BYU EDUCATION WEEK NOTES #2

Scott and I wanted to attend a class to help our already wonderful marriage be better.   Carrie Wrigley was an amazing teacher.    My favorite quote from her was "Think Connection, Not Communication."  Although we learned that communication is critical, it's just that men and women communicate differently.

Creating Love: Building and Maintaining a Heartfelt
Connection with Your Spouse and Loved Ones
Carrie M. Wrigley

Building is Creation!

We need to focus our time and attention on important relationships!

Maintaining is harder… but equally important!

“Get the Proclamation off the wall and into our Hearts!”

President Kimball said, “Soulmates are a fiction and an illusion.” – All relationships will at some point disappoint.

Watch out for DISTRACTION!

To Do with Spouse:
                1.  Weekly Planning Meeting
                2.  Weekly Date
                3.  Prayer and Scripture Study

A.R.E. – “Are you there for me?”
                A = Accessibility
                R = Responsiveness
                E = Empathy

We need to ENGAGE with our spouses.
We need to have RITUALS of CONNECTION.  (ie. Weekly dates, worship time together, etc.)
We need to COMMUNICATE.

Ways for women to communicate better:
                Limit self to one idea at a time.
                Give him time to think it through.
                Don’t expect female emotion from your husband.
                Find an end to expressing feelings and move on to problem solving.
                Don’t jump to “problem solving” mode too quickly. 
                Don’t point out his faults and weaknesses.
                Be compassionate.
                For a connection!  THINK CONNECTION, NOT COMMUNICATION!