(2/8/98)
"In the culminating temple ordinance-eternal
marriage--bride and groom are promised that, if they are
faithful, they will enjoy a family union with one
another, with their children, and with the Lord
throughout all eternity. It is called eternal
life."Elder Robert D. Hales, Blessings
of the Priesthood, General Conference, October
1995
(2/9/98)
"May all Latter-day Saint fathers and mothers see to
it that they teach their children the sacredness of the
marriage covenant. Let them impress upon their children
that in no other way than by honoring the covenants of
God, among which the covenant of eternal marriage is one
of the greatest and most mandatory, can they obtain the
blessings of eternal lives."Joseph Fielding
Smith, Doctrines of Salvation,
Vol.2, p.75
(2/10/98)
"Eternal love, eternal marriage, eternal increase!
This ideal, which is new to many, when thoughtfully
considered, can keep a marriage strong and safe. No
relationship has more potential to exalt a man and a
woman than the marriage covenant. No obligation in
society or in the Church supersedes it in
importance."Elder Boyd K. Packer, Marriage,
General Conference, April 1981
(2/11/98)
"Thumbing through the catalog beyond the basic
required courses that begin with 100, we find an
overwhelming selection of courses with numbers of 200,
300, 400, 500, etc. The University of Mortality is going
to offer us an abundance of electives to bring beauty
into life and opportunities to improve talents. There
will be courses offered in helping us improve our
appreciation for the cultural arts, music, paintings,
dance, and drama. There is a large section on career
choices that will give us variety in the work-a-day
world. Yes, and there is even one section on the
characteristics to look for in our selection of an
eternal companion, the most important choice we will make
while attending the University of
Mortality"Elder L. Tom Perry, "The
Universe of Mortality", BYU Speeches of
the Year, 7 February 1988
(2/12/98)
"One of the things that concerns us as General
Authorities about marriage, and particularly about temple
marriage and sealing, is the light-mindedness with which
some of our Church members enter into this holy and
eternal order. It appears that too many people now enter
into temple marriage with the idea that it is pretty much
like any other type of marriage. People today tend to
regard all marriage lightheartedly without remembering
that a civil marriage is an arrangement invented by man,
which therefore includes man's imperfections. A temple
marriage, on the other hand, is performed under special
priesthood authorization and with authority from God. It
is therefore a holy ordinance that should be taken very
seriously. It is an eternal marriage meant to last
forever."Elder Theodore M. Burton, "Love
and Marriage", BYU Speeches of the Year,
3 June 1986
(2/13/98)
"We cannot overemphasize the value of temple
marriage, the binding ties of the sealing ordinance, and
the standards of worthiness required of them. When
parents keep the covenants they have made at the altar of
the temple, their children will be forever bound to
them."Elder Boyd K. Packer, Our
Moral Environment, General Conference, April
1992
(2/14/98)
"Those commitments in a temple are total and
permanent--involving the whole person, as is, for the
whole journey. Neither will remain as he or she is, of
course; they will both grow and develop in a multitude of
ways. But this marriage ceremony is without condition or
reservation, save only the faithfulness of those who make
it. On this solid foundation the newly formed family
joyfully undertakes to learn how to live happily forever,
to build a strong and loving union that will grow more
wholesome and more glorious
everlastingly."Elder Marion D. Hanks, Eternal
Marriage, General Conference, October 1984
(3/2/05)
"It is important for us to understand, as we can learn from the
scriptures, that God is eternal, that his creations are eternal, and
that his truths are eternal. Therefore, when he gave Eve to Adam in
marriage, that union would be eternal. Marriage as ordained of God and
performed in his holy temples is eternal-not just until death." -
N. Eldon Tanner, "Celestial
Marriages and Eternal Families," Ensign, May 1980, p. 16
(11/3/04)
"First, an eternal marriage is eternal. Eternal
implies continuing growth and improvement. It means that man and wife will
honestly try to perfect themselves....
"Second, an eternal marriage is ordained of God. This means that the parties to
the marriage covenant agree to invite God into their marriage, to pray together,
to keep the commandments, to keep wants and passions within certain limits that
the prophets have outlined....
"Third, eternal marriage is a kind of partnership with God....
"Most of all, I think eternal marriage cannot be achieved without a commitment
to make it work....
"Eternal marriage is just like that. We need to treat it just that way." - F.
Burton Howard, "Eternal
Marriage," Ensign (CR), May 2003, p.92
6/2/09
“No
eternal blessings will be denied to worthy individuals. May I hasten to add that
no blessing, including that of eternal marriage and an eternal family, will be
denied to any worthy individual. While it may take somewhat longer-perhaps even
beyond this mortal life-for some to achieve this blessing, it will not be
denied.” – “The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter,” edited
by Clyde J. Williams, p. 140