Humility and Repentance.

I have learned lessons in humility and repentance (Goddard 2007), turning toward (Gottman 2015), and letting your partner influence you, (P.115),  in marriage from a good friend and her husband.We will call her Jane, and him Tony.

She was not a member of the church, but we became friends while I was in college. Jane fell in love with a young Tony, and they married. Tony was a member, and Jane was baptized. Unfortunately, he was not an active member of the church, and his actions showed that he was not ready to settle down. So, Jane waded through much sorrow and, in my very temporal opinion, had all the justification in the world to leave her husband. By this time, we had lost contact and thankfully she was able to stay close to good support around her.

She built her testimony of the her Savior, received comfort from her mother-in-law, and counsel from her stake president. Jane set her sights on going to the temple. She patiently followed the counsel of her stake president and waited six years until Tony became worthy enough to be sealed to her and their children.

Jane is the example President Brigham Young shared when the two women came to him wanting a divorce from their husbands. He said, “If you could only see your husband as he will be in the glorious resurrection, this very husband you now say you despise, your first impulse would be to kneel and worship him.” I told Jane that I have many a lesson in forgiveness that she needed to teach me.

Tony today, of course not perfect, but is a true example of humility and repentance. Like the woman of Samaria, in John 4, he came to Jacob’s well, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and realized what was most important; eternity with the one he loves, Jane. Tony has been in the young men’s presidency, Elders Quorum Presidency, and continues to serve at church, home, and in the finest example of turning toward,  he serves his best friend and wife.

Gottman (2015), teaches that husbands and wives should influence each other, Goddard (2007), teaches that this takes humility and repentance. Tony and Jane have shown me this works as they approach the living waters that the Savior offers to all, together.