The Temple

I have to admit I got lazy, no Monday message last week or the week before. Sometimes when I get a lot on my mind it is hard to focus on anything other than negativity. I have been having a hard time focusing on my daily scripture reading and listening to various talks. So any way this is my attempt at getting back on track.
    
     Last weekend my wife and I attended the Temple over in Langley with some of the dearest people in our hearts. For me it was an absolutely incredible experience, I'm not sure I can properly describe it. I found myself at complete peace, I fully expected to be nervous and a little bit weirded out but I made up my mind at the door to check all my hesitations and to let the Spirit guide me.
     I will say that the temple worker assigned to me was a super big help and of course my escort was simply amazing. Both of these individuals made my experience inside the temple really unforgettable. I just loved that the Spirit was so strong inside and how beautiful and peaceful
It was.
    Leading up to our Temple trip we went through prep classes, these were to ensure we were on the right track to understand the significant meaning and that all of the ordinances performed inside were of a sacred and symbolic nature. These classes do not go into great detail on the temple ordinances but they are explained as very symbolic and that these are the same "rituals" from ancient times. Some of the ordinances performed inside include washing and anointing and special instructions. There are also baptisms, but not for us, more for our ancestors, there is also what we call an endowment ceremony. The endowment ceremony really was something special, if you go through the Temple for the first time it may seem confusing but if you really let the spirit take over and guide you it is easy to understand the symbolism. Again I will not give details about these sacred ordinances, I could not do it justice anyway. Endowed members wear what we call garments, these are worn next to our skin, some call it Mormon  underwear, but garments is what we prefer. Look at it like this, monks wear their robes at all times, there are prayer caps and robes in various other religions, priests in many Christian faiths wear a white collar. All of these are symbolic in nature and also sacred, they are reminders of the covenants we make both before we enter the temple and new ones we make inside the Temple. It is impossible to learn everything all at once, it is therefore recommended to attend the Temple often, as often as circumstances permit. The Temple is a place of learning and we must attend regularly in order to learn as much as we possibly can.

     Perhaps my favorite part of my first Temple trip was the sealing ordinance. Although I have been married to my wife for 17 years we were sealed in the Temple, this is a very significant ordinance and seals us together for all of time and eternity, how cool is that. No longer are we only married until death do us part, we are married for all time and eternity.

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:13–19.)
I love that the sealing power has been restored to us on earth, it really  truly gives us that assurance that families are forever.
     I could go on and on about the Temple but I really believe everyone needs to witness it first hand. It is my testimony that if you leave all of your inhibitions at the door and truly let the Spirit envelope you, go with the amazing peacefulness in the Temple and enjoy the time there you will be blessed immensely.  If you will accept the revelation concerning temple ordinance work and if you will enter into our covenants with whole heartfelt truth the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life.
The work relating to the temples is true. It was revealed from beyond the veil and revelation continues.
Revelation may come to each of us individually if we so desire with wholehearted faith and accepting the most sacred covenants with our Father in Heaven
I know this is true and I leave these thoughts with you in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. amen.

