Family History- I Am Doing It

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" Malachi 4:6

This morning, as preparation for Relief Society today, I was reading the talk "Gathering the Family of God" by President Henry B Eyring. It brought back a few different memories from my mission. President Eyring focuses on family history and the sealing power found in the temple, that can bind our families together for eternity.

I remembered, first of all, a story my dad told me- he wrote about it in one of his weekly emails. At one time, his grandma had been married to a man named Ray. Grandpa Ray was one of my dad's favorites- he would play with the grandkids and sing silly songs (some of which were passed down to me!) and when they were divorced, Ray told his now ex-wife that one of the saddest things about it was not being able to see the kids anymore.

While researching his name to do his temple work, my dad learned of a story from much earlier in Grandpa Ray's life. He was married young, to his sweetheart, and early in their marriage, they went on a private plane ride with his brother, Morrie. Somewhere along the way, their young and inexperienced pilot got confused and mistook a golf course for the airport runway. Of course, when he realized this mistake he tried to pull the plane back up, but hit some power lines and the plane crashed! Grandpa Ray pulled his wife from the wreckage- everyone survived the crash- and went back for Morrie, who would forever be a quadriplegic thanks to the accident. However, while he was rescuing Morrie, his sweetheart went into diabetic shock and passed away right there where he left her. That must have broken his heart.

My dad was able to find out enough about Ray's young wife to do her temple work. When they went through the endowment session, the spirit was so strong, and my dad felt that the sealing work had to be done right then, that true love couldn't wait. So he explained this to one of the temple workers, who took him immediately to a sealing room, interrupting the session in progress to tell them the story. My parents knelt at the altar, and on behalf of Grandpa Ray and his sweet wife, were sealed for time and all eternity. Everyone was overwhelmed by the spirit in the room, and my dad heard his grandpa's voice, clearly, saying, "Now I have my sweetheart back!" The power of the sealing ordinance is real.

The second story I was reminded of happened to me while serving my mission. Missions are divided geographically, into zones, and then from there into districts and wards. Missionaries often serve in one to two wards at a time, and rarely leave those boundaries- and if they do, usually it's only within a zone. I served in four different zones on my mission, for perspective. I spent six months in my second zone, and during the last part of that, I was looking through my family history and discovered that one of my ancestors (actually the grandmother of my great grandmother- the same one who was married to Grandpa Ray) had been buried in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington. Well, there I was, serving as a missionary in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington! So I did a bit more searching and I eventually discovered a record for her through FindAGrave- she was buried at the Park Hill Cemetery- literally 3.2 miles form where I was, within my zone boundaries. Out of the whole world, I was called there, for that time, in exactly the place where she was. Or at least, where her headstone was. I was able to visit the cemetery and discovered that she isn't actually buried there- they don't know where her body is- but her headstone is there. It was neat to be able to find her, to feel that connection to my family. She had been here, where I was now. Her family had lived here. It was an amazing experience.

So my testimony to you is that the promise is real- the hearts of the children and the fathers are turning towards each other. The Spirit of Elijah wraps around the earth. The sealing power has been restored and we can be with our families forever. Someday I will meet Alvira- who's headstone I found- and Grandpa Ray and his sweetheart. Someday my great-great-grandchildren will meet me. We will all be connected, to be a part of the family of God.

I invite you to go to the temple, to sit outside on the grounds, and to ponder and to realize what this sealing power means. What an impact it has. Your heart will be touched.

 

Smile Lines

Last night was Thursday, which means that I went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. It was one of the best experiences I've had at the temple- the Spirit was so strong. I could feel the joy of the temple in my soul, and couldn't stop smiling. The baptistry was very busy, so I and my friends who accompanied me were in an overflow room for a while, singing hymns. This in and of itself was a marvelous thing. Anyone who knows me knows I love to sing, especially choral music and hymns. Last night, all of my favorite hymns were sung, "Nearer My God To Thee," "Lead Kindly Light" and "How Great Thou Art" being just a few. I felt a pure joy in that room, and a sweet assurance that the temple truly is the place where the Lord's work is performed.

