Gender and Eternal Identity

"ALL HUMAN BEINGS—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose."

This is the first paragraph of the Family Proclamation. I love that the first item talked about is marriage. I believe that the reason they put this first is because it is the most important. In order to accomplish all that Heavenly Father wants us to, we need to have marriage between a man and a woman. Without this step, we cannot multiply and replenish the earth and humanity would end. I'm sure the Lord would not make this beautiful world to live on, just to see it all come to an end. Why is it that the Lord asks that a man and a woman be married? Elder Bednar answers these questions for us. "Reason 1: The natures of male and female spirits complete and perfect each other, and therefore men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation." He goes on to say 'because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences. The man and the woman contribute differently but equally to a oneness and a unity that can be achieved in to other way. The man completes and perfects the woman and the woman completes and perfects the man as they learn from and mutually strengthen and bless each other. 'Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." "Reason 2: By divine design, both a man and a woman are needed to bring children into mortality and to provide the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children." God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife....the means by which mortal life is created are divinely appointed." Thus marriage between a man and a woman is the authorized channel which pre-mortal spirits enter mortality.  I know that the family unit was divinely instituted. I know that marriage between a man and a woman is what God wants. I know that as we make a family we will be able to learn and grow and have true joy.