Transitioning to Marriage

The shift from dating/engagement to being married is not easy. I think one of the biggest issues with marriage now is that people focus more on the wedding ceremony and the receptions than they do on the actual marriage. In the LDS faith, we believe that marriage, when it takes place in the temple, is eternal. This means that it is essential that couples learn to not only live together but also to grow together. In class I kept thinking about how a majority of LDS people (especially at BYU-Idaho), rush into marriage because they want to get started on eternity, and they feel a pressure to get married quickly. However, marriage is hard. I haven't been married yet myself, but I have a lot of married friends and I've watched my parents in their marriage. When you get married, you are literally joining two lives into one. This is a beautiful thing and in my opinion, an essential part to life. But, it should in no means be taken lightly. Marriage is an eternal commitment to your spouse and also to Heavenly Father. When two people get married, even if they have dated a long time, they can never fully know the other person, making it difficult when the couple is married because they have to adjust to living with that person - full time. In all honesty - getting married scares me, but because I know it is important and essential to my eternal progression, I read some talks about marriage. I've concluded that the only and most important thing I can do is to rely on the Lord and to trust in him.