May 14

How Does the Lord Help Men and Women to Work Unitedly in Marriage?

Matthew 19–20; Mark 10; Luke 18

Counsel Together

Led by a member of the class or quorum presidency; approximately 10–20 minutes

At the beginning of the meeting, repeat together the Young Women Theme or the Aaronic Priesthood Quorum Theme. Then lead a discussion about the work of salvation and exaltation using one or more of the questions below or questions of your own (see General Handbook, 10.2, 11.2). Plan ways to act on what you discuss.

• Live the gospel. How can turning to the Lord help us deal with challenges and trials?

• Care for those in need. Who do we know who needs our prayers and our friendship?

• Invite all to receive the gospel. What plans to share the gospel have been discussed in ward youth council meetings? How can our class or quorum get involved?

• Unite families for eternity. How can doing family history work strengthen our relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?

At the end of the lesson, as appropriate, do the following:

• Testify of the principles taught.

• Remind class or quorum members about the plans and invitations made during the meeting.

Teach the Doctrine

Led by an adult leader or youth; approximately 25–35 minutes

Prepare Yourself Spiritually

Beginning with Adam and Eve, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have sought to strengthen and unify wives and husbands in marriage. The Savior taught, “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh” (Matthew 19:5). At the same time, Satan does all he can to break marriages apart and destroy families. Members of your class or quorum are likely aware of the many challenges that face marriages today. Perhaps they have also seen wives and husbands working together and seeking heaven’s help to achieve unity. Ponder how these experiences might be teaching them about what it takes to achieve unity in a marriage. What can you do to teach them the importance of preparing now for future marriage relationships?

Last week, class or quorum members had the opportunity to read the Savior’s teachings on marriage in Matthew 19:4–6. To prepare to teach, study these verses, along with President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s message “In Praise of Those Who Save” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 77–80) or other messages suggested in this outline.

Learn Together

Marriage may not be on the minds of many youth. However, something so important deserves careful preparation. Perhaps you could invite the youth to imagine that they are kneeling at an altar in the temple to be sealed and the sealer has counseled them to study Matthew 19:4–6. What truths do we find in these verses that would help a newly married couple? How do a husband and wife become “one”? How does the Savior help? Activities like these can help your class or quorum understand how to achieve unity in marriage.

• Adam and Eve provide a great example of a husband and wife working together in unity. You could display a picture of them (see Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 5) and ask your class or quorum to read Moses 5:1–12, looking for ways in which Adam and Eve worked together in unity. What did they do so that God could bless their relationship? To help the youth learn more about unity in marriage, they could study the scriptures in “Supporting Resources.”

• President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that in many societies today, “everything seems to be disposable.” But this attitude must not apply to our marriages and families; rather, we should “dedicate our best efforts to saving and enriching [them]” (“In Praise of Those Who Save,” 77). To help illustrate this point, you could invite the youth to think of something they recently replaced that was broken, worn out, or outdated. Why are marriages different from replaceable items like these? The class or quorum could then read the section of President Uchtdorf’s message titled “Saving Our Marriages” and share ways husbands and wives can work together and with the Savior to strengthen their marriages. What can we do now to prepare for strong, unified marriages?

• Consider writing Unity in Marriage on the board and inviting the youth to list things that wives and husbands can do to be unified. Then ask the youth to search “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org) for ideas they can add to their list. What qualities do your class or quorum members see in each other or in married couples they know that are important for unity in marriage? Why is it important to develop and apply these principles in our relationships now? The videos in “Supporting Resources” give some examples of these qualities in action.

• If members of your class or quorum have questions or concerns about divorce, consider reviewing together portions of President Dallin H. Oaks’s message “Divorce” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 70–73).

Beginning with Adam and Eve, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have sought to strengthen and unify wives and husbands in marriage.

Act in Faith

Encourage class or quorum members to ponder and record what they will do to act on the impressions they received today. If they would like, they could share their ideas. Invite them to think about how acting on their impressions will strengthen their relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Supporting Resources

• 1 Corinthians 11:11; Doctrine and Covenants 42:22; 49:15–17; Moses 3:18, 21–24 (The importance of unity in marriage)

• “Renaissance of Marriage,” “Let Us Be Men,” “Expressions of Love” (videos), ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Teaching in the Savior’s Way

Sincere expressions of Christlike love have great power to soften the hearts of class members who are struggling. To help class members feel needed and loved, you could ask them to participate in an upcoming lesson by sharing an experience or their feelings about a scripture.