When is the right time to tell them?

In our society today talk of sexual relations is becoming more and more prevalent. Talk of this goes on in schools all around, even, elementary schools. Do you want your kids to learn things about sexual relations in school from kids who don't even know what they are talking about? It is a difficult situation. Before our conversation in my Family Relations class I didn't want to bombard my innocent children with this sort of information, however, they will be bombarded with it in school and told incorrect things from their peers. I need to be the one to break the ice to tell them the in's and out's of puberty and sexual relationships and how we view it as a sacred thing in our church. As to the age... It will depend for each child, however, I would try to let them know before their friends can lead them astray on the topic. Be the grown up and inform your kids, don't make it awkward or embarassing, tell the facts and tell our stance, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is on it. Be the one to tell your children.

Wedding or Marriage?

Which one is more important to you, the wedding or the marriage? I can tell you right now that the marriage is way more important that the wedding is to me, however, we know every girl looks forward to her wedding day, there is no doubt. What is more important than being sealed for time and all eternity to the person of your dreams? I've been thinking about this a lot lately, no matter how spectacular your wedding is, will it be as spectacular as an eternity of love and happiness with your eternal companion? Truthfully, the wedding is nothing compared to a healthy relationship with your spouse, not with your spouses family or with you family and the spouse. What REALLY matters is the solid relationship that you have with your spouse. The person you make covenants with. This insight this week in class has really opened up my mind to the fact that the wedding really doesn't matter. Sure, I want it to look great, but it is inevitable that something will go wrong. I'd rather have something go wrong on my wedding day than in my marriage. Create a strong bond with your spouse and rely on eachother, you two are the only ones that matter once you're married. Concentrate on the relationship, always.

DATING

Dating, why does it always seem so daunting. Even here at BYU-Idaho we have some problems with dating. Guys, girls don't want to hang out. Go ahead, man up and ask us out on a date. It makes it difficult to form any sort of relationship when the only setting you see someone you like in, is in a big group. Don't be scared of the one on one, that goes for girls too. Dating one on one is really telling about a person, it lets you get to know them and truly understand who they are. Dating may seem daunting but it doesn't have to be. If we are being honest with ourselves, guys and girls both want to participate in dating one on one. Hanging out isn't going to get you places with someone you are truly interested in. Date. It's okay to date. Dating is good and healthy. Going on a date doesn't commit you to someone for eternity, going on a date is to have a fun time and get to know the other person better. Go on a date, do it.

Homosexual? Gay? Same-Sex Attraction?

It is pretty common today to find someone relatively close to you "declare" themselves gay. I have a close family friend, and as he was growing up was extremely musically gifted. He played the piano with magnificence and grace. At one point he was an apprentice to the director of the Mormon
Tabernacle Choir. During high school he went on plenty of dates and had plenty of friends, but at home his family life didn't seem so "put together." Eventually one thing led to another and it was time for him to serve a mission and he bolted. He moved out and started acting on same-sex attraction. To this day I infer that he wasn't getting the recognition and attention he deserved with all of the ridicule and judgment being placed on him even when he was, from an outsiders view, "good." I don't know what persuaded this and I'm not even sure if his family knows. Why do you think he decided to change like this? What do you think pushed him to this point? All I know is it was very unexpected.