Celestial Marriage

"Have you found "the one"? Are you really ready for marriage? How can you create a lasting marriage? The eternal significance of the questions of how to find--and become--a great marriage partner can feel overwhelming. With humor and warmth, LDS family therapist and BYU marriage preparation teacher Dr. Mark Ogletree presents principles of marriage preparation that address the questions and concerns of today's young single adults. Within a framework of gospel teachings and real-life examples, readers are invited on a step-by-step exploration of the path toward wedded bliss. First, cultivate a foundational understanding of the doctrine behind making and keeping temple covenants. Next, develop the dating skills that can lead to temple marriage. And finally, understand how to determine if you've found the person you could spend eternity with. Find inspiration in success stories--and cautionary tales--as you learn to unravel the mysteries of matrimony."--Page [4] of cover.

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

Mormon Mormon polygamy began in Nauvoo, Illinois, a river town located at a bend in the Mississippi about fifty miles upstream from Mark Twain's Hannibal, Missouri. After church founder Joseph Smith married some thirty-eight women, he introduced this "celestial" form of marriage to his innermost circle of followers. By early 1846, nearly 200 men had adopted the polygamous lifestyle, with an average of nearly four women per man--717 wives in all. After leaving Nauvoo, these husbands would eventually marry another 417 women. In Utah they were the polygamy pioneers who provided a model for thousands of others who entered into plural marriages in the nineteenth century. Their story is colorful, wrapped in images of people in the next life piloting celestial worlds. Plural marriage was not initiated all at once, nor was it introduced though a smooth progression of events but rather in fits and starts, though defenses and denials, hubris and mea culpas. The story, as told here, emphasizes the human drama, interspersed with underlying historiographical issues of uncovering what has hidden--of explaining behavior that was once allowed and then denied as circumstances changed.

"For everyone from young couples preparing for or just starting their marriage to seasoned couples looking to upgrade their honorable terrestrial union to a valiant celestial relationship, Celebrating Celestial Marriage offers timeless advice from leaders of the LDS Church on how to create a happy and lasting marriage"--Page 4 of cover.