Marriage is Ordained of God

I noticed the following article in this month's Ensign - "Teaching the Proclamation to Children" - and decided they had a great idea. So, here are the wedding pictures of our grandchildren's parents and uncles and grandparents and even some great-great grandparents!

We know that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children,” and we're grateful for the example our parents and grandparents set for us. We hope we're passing that tradition along to the next generation.

You can find the long version of our courtship story here, but the short version is he called, we went on a date, and a week later we were engaged.

Wayne's parents both served missions in Japan and while they knew of each other during their missions, they really met at a mission reunion back in Utah. There's a story in there about a kimono; ask them about it. I don't have any pictures of their wedding day, which was 25 August 1959 in the Salt Lake Temple, but this one was taken about that time.

While my dad was serving his mission, my grandfather wrote him and told him he'd met his future wife, but he wouldn't say who it was. So, after he returned to California, Dad had to do his own searching. He met my mother at a stake seminary/institute graduation, but she wanted nothing to do with this serious, older man. He didn't give up trying to court her, though, and eventually won her over.

They were married in the Los Angeles Temple on 2 September 1961.

I love my mom's wedding dress!

Here are some pictures and stories from the next generation back:

Arthur and Dorothy met on the ferry to Catalina Island, where he was serving in the military and she was a nurse. They were drawn to each other because neither one was interested in the smoking and drinking of everyone else on leave. They were married in Los Angeles the week after Arthur baptized Dorothy, and they were sealed the next year in the Salt Lake Temple.

Vern was working in San Francisco when his friend's school teacher sister-in-law came to visit for the summer. Claude (the friend) and Mabel* (his wife and Ethel's sister) asked Vern to help her feel welcome, and he took his task seriously. They continued corresponding during the school year and were married in the Salt Lake Temple the next summer. (You can find a few more details here.)

*Mabel is Auntie, and she played a role in helping me meet my future husband as well. I wonder how many other matchmaking experiences she had!

Judge met Doris at church; both their families were members of the Huntington Park Ward in southern California. Soon after they met, Judge followed his plans to attend art school in Chicago, but that was okay because Doris was going to spend several months in Europe with her parents. They corresponded faithfully for a year, and then both returned to California where they dated and became engaged. Judge didn't feel he could support a family on what he was making there, so he went back to Chicago to find work and save money. After a couple of years of not making much progress, he took a job opportunity as a cartoonist for the St. Louis Times. Doris joined him there and they were married in St. Louis. Although disappointed that a trip to Salt Lake wasn't feasible at the time, they were later sealed in the Mesa Arizona Temple. (More details here.)

Left: Dorothy & Arthur, Top Right: Doris & Judge, Bottom Right: Ethel & Vern

Okay, wonderful grandchildren, can you identify the pictures below? Which one is your dad and mom?

Many awesome blessings have come into our lives because of marriage, and more specifically temple marriage. The bonds of family love are real and provide strength to help us navigate trials and challenges. Knowing that someone is on your side and loves you is comforting and peaceful. Having an eternal perspective makes all the difference. I'm so grateful for my eternal family!