While we waited in the overflow, the Assistant to the Matron spoke to us. As she spoke, I noticed something. This sister had very pronounced smile lines. They splayed out from the corners of her eyes, and the way they curved spoke of years of joy and service to the Lord and to her family. It was easy to tell that she knew the Spirit well and that she was full of happiness. She smiled as she talked, and I could see that the lines around her eyes fit her smile like puzzle pieces. The words she spoke also told of the sweetness of her soul. She challenged us to change the way we pray as we come up on Thanksgiving. She asked that we try to only give thanks, and not ask for anything. What a challenge! This woman is someone that I want to be like.

The temple is the house of the Lord, and the work that is done there truly belongs to Him. I could feel the joy of the souls as their work was done, could almost hear them shouting "Amen!" as the ordinance was completed. This is the work of salvation, and what a privilege to be a part of it! In the Lord's house, every beautiful thing on this Earth can exist, and the evil cannot enter. In the Lord's house, there is the truest kind of peace and joy. The temple is a place of love, and full of kindness, reverence, and peace of heart.

I am truly convinced that the Lord allowed me to feel this strongly last night to comfort me after a long and trying week. It has been so busy, so frantic, so stressful, and I had been a little depressed. But after going to the temple last night, I feel restored to myself. I feel optimistic again, and for the first time in maybe a month, I was able to see the early morning as beautiful, and notice everything that I'd started to miss or take for granted. My smile will not go away (not that I'm trying). I feel happier today because I went to the temple. It was a blessing to be there, after this week, and a gift to feel the love of the Lord around me. For the first time in a while, I truly recognized that He was there with me- I was never alone, even when I felt lonely. I could feel His arms and sense His angels around me. I could feel His love for every soul present, and for every soul that ever was. He rejoices in the work we performed for the dead last night, I am sure of it. He did not forsake them, but provided a way, and He'll do the same for us.

The spirit in the temple is the most sweet and beautiful feeling I've ever known.

Temple Trips

Today I was privileged to go to the temple with my ward. It's the first time I've been in the Provo temple, and it's really wonderful to me to see how different and how similar it is to the Denver temple. It is so amazing how they can all be the same when looking at the big picture, and yet, in the details, they are so unique, each a different work of art. The Provo temple is very green, for example, where Denver is more white, and (in my head) blue. The New Mexico temple that my family once went to was very red and cream. The Ogden is gold. And the setup is always very slightly different, as well as the furniture and the artwork. It's amazing.

But that's not what I want to focus on. Tonight I was privileged to witness a small number of baptisms for the dead performed in sign language. Now, to some that may seem completely normal, and it's probably weird that I think it's so amazing (I do know that I'm not the only one who thinks that it was awesome though). I've kind of lived in a bubble, and have never really seen an ordinance performed in another language, much less sign language. It was fascinating to observe how they had modified the original procedure used for baptisms to accommodate the use of the hands. It was way cool to watch them say the prayer, to spell out the names of the deceased.

Isn't it wonderful, that the Lord works across languages, cultures, and differences in ability?

It brings to mind the Catholic Church, in a thoughtful way. Many of their prayers and ceremonies are held in Latin. I'd imagine many other religions do the same- use a specific language in their ceremonies. But not us, not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ceremonies are taken across languages and cultures. In our most recent General Conference, speakers were allowed to give their talks in their native language! We are a religion of the world, in the truest sense.

It is so amazing to me that the meaning is not lost across languages, that we can speak in any tongue and still be heard by Him, our divine Father. He understands us no matter what. God does not speak a single human tongue. He is not confined by any way we attempt to define Him. And He has asked us to call Him Father, in our own tongues. In every language of the world, His name is heard. And it is understood. That is the most wonderful thing of all.

God truly is no respecter of persons.

And that's the most amazing thing.

Temple Trip!

Today, my friend Heather and I had an opportunity to walk around the temple and take some pictures! Although we didn't get a chance to actually do baptisms, we're planning to have another trip soon. But a lot of the pictures we took are worth looking at! 

This is actually outside Heather's apartment while I was waiting

We got this photo on accident, but isn't it gorgeous?

Early missionary photos!

Early missionary photos!

The angel Moroni was facing the sun

We're cute :)

Loved the blur on this one- I didn't do anything to it