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The Baby

Just in case you haven’t heard, I am expecting. A baby. December 1st. It’s unreal to be saying that right now, I mean it was planned (and I’m only telling you that because that is one of the first questions everyone has asked me), but it’s crazy to think that in just a matter of months I will be a mom and T.J. will be a dad.

T.J. and I went to the doctor yesterday for the first time. I’ll tell you what, my wedding in the Salt Lake City temple last year was the best moment of my life. Looking across the alter that day and knowing that we were going to be together forever was a moment I’ll never forget and I didn’t know that anything  would ever top it.

But hearing that little heartbeat, seeing my baby’s arms and legs move all around, and having my husband beside me just as choked up as I was, was almost indescribable. It was right up there with that moment in the temple.

It was a miracle.

You know, you study about the development in school and hear from other people how amazing it was, but everything changes when you are experiencing it first hand. Suddenly, you are responsible for something more than yourself and you realize this is what life is all about.

I’m so happy that I finally get to share this news with all of you. Can you believe that at Christmas, we’ll have a little baby in our home?!

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D-Dawg’s Married!

My close friend and old roommate, Dana, got married about two weeks ago in the Salt Lake City temple! (Just about everyone I know is getting married, I tell you!)

I actually got to attend this sealing, and it was incredible. I kept thinking about my own sealing in the same place one year ago. I can’t believe it’s almost been one year. Oh, but back to Dana and Jameson. It was so special to attend the sealing with them in the temple and see these two be married for eternity! I am so happy for both of them. They looked great, and by the way, aren’t you in love with Dana’s dress?

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8 Hours in Front of the TV

I loved conference. As did we all, I hope. But I think I loved it a littttttle more than you because I’m in a Living Prophets course right now and so all semester I have studied each of the Apostles and the First Presidency. That means I have a lot of knowledge in my head about their backgrounds and teachings.

Anyway, I can’t wait to get the Conference edition of the Ensign. But until then, entertain yourself by going to this website (after you finish reading this post):

MarriedByOctober.com

For now, I’ll give you a screenshot of what you will see.

Isn’t that the funniest thing? I love how that URL connects you to this talk from the Priesthood Session of conference. So, guys and gals who aren’t married, get on it! It’s the best… plus, Pres. Monson is telling you to do so!

Okay, now you can go watch the talk.

 

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It wasn't a coincidence.

We studied Elder Bednar in my Living Prophets course yesterday. He is known for getting to the point and teaching the basics. My favorite talk of his was about tender mercies in our lives given to us daily by the Lord. I encourage you to watch this short message and think of how the Lord has blessed your life. It is easy to push those aside, think of the negative, or just write these tender mercies off as coincidences. But through our “faithfulness, obedience, and humility,” tender mercies appear in our lives “and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings.”

You can find his whole talk here. To learn more, visit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Forgive

Take the time to watch this video. It’s an incredible story of a Rwandan Tutsi who hid in a small bathroom for months after her family was murdered. About to give up and filled with hatred and revenge, she decided to forgive the man responsible for her family’s death.

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Follow the Prophet

I currently am taking a Living Prophets-Religion course. I really am loving it. The professor is very interesting and the class is perfectly structured. Yesterday, we talked about the the need for prophets in our world and then how we sustain all of our apostles and the prophet as “prophets, seers, and revelators.” It was such a powerful lesson and really made me want to share what we talked about with all of you.

First off, I want to share part of a talk from Hugh Brown. Hugh was assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was delivered at Brigham Young University on 4 October 1955.:

He asked me to prepare a brief on Mormonism and discuss it with him as I would discuss a legal problem. He said, “You have told me that you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet. You have said to me that you believe that God the Father and Jesus of Nazareth appeared to Joseph Smith. I cannot understand how a barrister and solicitor from Canada, a man trained in logic and evidence, could accept such absurd statements. What you tell me about Joseph Smith seems fantastic, but I think you should take three days at least to prepare a brief and permit me to examine it and question you on it.”

I began by asking, “May I proceed, sir, on the assumption that you are a Christian?”

“I am.”

“I assume you believe in the Bible—the Old and New Testaments?”

“I do!” “Do you believe in prayer?” “I do!” “You say that my belief that God spoke to a man in this age is fantastic and absurd?” “To me it is.” “Do you believe that God ever did speak to anyone?” “Certainly, all through the Bible we have evidence of that.”

“Did He speak to Adam?” “Yes.” “To Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Joseph, and on through the prophets?” “I believe He spoke to each of them.”

“Do you believe that contact between God and man ceased when Jesus appeared on the earth?”

“No, such communication reached its climax, its apex, at that time.”

“Do you believe that Jesus was the Son of God?”

“He was.”

“Do you believe, sir, that after Jesus was resurrected, a certain lawyer—who was also a tentmaker by the name of Saul of Tarsus— when on his way to Damascus talked with Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified, resurrected, and had ascended into heaven?”

“I do.” “Whose voice did Saul hear?” “It was the voice of Jesus Christ, for He so introduced Himself.” “Then, my Lord—that is the way we address judges in the British Commonwealth—I am submitting to you in all seriousness that it was standard procedure in Bible times for God to talk to man.”

“I think I will admit that, but it stopped shortly after the first century of the Christian era.”

“Why do you think it stopped?” “I can’t say.” “You think that God hasn’t spoken since then?” “I am sure He hasn’t.” “There must be a reason. Can you give me a reason?” “I do not know.”

