Realizing Eternity is For Real
There are very few things that can compare to the experience that I had tonight at the temple. One of them was when I went through the temple for the first time, but other than that and maybe a few personal experiences, there really isn't anything that beats tonight. Tonight my friend Brody and I went to the temple, like we always do, but this time we went to do sealings.
Sealings are the binding together of couples and families for eternity. I believe that family relationships are perpetuated beyond the grave, meaning they can last forever. We can be together with our families for ETERNITY, the chain never needs to be broken. Tonight we helped make that happen, and were proxies for those who have passed on.
I had a ton of names and wasn't sure if we'd be able to get to all of them but by the hand of God, we did. Twenty two couples, people from my family line, were sealed together tonight and it was the most amazing experience. As I sat there listening to the promises be repeated for each couple I could feel my soul expand. The spirit was so strong that I had to wrap my arms around myself to hold myself together. Tears of joy flooded out of my eyes as I thought, "Families can be together forever" and for the first time, I felt it too.
I've known that this is a truth for almost my whole life but it wasn't until today that I FELT it. I could feel it in every part of my body, every inch of my soul was on high and I just felt so BLESSED. I'm doing a horrible job at explaining this, because there aren't really words to explain it. There isn't really a description for the amount of joy that was felt tonight. I think that I was as close to the spirit tonight as I have ever been in my mortal existence.
Afterwards as we walked out of the temple and I was able to speak above a whisper I jumped and yelled with joy. Honest-to-goodness- JOY. I'm still feeling it right now, and I'm really doubting I will be able to sleep, but that is totally fine with me.
I came home to prepare my lesson to teach in seminary tomorrow and I opened up the manual and began to read. Doctrine & Covenants section 128, all about temple work. My heart is full of love from God and the testimony of the truth that he knows us each individually. As I prepared and read the scriptures I felt everything that I felt in the temple all over again. One of the verses of scripture reads, "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free."
Honestly, the blessings of the gospel mean more to me than anything. Sharing that here on my blog is what I love to do. I love to be able to testify of the goodness and glory of a loving Father and Son who have only our best interests in mind. I may not understand everything but after tonight, I can add something new to the list of the things that I know without any doubt or question. Families can be together forever. Eternal life is life with our families. We owe everything we have to the God who made us. I am so humbled to know that my actions and my work on this earth, especially with my family (living and dead) can lead me back to my Heavenly Father. That is why it is so important to treat your family with the upmost respect and to love them with an unconditional love.
Outfit deats:
Blouse - Ann Taylor
Skirt - Forever 21
Shoes - The Gap
Bag - Target
Sealings are the binding together of couples and families for eternity. I believe that family relationships are perpetuated beyond the grave, meaning they can last forever. We can be together with our families for ETERNITY, the chain never needs to be broken. Tonight we helped make that happen, and were proxies for those who have passed on.
I had a ton of names and wasn't sure if we'd be able to get to all of them but by the hand of God, we did. Twenty two couples, people from my family line, were sealed together tonight and it was the most amazing experience. As I sat there listening to the promises be repeated for each couple I could feel my soul expand. The spirit was so strong that I had to wrap my arms around myself to hold myself together. Tears of joy flooded out of my eyes as I thought, "Families can be together forever" and for the first time, I felt it too.
I've known that this is a truth for almost my whole life but it wasn't until today that I FELT it. I could feel it in every part of my body, every inch of my soul was on high and I just felt so BLESSED. I'm doing a horrible job at explaining this, because there aren't really words to explain it. There isn't really a description for the amount of joy that was felt tonight. I think that I was as close to the spirit tonight as I have ever been in my mortal existence.
Afterwards as we walked out of the temple and I was able to speak above a whisper I jumped and yelled with joy. Honest-to-goodness- JOY. I'm still feeling it right now, and I'm really doubting I will be able to sleep, but that is totally fine with me.
I came home to prepare my lesson to teach in seminary tomorrow and I opened up the manual and began to read. Doctrine & Covenants section 128, all about temple work. My heart is full of love from God and the testimony of the truth that he knows us each individually. As I prepared and read the scriptures I felt everything that I felt in the temple all over again. One of the verses of scripture reads, "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free."
Honestly, the blessings of the gospel mean more to me than anything. Sharing that here on my blog is what I love to do. I love to be able to testify of the goodness and glory of a loving Father and Son who have only our best interests in mind. I may not understand everything but after tonight, I can add something new to the list of the things that I know without any doubt or question. Families can be together forever. Eternal life is life with our families. We owe everything we have to the God who made us. I am so humbled to know that my actions and my work on this earth, especially with my family (living and dead) can lead me back to my Heavenly Father. That is why it is so important to treat your family with the upmost respect and to love them with an unconditional love.
(This is Brody and I after we got out of the temple, I am super grateful for awesome friends! Thanks again for coming Brod!)
I cannot wait to start my own eternal family one day. I pray every day that I can become the woman I need to become in order to cherish and grow that eternal relationship. To me, being a wife and mother is my life's work- the most important work. So until that time, I will work as hard as I can to be the very best version of myself. And the thought of that, makes me SO HAPPY.Outfit deats:
Blouse - Ann Taylor
Skirt - Forever 21
Shoes - The Gap
Bag - Target
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