The Importance of Conseling Together

I've been thinking a lot lately about how important it is to take the time in marriage to have one on one councils with your spouse. I've been married to my husband for 24 years, and though we've had many family councils, we have never made a point to regularly counsel together one on one in an organized, pre-determined meeting. I read a chapter this week from Elder M. Russell Ballard's book "Counseling with Councils" where he outlined the pattern of appropriate council meetings from the highest church councils involving the First Presidency and Quorum of the twelve to small councils held at the ward level. Respect and humility are key factors in a successful council, and miraculous revelation can be received as those in a council participate as guided by the Holy Ghost.

President Stephen L. Richards said:

“I don’t know that it is possible for any organization to succeed in the Church...without adopting the genius of our Church government. What is that? As I conceive it, the genius of our Church government is government through councils. The Council of the Presidency, the Council of the Twelve, the Council of the Stake Presidency, or quorum, if you choose to use that work, the Council of the Bishopric, and the quorum or Council of the Quorum Presidency. I have had enough experience to know the value of councils. Hardly a day passes but I see the wisdom, God’s wisdom, in creating councils… to govern His kingdom. In the spirit under which we labor, men can get together with seemingly divergent views and far different backgrounds, and under the operation of that spirit, by counseling together, they can arrive at an accord, and that accord… represents the wisdom of the council, acting under the Spirit.”

Isn't marriage the ultimate organization within the church? If husband and wife prayerfully counseled together regularly to humbly hear each other's views and come to a consensus about every issue in their relationship or family, imagine how much less contention and resentment there would be! I am excited to implement councils into my marriage. I know that we will be blessed as we use the Lord's pattern for decision making in our marriage.