“May I suggest some possible reasons? Perhaps God does not speak to man anymore because He cannot. He has lost the power.”

He said, “Of course that would be blasphemous.”

“Well, then, if you don’t accept that, perhaps He doesn’t speak to men because He doesn’t love us anymore and He is no longer interested in the affairs of men.”

“No,” he said, “God loves all men, and He is no respecter of persons.”

“Well, then, if He could speak, and if He loves us, then the only other possible answer, as I see it, is that we don’t need Him. We have made such rapid strides in science and we are so well educated that we don’t need God anymore.”

And then he said—and his voice trembled as he thought of impending war—“Mr. Brown, there never was a time in the history of the world when the voice of God was needed as it is needed now. Perhaps you can tell me why He doesn’t speak.”

My answer was: “He does speak, He has spoken; but men need faith to hear Him.”

In a time like today, I cannot imagine not having the prophet to guide us. I was talking to T.J. and another friend of ours about how comforting is is that we have a prophet who will warn us and lead us in the right path. It also amazes me that many people do not know we have a living prophet on the earth. Just like Hugh said, the Lord does still speak to us. He spoke to through the prophets of old and continues to speak through modern day prophets today.

The president of our church and his apostles are called of God. They speak the words of the Lord and have powerful messages for all of us to hear. Have faith. Follow their words. It will tremendously change your life.

For more information about living Prophets and Apostles, visit mormon.org or contact me.

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Baby, It's Cold Outside

This morning, T.J. and I headed down through the canyon to Manti. T.J.’s boss, who is a great friend of ours, was married in the Manti Temple and we were able to share that amazing experience with her and her family.

The temple was the third temple build in Utah and finished in 1888. It is absolutely beautiful inside. Intricate woodwork. Circular staircases. Vintage furniture. Large chandeliers. The sealing room was completely packed with their close friends and family. Karen and Jeff looked wonderful and just so happy! It was such a great morning and a truly a blessing for both of their lives. I am so excited for them and wish them a joyful marriage!

P.S. Photos are on their way!

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Break from the Chaos

T.J. and I are going to the temple with these guys tonight. Can’t wait. They even have one of their family names for me.

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Homeless, Homeless

A few weeks ago my Bishop told us a story of his wife giving money to a panhandler. The people she was with all asked her why she did it. She said, “It was just a dollar.”

The rest of the talk was about always following through with the promptings we are given. We don’t always need to give the panhandler money but if we feel like we should, if we have a prompting to do so, we need to do it.

My Bishop’s thoughts have stayed with me because there are actually a surprising amount of homeless people in Provo. Over a year ago, I went to Smith’s late at night and there was a man who looked homeless, buying some soda and chips with some change. I had the strongest feeling I should offer to buy his food but I chickened out. I was alone and I didn’t know if I should intervene without someone else there with me. I will never forget that feeling I had, though, a feeling I didn’t act on.

Last night, after T.J. and I got some frozen yogurt, I saw a homeless man going through the trash looking for food. It was freezing outside. I couldn’t imagine not having a place to stay or having warm food to eat. I had another strong feeling that I should go buy him some food. I convinced T.J. and so we went to the nearest fast food place in the shopping center.

It was closed. I didn’t know what to do, the man was walking away, the other fast food places were across town. So we just went home.

I’m still thinking about it today.

We need to be more Christ-like and serve those when we have the opportunity to do so. It may not make a much of a difference to us, but it can answer a prayer for someone else. Follow those promptings. The feeling of regret is horrible.

 

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Everlasting Mirrors

Yesterday, I couldn’t work on my projects any longer and so I quit everything and went to the temple with T.J.

We decided to do sealings. There was just a small group of us in the sealing room. The sealer was so talkative, it was pretty entertaining. All of the names were names he had done and so with each couple, he would tell us their story, which was really interesting. As I waited while other couples performed the work, I stared across the room into the everlasting mirrors, which are symbolic of us being linked  to all of those who have come before us and all of those who come after us.

With each sequential mirror, I went back through my family in my head. Me. My mom. Penny, my Grandmother. My Great-Grandmother… What was her name, again? Was it Pearl? Was it Bessy? Was it Moo?” I couldn’t believe it. There were thousands of mirrors in that reflection. And when I related them to my family tree, I could only go back to my grandmother by name?

Lately at church, the theme has been genealogy and temple work. Last week our Bishop asked us, “What if you went to the temple and there were no names for you to perform the work for?” He went on to tell us that they are starting to run out of names for the women, and that we must start finding our own names.

From my Bishop’s question and my experience at the temple last night, I’ve decided it really is time to start working on my family history. It is embarrassing that I cannot even give the name of my great-grandparents.

There is a lot of work to be done. And if your families work is finished, then help me with my family’s. I like the commercial for ancestry.com that say, “You don’t have to know what you’re looking for, you just have to start looking.”

The blessings that come from the temple are incredible. Not only for those whom the work is being performed for, but also for us and our families. It allows us to be with our families forever and it brings peace into lives, a peace you cannot find anywhere else. For those few hours in the sealing and celestial rooms, I was able to leave everything outside the temple and put my life in an eternal perspective. Christ needs to be the center of our lives. When when we put him first and have faith, everything will fall into place and our families will be eternally blessed.

If you would like to learn more about temple work, visit Mormon.org and watch this video.

[slideshow]

 

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