Temple Marriage

Kody · #1 December 27th, 2011, 08:29 AM

I am engaged to a man who grew up LDS but wasn't practicing when we met. He introduced me to the church, and as I began to accept the Church and thus started going, he started attending with me. We want to get married and be sealed together, but because I was just baptized and he just started going back, I don't know when we will be able to be sealed. I want to start making preperations for a small wedding ceremony, but without knowing the time we can be sealed, I can't plan. I know that we can get married and then become sealed at a later date, but I want to do the two within days of eachother. Any suggestions or comments?

Butter · #2 December 27th, 2011, 11:34 AM

If you want to get married before you have been a member a year, you can be married civilly and then be sealed once you can attend the temple. Generally, they require a year between the civil marriage and sealing, however sometimes exceptions are made if one was recently baptized before or after the civil marriage. For example, I knew someone who was engaged to a non-member about 15 years ago. He joined the church in November and they got married (civilly) in January. He went to the temple for the first time right around when he was a member a year, the following November. They got permission to be sealed that day instead of waiting until they had been married a full year.

You cannot, however, get married civilly and then get sealed within days. If you have been a member a year it is far better for the two of you to just get sealed from the beginning. Many members (particularly those who have friends and family who cannot go in the temple - this includes me and my husband) choose to have a ring ceremony at the beginning of their receptions where they exchange rings and maybe some other things (just no vows).

Kody · #3 December 27th, 2011, 11:56 AM

Ohhh...I see. So if we get married, hypothetically, in April 2012 we would have to wait until April 2013 to be sealed in the temple, unless an exception was made?

OR

We just get married/sealed in the temple instead of doing a civil ceremony which we would have to wait a year + to do because I was just baptized this December and he isn't, what I would call, "in good standing" because he just started going back after years of not attending or practicing.

Is my understanding correct or have I mixed this up

Butter · #4 December 27th, 2011, 01:27 PM

You are correct. So I guess it comes down to if you want to get married now or wait. December is definitely doable for him, too. I've seen motivated people go from years of inactivity and definitely not living the gospel principles to going to the temple in no more than 3 or 4 months.

Kody · #5 December 28th, 2011, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butter

You are correct. So I guess it comes down to if you want to get married now or wait. December is definitely doable for him, too. I've seen motivated people go from years of inactivity and definitely not living the gospel principles to going to the temple in no more than 3 or 4 months.

He is doing a good job. He wasn't doing very well in life and says that when he saw how the Church motivated and changed me, he felt the spirit again after years of nothing. Now he attends Church and yesterday set up a time to meet with the missionaries so he can talk to them about setting a goal for the priesthood and moving forward within the church. This is an AMAZING step for him, you have no idea!!

geogeek · #6 December 28th, 2011, 04:38 PM

That is so nice to hear that because you changed so much with the gospel he is reactivating! That is wonderful. I hope that it goes well with the missionaries.

Brittanie · #7 December 28th, 2011, 05:23 PM

Heather hit it on the nose.

Sounds great that he's doing so good though!

Kody · #8 December 29th, 2011, 04:09 AM

Like any person he has his ups and downs, but overall he is making good choices. He has a long way to go, but he knows if he wants to be with me, this is the path. I want to be with a man who is involved with the church, feels my desires for it, and understands it. He needs to give up somethings, which will benefit the entire family and not just him....and the church is somewhat helping him with that struggle. Prayers are always appreciated because it's hard for him to overcome this particular addiction, but he has the desire and that's the beginning.