viiiPREFACE
USING THE STUDENT MANUAL
This manual is a collection of student readings for
two institute of religion courses:
- Religion 234, “Preparing for an Eternal
Marriage” - Religion 235, “Building an Eternal Marriage”
PURPOSE OF THE MANUAL
The student readings are a collection of teachings
about dating and marriage, as taught by past and
present prophets, leaders of the Church, and the
scriptures. This manual gives students the
opportunity to read the assigned talks before each
class period so they can prepare to better participate in
and contribute to classroom discussions and activities.
Through understanding and living by the teachings
of prophets about dating, marriage, and family life,
students will be better prepared to govern their lives
with correct principles and follow the Lord’s great
plan of happiness. The guiding principle for selecting
teachings for this manual came from “The Family:
A Proclamation to the World.” The proclamation
states: “Happiness in family life is most likely to be
achieved when founded upon the teachings of the
Lord Jesus Christ” (Ensign,Nov. 1995, 102).
ORGANIZATION OF THE MANUAL
The student manual is organized topically in
alphabetical order, similar to an encyclopedia. It
contains an index that cross-references articles that
cover more than one topic.
Several types of quotations are listed under the
topical headings. The first is “Selected Teachings,”
portions of talks or quotations that relate to that
topic. These quotations are often presented under
subheadings that relate to the main topic.
The second type of quotation is a complete talk
about the chosen topic. Most topics have selected
teachings and one or more complete talks. This type
of organization emphasizes to the reader the power
of the law of witnesses. Elder Henry B. Eyring,
amember of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,
taught the importance of the law of witnesses:
“In our own time, we have been warned with counsel
on where to find safety from sin and from sorrow.
One of the keys to recognizing those warnings is
that they are repeated. For instance, more than once
in these general conferences, you have heard our
prophet say that he would quote a preceding prophet
and would therefore be a second witness and
sometimes even a third. Each of us who has listened
has heard President Kimball give counsel on the
importance of a mother in the home and then heard
President Benson quote him, and we have heard
President Hinckley quote them both. The Apostle Paul
wrote that ‘in the mouth of two or three witnesses
shall every word be established’ (2 Corinthians 13:1).
One of the ways we may know that the warning is
from the Lord is that the law of witnesses, authorized
witnesses, has been invoked. When the words of
prophets seem repetitive, that should rivet our
attention and fill our hearts with gratitude to live
in such a blessed time.
“Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of
prophets makes sense to those with strong faith”
(in Conference Report, Apr. 1997, 32; or Ensign,
May 1997, 25).LIVING BY GOSPEL PRINCIPLES
Governing Our Lives with Principles
President Ezra Taft Benson counseled: “One of the
most important things you can do... is to
immerse yourselves in the scriptures. Search them
diligently. Feast upon the words of Christ. Learn the
doctrine. Master the principles that are found
therein” (“The Power of the Word,” Ensign,May
1986, 81). Knowing and living by correct principles
is essential to a happy life.
Elder Richard G. Scott, a member of the Quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, stated: “As you seek spiritual
knowledge, search for principles. Carefully separate
them from the detail used to explain them.
Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for
application to a wide variety of circumstances. A
true principle makes decisions clear even under theI teach them correct principles, and
they govern themselves.
—The Prophet Joseph SmithEETERNALTERNALMMARRIAGEARRIAGESSTUDENTTUDENTMMANUALANUAL