Latter-day Saint Life

4 Essential Traits to Look for In an Eternal Companion

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MR says: In dating, there are a lot of options out there, which can be a blessing and can also be just plain confusing. How do we know what we want? How do we know what's important to look for in those we date?

Occasionally, my youngest daughter will get very angry with me because I married the man of her dreams before she could.

She will say things like, “You knew I wanted to marry Daddy, but you did it anyway!” When she is in one of these you-ruined-my-life moods, she will also swear she will never marry now, and she will just live with us forever.

I feel for her, I really do. Her daddy is quite the catch, and I totally snapped him up just to mess up her life. I can be cruel like that.

So I feel bad for her, but I also find it hilarious that she worships him so much that he has ruined for her every other man who may come into her life down the road.

Of course, I know she will eventually bring home a man, and I will be the one saying he is not good enough for her. Until then, though, I love that she has a daddy to look up to and use as a role model.

So, when she goes into her rage about not getting dibs on Daddy, I use those moments to talk about what exactly it is about him she loves. Why would he make a good spouse? What kind of qualities make a good husband or dad?

For more perceptive insights into love, check out this perspective-changing book, Love Is a Choice.

Elder Lynn G. Robbins teaches us that love is more than a feeling — it is a commitment, a promise to be responsible, respectful, and responsive to the needs and experiences of other. And like any other action we undertake, perfecting the act of love requires a lifetime of practice and good choices.

Lead image from Deseret News.
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