Contract or Covenant
I remember the day my husband and I got married. My mother made sure that every single detail was perfect, the flowers, the band, the invitations, the food preparations. I don’t remember much of the plans, and I was only 19 years old. But I do remember my mother and father explaining that marriage was a contract. I lived with the notion that marriage is 50/50.
Elder Bruce Chafen explains that “a covenant marriage requires a total leap of faith; they must keep their covenants without knowing what risks that may require them.”
I took a leap of faith, and our marriage is tested each day. For example, when I was recently married in 2000, I became pregnant with our first baby, but after only eight weeks, I had a miscarriage. My husband did not know how to console me; the pain of losing a baby is the worst pain I have to endure.
Over eight years, we tried to be parents. But as timed passes so my hope. my husband never lost hope, he wanted a family and after 8 years of waiting i became pregnant and had a precious baby.
In 2016 my husband and I decided to be married in the temple — this time as a 36 years-old I had to be in charge of every preparation. On the day of my marriage, I woke up with excited and grateful to make a covenant with God and my family to love them for all eternity. It was a beautiful wedding, even though I was in charge of all the details I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember the feelings and the faces of my husband and children.
My husband and I fought adversity but remained hopeful and with the right attitude. We are proud parents of three children.
Many people ask us how can we be together after so many bad experiences and we always tell them three things that can help them:
• Pray together
• Find ways to communicate your love each day
• Commit to going on dates
In a contract marriage, each person expects to give 50%, but In a covenant marriage, each person must provide a 100%. I know that when I decided to be married at the time, my family was blessed to endure hard times and to maintain a positive outlook on life. I have been married 20 years, but I can honestly say that my covenant marriage has lifted me and taught me how to love my husband each day.
Marriage 2020 