How Much I Love My Wife

It's true. She's a gem. We got married almost two months ago and have already been through a few jams. Although there have been tiny struggles, we are extremely happy at the point we are at and are working hard for a big bright future. Now let's apply that to doctrine and history. To highlight the comparable elements, we were married in a temple.

Temples are very special places. God first ordered his people to construct special places from the time of Adam, mandating him and his sons to build altars and offer sacrifices and prayer by them. This practice and commandment continued for thousands of years, and when Moses liberated the Hebrew slaves from Egypt and they were organized again in their twelve tribes for the trip to the promised land, God gave more instruction. He ordered Moses to build a tabernacle, or a "floating temple" of sorts, fully collapsible using many tents and curtains, while still employing altars and sacred areas. This was so that they could worship while on the move, on their trek back to Israel. When the Israelites were established and prosperous under the reigns of King David and his son King Solomon, the Lord ordered Israel to build a temple. It was possibly the grandest, most luxurious building ever constructed, taking many years and large amounts of precious cloth, stones and metals to complete. In every instance, God commanded them to build these structures to that He (God) could have a house. It was meant to always be clean, majestic, and the very best His people could portray to glorify their Father.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we also build temples. We are commanded by God through his authorized servants (prophets, apostles) in these days to do so. And so, in 1836, the first new temple in these last days was completed and dedicated. It was there that Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith, accepting the temple, as recorded in Doctrine & Covenants Section 110.

After Christmas, but before New Year's, we were married in a temple. It was a special ceremony that God has revealed again in our days that a man and a woman can be married, or sealed, by His authority forever, not just "til death do us part." It is pure, sacred, personal, and special. Now we are honoring covenants that we made in that ceremony to seek our eternal happiness mutually.

The gospel has always beena fabulous blessing in our lives.