Ich Liebe Dich, Ti Amo, Je T'aime Cheri, I Love You So

So because of recent developments in certain areas of my life, I found a lovely section of the Topical Guide that makes me very happy: Family, Love within. This section obviously focuses on love between married couples and in the family unit, and I was interested in what the scriptures describe as a healthy, loving relationship. What do the prophets say about "true love?"

In Ecclesiastes 9:9, we find that husband and wife should "live joyfully." Titus 2:4-5 teaches us that women ought to "love their husbands...[and be] keepers at home."
I did notice, however, that when the scriptures talk about love and marriage, it seems to be somewhat of an unequal relationship, where women are nearly always describes as being subservient to their husbands. This never made any sense to me, because I've been taught my whole life that marriage is an equal partnership, a team.

So naturally, I looked deeper and ended up finding small phrases that really change the perspective of all of these seemingly unbalanced relationships. In Titus 2:5, after listing all the things a good wife should be, it is mentioned that all of it is so "that the word of God be not blasphemed." This indicates that it is the wife's job to make sure that in guarding and making her home, she also ensures that her family is aligned with God, and that includes her husband. This idea is further confirmed by D&C 121:41, "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned." After all, "the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and...the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness." (36)

This puts all the other scriptures in a different light. Everything that women and men are counselled to do as husband and wife require the righteousness of the priesthood first and foremost. If the man is unrighteous in his dominion, then the woman has no obligation to follow him because her duty is to the Lord. I love this principle because it affirms the nature of marriage and how husband and wife work as a team. Neither is above the other, and they are one in purpose. It's about accomplishing things together and drawing closer to God, and that is what it should always come down to.