Date: Love Map 20 Questions Game

As a Marriage and Family Studies Major, we study dating, marriage, and families a lot. As such, I end up taking a lot of classes with the titles of "Family Stress and Coping" or "Parenting" and even "Family Theories and Dynamics." This semester I'm taking a class entitled "Marriage." One of the reading materials for the class is John M. Gottman's (and Nan Silver's) The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert.

I truly love this book. The basic premis is that a successful marriage should be based on a foundation of friendship. With that in mind, the books has seven principles to strengthen that friendship; things married couples should do.

At the end of the chapter, the book has certain activities (exercises) for couples to do together that would strengthen the underlined friendship. They're perfect things to do on a date.

The first is: Love Map 20 Questions Game. As a couple, you can do this during your date. It's so the couple can get to know each other better. People change. If you're not paying attention you could find yourself married to a stranger. This game helps you so you can always be updated with each other.

Engaged: What to Register for?

My husband and I have almost been married for 6 months. In that time, we've been extremely grateful for our wedding gifts, but we realized that we missed a few things we really should have added to our registry. Since I have a few friends and relatives getting married soon, I just wanted to give a list of things to consider adding to the registry. Obviously, the wedding registry depends on the couple and their own personal needs and wants; not everything needs to be included and more could be added.

A few things to know before you register:

1. What colors you'd like in your home.
2. The size of your mattress.
3. What you both already have.

Dating Advice for Guys

Being a girl, married and majoring in Marriage and Family Studies, I've been asked by guys for advice on dating. Before anyone reads any further there are a few things to mention.

Rule #1: I do not know everything. I'd like to. Sometimes I'd like to think I do. But I don't. My advice is only that, advice and opinion. I'd like to think that my advice counts for a little more because I am a girl, married and majoring in Marriage and Family Studies, but honestly, I'm just giving advice that you can choose to follow or not and I have no idea what harm or good it will actually do for each date.

Rule #2: Girls are crazy. While it's relatively accepted that men will be men (though should still be respected by women), you have to recognize that girls are crazy. The level of crazy is varied. But we are. I can't predict everything that girls will or will not do. Remember, I don't know everything.

Now onto the questions. If you have comments or more questions, please comment at the end of this post. I'd really like to hear other's thoughts on these questions or what else people would like to know.

A Girl's Lesson: The Worth of Men

"Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Female and Male. I'm an advocate for both. I believe in equal opportunity and being equal in our differences. We are all God's children and posses our individual right to choose good from bad; as such, we are all equal before God regardless of gender, of physical or mental difficulties, of nationality, of heritage, etc.

Men are taught to respect women, to charish them, to protect them. Many people of the world, sadly, think that such a man who takes his divine responsibilities seriously–presiding in love and righteousness  and providing the necessities of life and protection–are rare. They think that men who are courteous and kind, helpful and serviceable are either trying to be self-serving or deceiving. I want to share with you that I have met men who are genuinely caring, sacrificing, and responsible.

Date: It's Important

Hanging out:

"Consists of numbers of young men and young women joining together in some group activity. It is very different from dating."

Dating:

"Is pairing off to experience the kind of one-on-one association and temporary commitment that can lead to marriage in some rare and treasured cases."

(Elder Dallin H. Oaks. "Dating versus Hanging Out." Ensign, Jun 2006.)

Here are some questions for you to ponder: How many times have you done something this week that you'd call "hanging out"? Have you gone with a group of people to go bowling, have dinner, watch a movie or played games this week?

Now, have you gone on a date in the last month?

Hanging out doing activities with a mixed group of guys and girls is not dating. It's certainly not the best way to find a boyfriend or girlfriend and figure out if you'll work together. Hanging out allows for flirtation with everyone. It also allows you to be more relaxed and doesn't make you a better person. It allows you to be lazy. It's not good for society. In truth, it's helping to destroy it.

Dating has a role in society. It really does.