Brothers and Sisters, I am so much blessed to be given this opportunity to speak

to you today. I know we are all grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives.
In this world full of misery, we are truly thankful for God’s great plan of
happiness, that we might have joy. That joy comes when we choose to live in
accordance with God’s eternal plan.

Making choices are very delicate because choosing what’s right from wrong is not
as easy as it seems. I realized its importance when one day, I went to a
department store. I was very excited because of the fact that I am with my
husband. That was the first grocery shopping we had since we got married. Of
course, as his wife, I need to impress him with my skills in budgeting. I am looking
for tray baskets and I had found a lot of options. However, one option which
states: “Buy 1 take 1” captured my eyes. Without looking at its quality, I
immediately grabbed those baskets and then made it to the counter. I was very
happy going home bringing a lot of those for a very budget price. However, as I
was about to use one of them, it broke up easily. It made me very disappointed.

The importance of making choices is illustrated by that experience. Wise shoppers

study their options thoroughly before they make a selection. They focus primarily
on the quality and durability of a desired product. They want the very best. In
contrast, some shoppers look for bargains, buy 1 take 1, or any other promo, only
to learn later, much to their dismay, that their choice did not endure well. And
sadly, there are those who rare individuals who cast aside their personal integrity
and steal what they want. We call them shoplifters.

This concept of shopping may be applied to the topic of marriage. A couple in love
can choose a marriage of the highest quality or a lesser type that will not endure.
Or they can choose neither and just steal what they want as “marital shoplifters”.

My purpose in speaking with you today is to testify the sacredness of temple

marriage and the blessings accompanying to it if we worthily marry in the House
of the Lord. It is the highest and most enduring type of marriage that our Creator
can offer to His children. No other marriage can encompass the joy of being
pronounced as husband and wife for time and all eternity.

Brothers and sisters, in church we talk a lot about temple marriage. You know it’s
important because you’ve heard about this since you were taught your first
lessons about the gospel or for some, even during primary. But some of you may
be wondering, “Why?” To you it may be more than a question of what temple
marriage is all about. You want to know – in your heart, not just in your mind –
why you should work so hard to marry in the temple, especially when the
sacredness of marriage is slowly weakening in the society. “Why temple
marriage? Don’t we have other options?”

Well, it starts with the doctrine of the family.

The family proclamation states: “The divine plan of happiness enables family
relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and
covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to
the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

If you think about it, you’ll spend almost half of your life preparing for big changes
that come along. There’s the baptism, graduating from Primary into Young Men
or Young Women, attending the temple, and participating in family history
research and temple ordinances for your ancestors. For young men, there’s
receiving the priesthood and advancing in priesthood offices. For young women,
there’s advancing in Young Women classes. There’s high school graduation. And
now, missionaries can leave at age 18 or 19. There’s a lot to prepare for and look
forward to.

But the most important covenant we prepare for according to the August 2013
Liahona, is being married and sealed in the temple.

As stated by Elder Marion Hanks, “There are wonderful promises sealed upon a
man and woman in temple marriage, and the realization of the promised
blessings is related directly to their understanding and keeping the solemn
commitments they make to each other and the Lord.”

The very things that I hold on to in making such decision are those wonderful
promises of temple marriage as well as my trust to my husband which is a
priesthood holder. And for me, that was the most correct decision I have made in
my entire life. I am so blessed, very blessed to have been raised in a family where
temple marriage is the best and only option we would choose. I am grateful that
my parents set a good example to us, their children. I always look up to them
because they did it themselves and I see no reason, at all, not to be married in the
temple. My parents have been a living evidence that if you are only faithful and
worthy, adversaries in life will be never an excuse not to be married in the temple
and to experience true joy. I am blessed to have Karlo. He is the strongest and
most principled man I could ever have. It is not easy to stand firm while patiently
waiting. But I promise, the result is delightful.
The gospel is what life is all about. It’s the whole reason we are here. When we
follow the gospel path, it leads to joy. And that path leads to a temple marriage,
either in this life or in the life to come. No blessings will be withheld from the
Father’s faithful children.

As what counselled by Elder Bruce R. McConkie: “The most important single thing
that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person, in
the right place, which is the temple, by the right authority, which is priesthood.”

God’s plan of happiness allows us to choose for ourselves. Just like shopping, we
may choose celestial marriage or lesser alternatives. Some marital options are
cheap, some are costly, and some are cunningly crafted by the adversary. Beware
of Satan’s options; they always breed misery! I am happy that I have chosen the
best option.

So if people asks me “Why temple marriage?” I would answer it this way: One, it
is God’s commandment and two, I love my husband so much and our future
children and I want us to be happily together until the next life.

Brothers and sisters, I hope that we would always choose the best option. It may
be difficult at some point, but we will be joyous in the end.

And this I leave with you with the fullness of joy in my heart, in Jesus name,
Amen.