
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. Frutia, Colorado: National Family Institute
Treat: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/uncooked-banana-pudding/detail.aspx.
Treat: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/uncooked-banana-pudding/detail.aspx.
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