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9 Elder Scott Quotes on the Joys of Marriage

In Elder Richard G. Scott’s 18 speeches at BYU, he often spoke of his eternal companion and the joy they brought to each other. Here are nine quotes from Elder Scott that showed us how to love.

A young Richard G. Scott with his growing family

  1. “My precious wife, Jeanene, and two of our children are beyond the veil. They provide a powerful motivation for each remaining member of our family to live so that together we can receive all of the eternal blessings promised in the temple.” (“To Have Peace and Happiness,” September 12, 2010)*
  2. “I know that I will have the privilege of being with that beautiful wife, whom I love with all my heart, and with those children who are with her on the other side of the veil, because of the opportunities made possible through the eternal ordinances that were performed in the Manti Temple. What a blessing to have once again on the earth the sealing authority, effective not only for this mortal life but for the eternities. I am grateful that the Lord has restored His gospel in its fulness, including the ordinances that are required for us to be happy in the world and to live everlastingly joyous lives in the hereafter.” (“To Have Peace and Happiness,” September 12, 2010)*
  3. “I have learned much about quiet discipline from my precious wife, Jeanene. It was the central hallmark of her character. While understanding and generous with others who did not employ it in their lives, she was strictly disciplined in her own life.” (“For Success in Life,” August 14, 2008)Richard G. Scott's Wedding Photo
  4. “Then a kind and thoughtful Lord placed a bombshell in my little world. Her name was Jeanene Watkins. Her father’s call to the senate brought her to Washington, D.C., where I lived. The more I knew her, the more fascinated I became, and each opportunity to be with her deepened the growing love within my heart. One evening as we conversed about the important things of life, she innocently said, ‘When I marry, I’ll marry in the temple, a returned missionary.’ That comment struck me to the core. It began a process of reflection, contemplation, and prayer that resulted in my receiving a call as a missionary to Uruguay.” (“To the Lonely and Misunderstood,” August 10, 1982)
  5. “Her name was Jeanene Watkins. She was a beautiful girl. It took me a long time to date her because so many others recognized her wonderful qualities. As we began to date, I discovered that she was all I had ever dreamed of finding. I fell completely in love with her.” (“Do What Is Right,” March 3, 1996)
  6. “We both went on missions, and when we returned were sealed in the temple. Much later I came to realize that she would have left me had I not made the right choices. Jeanene’s courage in standing up for her dream of a temple marriage to a returned missionary, regardless of her love for me, has made all of the difference in our lives together. I will never be able to thank her adequately for not compromising her righteous dreams.” (“Do What Is Right,” March 3, 1996)Richard G. Scott and Jeanene taking a walk
  7. “If you are blessed to be married, rejoice in that companionship and with your children. Let there be absolutely no secrets kept from each other. That will provide powerful insurance for continuing righteousness and happiness. Decide issues together. Keep the gospel light burning brightly in your home through scripture study, prayer, and the other things you know how to do. Honor and live temple covenants as you receive them. Drink deeply from the fountain of the revealed word of God. Hold fast to His word. Keep the Sabbath day holy. In short, continue to do what you know you should do. Wherever you go, stay tightly connected to the Church and consistently serve in it.” (“To Live Well,” April 21, 2011)
  8. “Make raising an eternal family one of the highest priorities of your life. Focus the cream of your effort on that objective.” (“As You Go Forth,” August 14, 2003)
  9. “I testify that the greatest happiness in this life comes as a wife and husband, mother and father, work together under the guidance of the Lord to create an eternal family.” (“As You Go Forth,”August 14, 2003)

Richard G. Scott and his wife, Jeanene Scott

* “To Have Peace and Happiness” is full of Elder Scott’s reminiscences about Jeanene.

Photo captions (from top to bottom):
Elder Richard G. Scott with his family in the early 1980s. Left to right: daughter Linda Mickle, holding her daughter Emily, Michael Scott, Elder Richard G. Scott, Jeanene.
Richard and Jeanene’s wedding picture with their parents in 1953
Elder and Sister Scott
Elder and Sister Scott in the 1980s

All photos © 2015 Intellectual Reserve Inc. All rights reserved.

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