Chapter 1

Young Adulthood and Pathways to Eternal Marriage

by Jason S. Carroll 

Chapter 1 of our Textbook is titled, "Young Adulthood and Pathways to Eternal Marriage." Some might be eager to skip over it because they are already married, are more advanced in life, or simply think that they already know everything about the earlier stages of our lives and what we can do to lead ourselves to Eternal Marriage.

This chapter is by Jason S. Carroll and he has some great insights. He says at the very beginning, "Marriage...is ordained of God...God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife...Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan."

We find many of the same ideas and principles in, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World", which was given to us by the church some years ago.

Carroll goes on to talk about the erosion of traditional dating and courtship and speaks of pessimism about marriage. Being a newly wed myself of 3 months, I can relate to this. People were always trying to give me advice while I was in my engagement period that marriage is super hard and we would both have to change who we were to be able to get along peacefully with the other. I've learned for myself that while living with someone else and sharing everything with them isn't the easiest task in the world, it certainly isn't hard. You get married because you love that person and respect them and want the best for them. If it isn't your desire to make things work with your spouse, don't get married to them!

Carroll also talks about the "disappearance of dating" and how young folk are always just going out to hang out and "hook up". I agree that as the years go by this is happening more and more. While LDS young single adults seems to get married at a younger age, on average, than most other people in the world, it seems to me that that 'young age' is getting to be older and older. I see young males get jobs and are comfortable with their lives and even though they might be ready for marriage and have a woman who they want to marry, they procrastinate because they are too comfortable being single and living without extra responsibility.

This chapter was great and filled with wonderful insights. I only touched on a few of them, but will remember the things I learned from Carroll's studies forever so that I will be able to teach my kids.