“Why Marriage Is Awesome,” New Era, Aug. 2014, 32–34
Why Marriage is Awesome!
Ben and Rachel Nielsen live in Utah, USA.
We love being married, and here’s why.
Photographs by Leslie Nilsson
After our first date, we both knew we wanted to go on a second date. Ben wanted to go on another date because Rachel was friendly and fun to talk to. Rachel wanted to go on another date because Ben was a gentleman and was still smiling after all of his well-laid plans fell through. After the second date, plus many more dates and prayers after that, we fell in love and decided to get married in the Sacramento California Temple.
The wedding day was absolutely perfect, and we have loved being married ever since. The world may see marriage differently, but we know that “no other relationship of any kind can bring as much joy, generate as much good, or produce as much personal refinement.”1 Marriage is awesome, and here’s why.
From Ben: A Teammate
During my mission in Brazil, I grew to love soccer. One thing that I love most about this sport is having teammates and learning how to work together with my team. Rachel is a fantastic teammate. She helps me achieve my goals, joins me in making important decisions, and is there for me when I have trouble.
When we were sealed in the temple, we promised to “help one another as equal partners.”2 Rachel and I strive to support each other in everything we do, and it’s great to know that I always have a reliable teammate.
From Rachel: Expressions of Love
Let’s face it, girls (and boys), it’s nice to know that someone loves you. And when you’re married, you have chances to share and receive love every day! When I was talking to my parents about the possibility of marrying Ben, my dad said, “Whomever you choose to marry, I want him to frequently and sincerely express his love for you like Elder Richard G. Scott did for his wife.”3 I listened to Dad.
I decided to marry Ben, and he has always made an effort to express his love to me in small and big ways. During my senior year of college, I worked for months to prepare, apply, and interview for a prestigious internship. And when I finally heard that I got the job, I came home and saw a vase full of flowers from my husband. He knew how hard I had worked and how much the internship meant to me. At other times, he’ll hide my favorite drink and a love note in the fridge before he heads out for a weekend Scout camp. And every day, he’ll do the dishes and make me laugh. Ben is great at expressing his love for me, and that brings both of us great joy.
From Ben: More Enjoyment
Dating Rachel is so much fun. In fact, we make sure that we still frequently go on dates even as a married couple. After we first met, we found that we enjoy many of the same activities: walking through parks, attending plays, watching sporting events, eating new and different food, listening to music, and so much more. I loved doing these things before I met Rachel, but they’re even more fun now that we get to share them together. When you’re married, you have someone to enjoy life with—and that makes life awesome.
From Rachel: An Eternal Missionary Companion
Before I met Ben, I was nearing the age of missionary service and had seriously considered serving a full-time mission. But then Ben entered my life, and I knew that Heavenly Father had a different plan for me.
When Ben and I got engaged, relatives who knew about my thoughts to serve a mission asked me about my choice, and I would tell them, “I decided that I wanted to pick my own missionary companion—and stay with him for eternity.”
When you’re married, you and your spouse have the chance to participate in the work of salvation together. Ben and I have found great joy in building a Christ-centered home, studying and living the gospel together, serving in the Church, and inviting others to come unto Christ. As we work together to build the kingdom of God, we grow closer, our love deepens, and life is more fulfilling.
Take It from Us
Despite what the world may say, marriage is awesome and is worth making a priority. When you’re married, you have a teammate, you give and receive love, you enjoy life more fully, and you have someone to build the kingdom of God with. All of that brings us great joy, and because we were sealed in the temple, we can have this joy forever! If we keep our covenants, we will be together for eternity and receive the crowning blessings of the priesthood. We “have found in marriage the richest fulfillment of human existence.”4