Why Tell A Woman She Is Right

Lesson In How to Have a Successful Relationship with your wife (can be applied to how missionaries could get along with their companions.)

Elder Merrill Oaks once said "It is better to be obedient than right."

This lesson in life will help immensely in having successful relationships and even in being happier when frustrated by a leader or mentor.

I remember an experience I had with Jeremy in Hawaii, the December before he went on his mission a number of years ago. He and I were travelling with a work associate and his son, who also was entering the MTC the same day as Jeremy. We were talking about how important it is to get along with missionary companions and how the skills you learn in those experiences will help you in your marriage after the mission. Jeremy, wanting to be funny, said to my colleague and his son, do you know what my dad says is the secret to success in a marriage? My colleague suddenly became very interested and said "I would love to hear that lesson." Jeremy responded, "my dad, says to always tell my mom she is right, is the key to a successful marriage." My friend, then sighed and said to Jeremy, "that is the only way I know to have a successful marriage."

This lesson might be a good opportunity to pause on a serious note and study what the "The Family - A Proclamation To The World" says about women.

"All human beings - male and female are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents and as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual pre-mortal, mortal, and eternal identify and purpose...

Husbands and wives--mothers and fathers--will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations... (to rear children in love and t, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another and to observe the commandments of God...

By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.

Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurutre of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."

These quotes show us that men and women to have distinct roles in this world.

Brigham Young spoke about the role of women like this "One thing is very true and we believe it, and that is that a woman is the glory of the man."

President David O. McKay said that motherhood is woman's noblest calling. It is a sacred calling, a partnership with God in bringing his spirit children into the world. To this President Boyd K. Packer said: "When I speak of mothers, I speak not only of those women who have borne children, but also of those who have fostered children born to others, and of the many women who, without children of their own, have moth
ered the children of others."

It would be well to relate the story in the Book of Mormon of the 2000 young men who became great because of the teachings of their mothers. (Alma 53:16-23). The prophet Helaman led them into battle against their enemies and realized they had learned to be honest, brave, and trustworthy from their mothers. These mothers had taught their sons that Heavenly Father would deliver them if they did not doubt. (Alma 56:47) They all survived the war and expressed their faith in the teachings of their mothers by saying "we do not doubt our mothers knew it." (Alma 56:48) Mothers have profound influence on their children world-wide.

Activity:

1) Tell the story of the stripling warriors and draw a picture of them and their mothers.

2) Talk about why motherhood is a partnership with Heavenly Father.

3) Talk about Jeremy's quote about the secret to success in a marriage and why that philosophy works.

4) Tell your favorite joke about women driving.