Counseling in Marriage

I wanted to discuss counseling with our spouses. Its so important to communicate well with each other so we can solve problems and issues within our marriage and our families. If your marriage is strong and solid, so will your family.

1. Using Prayer to invite the Spirit into our councils. The spirit needs to be our councils because we are there to make decisions and improve our families and marriages. The spirit has the answers to our problems and will guide us in our councils to make correct decisions. I think the spirit is also important because it softens our hearts. It makes it easier to accept hard things when we our hearts are soft and penetrable.
2. Expressing love and appreciation for one another. Those that we love most need to me reminded of that.  When we show each other that love and appreciation, we can be honest in correcting them in our councils. They are much more likely to take that correction well if they know of your love and also if the spirit is present.
3. Make sure everyone understands and agrees. Of course in a family council this may not always happen.  But in a council with your spouse, it's very important. In both cases, everyone in the council should try to listen to the spirit to receive revelation. Some decisions will not be agreed upon by everyone, but everyone should try to understand.

Councils in our marriage are a place to learn together. We can solve problems and improve our family and each other as we counsel together in love and the spirit.

"Inviting the Spirit of the Lord to be part of your family councils brings blessings beyond description."

—Elder M. Russell Ballard