We Can Do Anything With God & Kisses

Mikayla and I made a goal when we got married, to go on a date every week. Some weeks have been better than others. Some times we go out to dinner and do something fun and other times we just pop some popcorn and watch a movie. Funny enough, it’s not what we actually do, but rather the vocal declaration that we are on a date that matters. Mikayla has reminded me of this many times, I’m still not perfect at it but I am trying. Mikayla likes it when I have some kind of plan a day or two before the date. My personality can lean towards the “Lets do whatever you want” mentality because I just want Mikayla to be happy. However, what really makes her happy is when I make her feel special by having a plan and carrying it out. So here are two tips for my fellow guys that want to please their wife with a date (but really just want to do what ever your wife wants): Tip #1. Write down options on pieces of paper and let her choose. For example: On three pieces of paper, write the nam...

Ryan Eggett, a gentleman in Utah County known for his leadership of notable local choirs, once gave a speech to a group of young married couples. His topic was maintaining a strong marriage, and Kevin and I were in attendance. He shared heaps of helpful information, but one statement he made is emblazoned in my memory. He said this: "Is there anything better I could be spending my money on than my marriage?" Ryan used this statement as a response to others who criticized how he spent his money. He explained that he and his wife go on quarterly overnight outings to nice hotels in their home area. Once a year they take a weeklong trip to a destination vacation. They go out to lunch at least once weekly and out on an evening date once weekly. Every single night they pick a movie and a delicious dessert to eat together while they watch. And The Eggetts are crazy about each other. They have six children and have been married over 20 years. Now, not all of us have a bud...

I don't care. One of the many reasons that I married Mikayla is because she has an opinion (that she likes sharing a lot). She loves sharing her experiences of her mission and her testimony of the gospel. She is happy to tell you what she thinks about almost every topic. She does this in a respectful and pleasant way. It is never condescending or rude. Mikayla always knows what she wants. When it is date night she knows exactly where she wants to go out to eat or exactly what movie she wants to watch. She is always in the middle of a book and will happily tell you her opinion about it if you ask. She participates in a book club where they get together and chat about how much they liked or didn't like the book of the month. I love that Mikayla has an opinion on everything. It makes it really simple for gift giving because all I have to do is ask her what she would like for the upcoming holiday, and without a doubt, she has a few items ready to spout off. The same thing goes ...

The old adage "opposites attract" has always made me squirm. Up until recently I thought it bothered me because spouses have to have something in common in order to get married, right? And hopefully they have more than one something in common.  But recently I realized that perhaps that phrase peeves me so ardently because every single person is unique... in other words, all of us are inherently opposite in one way or another. So every couple that ever finds one another has at least one or more difference to work through in their relationship. One of the all-time heroes of my life is a religious leader in my faith, Henry B. Eyring. He shares a story about his parents and their own differences. He also shares some insight into how the Holy Ghost, or the spiritual influence of God in our lives, can help us sort through those differences. He shares:  "It is only with the companionship of the Holy Ghost that we can hope to be equally yoked in a marriage free from disc...