Choosing a spouse will be a big decision, and it makes me nervous. How will I know I’ve made the right choice?

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bride and groom in front of the Manila Philippines Temple

Deciding whom to marry is something that can affect your happiness in this life and in the eternities. But it shouldn’t cause you the kind of anxiety that could eventually paralyze you. You can have peace and joy about this decision if you keep the commandments and follow good counsel. Here are a few things that Church leaders have frequently taught about this:

There are many potentially “right” choices for whom you could marry. Get to know a lot of people. Date people with high standards. Live worthy. When you’re a young adult, date the kinds of people you could go to the temple with. A potential spouse is someone you get to know well enough to know if you could enter covenants with Heavenly Father together. Get advice from your parents. “Study it out in your mind” and then “ask [God] if it be right” (D&C 9:8). The confirmation you receive may come in a variety of ways, but the other person must also have a confirmation. Once you’ve committed to each other, you work to become each other’s “soul mates.”