Engagement talks

So naturally now that my sister is engaged, we talk about how hard it is to be engaged A LOT. Last night was especially hard for her for details I won't go into, but it was crazy good for me. For once I realized this: Being engaged is HARD. No matter what. No matter the issues and how different they are from mine. It's just HARD. 

Mine was hard because I knew that J had a Porn Addiction, and we were working to get to the temple. I was totally in codependent behavior- trying to control everything. It drove me crazy. But the point of the story is this: We did get to the temple, so we had to have done something right.

We created a game- an engagement game with points that determined how great of a date night we had at the end of the week. It forced us (because we are both fiercely competitive) to do what we needed to do daily to get to our end goal. 

Well, I thought of that game last night while I was on the phone with my sister, and went and dug it up so I could send it to her! I also thought, "hey! maybe someone reading this is engaged or knows someone who's engaged who could use this!" And then I thought- How much better of a person would I be if I tweaked this game and made it so that I am more awesome today! So here it is: For anyone who would like to use it:

Goals

“Key Indicators”

1.     BIG GOAL:

a.     June 4^th. 2011. Provo Temple. Temple Marriage.

b.     10:00 a.m.

2.     Daily Key Indicators:

a.     Point system:

                                               i.     10 “Do Not” points possible a day

                                              ii.     15 Do points a day

1.     Scriptures = 3 points

2.     Morning Prayer = 2

3.     Nightly Prayer = 2

4.     Exercise = 2

5.     Reading half hour = 2

6.     Recording/Reporting points = 3

7.     Journal = 1 point

                                            iii.     Repentance points  (0-5)

1.     This can be used as a bonus or as a make up

2.     Only your co partner can reward or determine the amount of points earned.

a.     Activities may include service

b.     Extra mile activities

b.     Every Night we will record and report our points for the day to each other.  Also we will record the points on our individual calendars with our points for the day.

c.      Points will or can be redeemed at 500 points or 1000 points for varied rewards

                                               i.     500 points

1.     dinner (15-20 dollars)

2.     Theatre Movie night

3.     Shopping (clothes)

4.     Ice Skating

                                              ii.     1000 points

1.     Fancy Dress Up dinner

2.     An outfit (shopping)

3.     Opera!!! ;)

3.     Weekly Goals

a.     At the end of each week we will tally our points and report to the bishop

b.     Once a week we will go to the temple

                                               i.     At first we will go on the grounds to enjoy the spirit there and reflect about our desires to go there

                                              ii.     Once we are worthy to attend the temple we will go once a week to perform vicarious ordinances for those who have passed on.

4.  These cause chain reactions. Weekly goals lead to monthly goals, which leads to the eternal goal of Temple Marriage. Which is what we know will bring us the most joy!