Week 9: June 19th-21st
We have been given a great tool to use when it comes to making decisions with a spouse and it is call the Council Method. There are steps to the council method that help make decisions, and the best part is that Heavenly Father helps in this decision.
The first part of the Council Method is to have a set, regular time to meet with your spouse (once a week or whenever you and your spouse feel it is comfortable), and also a special place where the two of you can meet privately. Also before the council starts, have an agenda on what is going to be discussed. This way, you can stay on topic but also for the previous time before the council starts, is think about what is going to be discussed.
So with that layout, when you meet you start of the meeting with Loving Words and also Words of Encouragement. By opening with this, the Spirit is invited to be with you and also there will be love and tenderness in the air that can stifle contention.
The next step is to Open With A Prayer. By opening with a prayer, you and your spouse can invite the spirit further to be with you in your decisions.
After opening with a prayer, then comes the discussion of the things on the agenda. Now this isn't a debate between you and your spouse. Each person has the opprotunity to say what is on their mind and how they feel, and you discuss the topic. You don't discuss it till there is a compromise, but you discuss it till you both feel that the decision made is in Consensus to Heavenly Father's Will. I know that Heavenly Father knows what is right for us, and He wants to help us so badly and all we have to do is be humble enough to let Him.
After the agenda is through, Close With A Prayer. By closing with a prayer, you show your gratefulness to Heavenly Father for helping you in your decisions.
Afterwards, have refreshments. This is just another step in the method where you can relax and show love and gratefulness to each other.