Conversion and testimony

Well its one year as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. March 8th 2014 is a date that marks a new journey in my families life. It all started with my wife walking home from work on January 8th,  2014 when she heard a couple of young women laughing, it turns out one had just rescued the other from stepping in a pile of horse poop. They greeted my wife with open loving arms, they were just a sweet pair of missionaries from the church and their mission was to bring the gospel to whomever would listen. They chatted for a bit and prayed there on the side of "Church" road, set up an appointment and parted ways. I remember the text my wife sent me at work, I met some missionaries and they are coming over tomorrow. I thought to myself OK, I texted her weird. They are Mormon, she said, weird I said. So it went back and forth like that for a bit. She met with them that next day and a couple more times after, I still had not met them. They decided to set up an appointment for when I would be home, I was really not so sure about this. I had told my wife forget it I don't want to meet them, I don't need to meet them, come on let's face it they are Mormons its weird. I was still resorted to not meet them, I had actually tried to pick up some extra work for the meeting night so I wouldn't make it home on time. It was very strange the day leading up to meeting them, I didn't know them, I hadn't met them I didn't know what they would say to me and honestly I really didn't care. As the day progressed I just could not help feeling strongly that I had to keep this appointment, that what they would say would be well worth my time, that I really needed to listen to and trust them. I kind of knew at that time that there was something going on, what was it why was I feeling this way. Well as I wrote in one of my previous blogs on The Holy Ghost it was most certainly him, witnessing to me the truth that they would speak. Well the time came and they knocked on the door, I can't say it was loud and confident but more quiet and timid. Did they know I hadn't wanted to meet them and were nervous to meet me now. Well when we opened the door I just knew something good was going to happen, these two bright young ladies standing on my porch. It really felt like I knew them already and they were just stopping by to visit. In my heart I knew that I loved them already, I knew, even though I didn't know, that I would join the Church. My feelings of, I didn't need church or God, I was in control were all of a sudden dashed and I felt strangely at peace. It was really one of those times in your life where you just know that there was another presence and that had come through the door with them. I really love that the spirit followed them through my door and had entered into my heart. The thing that really struck me is their confidence, I found it amazing that they didn't just believe what they were saying, they knew what they said to be true and they spoke with such emotion that testified to the truth.
     Well we were baptized exactly two months after my wife first met the missionaries on Church road, my daughter was baptized one month later than the rest of us but I have another thought on why she waited. I was at times so sure that these two young women were going to give up on us, we didn't make it easy at all but they persevered and completely won us over. I think back on some of the questions we had asked them and man what the heck were we thinking, I really don't know why they kept coming back, I was a bit of a quack, OK I'm exaggerating, I was a lot of a quack. Truthfully these two had to have had witness of the spirit that we would join the church because the love and compassion they showed my family was in itself a testimony of the true love of Christ.
    So really this past year has brought along a lot of bumps in the road, there were days when I thought that staying in this church would be impossible, how could I really live up to these standards. Temptations are always present and at times it is tough to not just think what could it hurt, one coffee or one pot cookie, i mean i can get back on track tomorrow, but over this last year I have resisted these temptations and won. I have had worthiness issues, how can I hold the priesthood, I am no one special but one thing that has helped me along is that my wife has faith in me even when I don't. As a family unit we have grown stronger but we have our struggles as most families do. Doing the things we should do becomes a challenge, family home evening, family prayers and scripture studies, these are all things we as a family need to do but fail at miserably. I want to do these things but my own short comings plant that seed of doubt in my mind that I can do it. I pray silently alone I do read scriptures, I try to understand them as best I can, I truly know that my conversion will take a lifetime and beyond. We have had a number of missionaries who have come into our lives Elders and Sisters alike and they all bring a strong spirit with them, they have all taught us so much and they have really become like great friends and family and it is so easy to love them all.
    I gained a testimony very quickly on the Book of Mormon and the truth in the words printed within. I remember the moment that I had powerful witness and it came while driving to work listening to it. It was like nothing I had experienced in my life before, I was so overwhelmed that driving seemed impossible and that I needed to not only hear, but also needed to read the words. I pulled off the road and found the scriptures to read them. I had a real moment with Heavenly Father that felt so real and He presented his son our savior Jesus Christ to me, he revealed through the scriptures that He was real and that Christ visited the Americas, He ministered to the peoples there and to the children. I especially felt strong emotion when I read about Christ ministering to the children, I just felt as though I was a little child and He was there, right there to minister to me specifically at that moment, like He placed his hand on mine and touched me, made me know that this moment had happened, gave me witness to the truth of Joseph Smiths visions and to the real truth of The Book of Mormon. This all really happened, it is so true, I had questions at first of that it could be real and how could there be no record of this happening, my doubt was extinguished after this moment. I bear witness that The Book of Mormon is truth, that it is a record of times past, that Jesus Christ died and overcame death, rose from the dead and revealed himself to his people in the Americas. I know that Joseph Smith was given these records and translated them for all the world to know, and to know that Jesus Christ lives and He loves us all. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much and He wants us to all return to him. I know that The Holy Ghost gives us knowledge and bears witness to Christ's perfect love and that He reveals to us what we need to know and gives us comfort in times of need. I know this to be true and this I say in the name of our loving savior Jesus Christ. Amen.