SCHOOL OF LIFE CALLED "Matrimony"

BY XYRON LEVI CORPUZ

Manase Aida Tetuanui, a newlywed and sophomore majoring in human resources from Saitama, Japan, said being married taught him how to manage his money. He admitted, “I hate counting how much I have, how much I can use and how much I should save.” But now being married, he said he and his wife need to save and spend their money wisely.

Also learning from their marriage, Miruka Aida Tetuanui, Manase Aida Tetuanui’s spouse from Tokyo, Japan, said a life lesson she has learned is to talk more and express her feelings. “Tell your husband why you didn’t like [a specific thing]. Or tell him what you want him to do. Just tell him what you feel and communicate together,” she explained.

She said before marriage, she was not as expressive of her feelings but being married helped her to push past that. “Because I was able to express my feelings more, I was able to gain more love. And because I was able to talk more and have more communication, I was able to love my husband more,” she commented.

A great example

Anri Nakagawa, a student spouse from Hokkaido, Japan, and a friend of the Aida Tetuanui couple, said she looks up to how the couple protects each other from cheating. The couple, she said, have access to each other’s phone and social media accounts, including each other’s passwords, allowing each to check it at any time.

She said she respects how they love each other in a way they still find time to go on dates together. Anri Nakagawa added even though it is difficult to find a time, they still make it happen and have fun at least once a week. “That’s one thing they’re working on super hard,” she commented.

Koto Nakagawa, a freshman majoring in information system from Osaka, Japan, and husband of Anri Nakagawa, said he also looks up to the couple in many ways, especially how they care for each other. “When Manase finishes his work, he always calls [his wife] while on his way home,” he said.

He explained Manase Aida Tetuanui does not want his wife to think he is with other girls. This practice preserves the strong bond between the couple, Koto Nakagawa added.

He said even though they are a newlywed couple and imperfect human beings, they are a great example to him and his wife. Koto Nakagawa explained, “They’re trying so hard to follow the gospel standard to build a strong foundation for their family.”

The value in companionship

Miruka Aida Tetuanui shared one important factor of marriage is becoming better being married in comparison to being alone. For example, she said there’s a limit to developing a person’s skills with patience if one is single.

Miruka Aida Tetuanui said being together, they both need to practice a lot of patience. She added, “I can develop my skills for serving others because I have to serve my husband [and vice versa].” She explained being with someone increases one’s capacity to love not only towards her spouse but other people too.

Through the gospel perspective, she said having a family means having a lot of experiences together, such as raising children and, eventually, becoming like Heavenly Father. It’s a good preparation when that time comes, she added.

Gems of marriage

Manase Aida Tetuanui admitted he didn’t want to get married until his 30s because he wanted to enjoy his single life. He said that changed after he met his then-girlfriend and now spouse.

He said because his spouse was so strong in the gospel when they were dating, he changed his mind about waiting to get married. In fact, he said she was the one who invited him to attend church and read the scriptures. Doing those things helped build his testimony while they were dating, Manase Aida Tetuanui added. He said he then realized she was the one he was looking for because she helped him grow.

Miruka Aida Tetuanui said being married means she does not need to face her troubles alone. “Now that I am married, if there are some problems [me and my husband] can solve the problem together,” she commented.

She shared she once faced a personal problem and she felt she had to deal with it alone. But she realized she was no longer alone and could rely on her husband.

Manase Aida Tetuanui said one of the best things about being married is the delicious food prepared by his wife. He said when he wakes up in the morning, there’s good food to greet him and a delightful dinner when he returns from school. •