Managing Conflict; Consecrating Ourselves

"Consecration has everything to do with marriage. It is acting to redeem our partners and our covenants with everything we have and everything we may draw from Heaven."
-Goddard

Getting angry or frustrated in marriage happens so easily. And I can find myself saying the phrases that Elder Lynn G. Robbins brought up. I sometimes use the phrases like, “I lost my temper” “ He made me mad” “I can’t help myself”. But as Elder Robbins also said, we control our anger. It is a choice and a conscious decision. We get tricked into the mindset that our anger isn’t controllable or that it controls us. But that is not the case. Looking back at the times I have been angry and after reflecting on the experience, it’s true that as much as I don’t like to say it, I made the choice to react that way. No one made me; I made the conscious decision to be angry or frustrated. I let my temper control me. I let Satan get his way and worm his way into my life and marriage. I never want Satan in marriage, ever! But my getting angry so easily and by not controlling my anger, that is exactly what I am doing. I also thought about my children and how I don’t want them to learn bad habits of dealing with anger. I want our home to be full of love. If I easily lose my temper and deal with it with yelling and shouting, then so will they.

 I also enjoyed Goddard’s chapter about consecration. When we live the law of consecration we give up our time, talents, strength and belongings to the building of Zion. This law also needs to be used in our marriage. We need to give our selves and all that we have to our marriage and spouse to build one another up. Goddard shared his story of the toothpaste and how he is so particular with it but his wife isn’t. He then said it’s about giving up the petty preferences in order to know the godliness in our spouse’s soul. I love this as often times I can get caught up in the petty things and become annoyed. I need to put those things aside and give them up in order to see more in my spouse.