Saviors in Zion

Tonight I was blessed to be able to go to the temple with the Young Women.  I was so excited to go and was so overcome when I saw how many girls came.  To know that they were all worthy to enter the Lord's house and feel the Lord's spirit and love warmed my heart beyond expression.  Being there was blessing enough, but Br. Anderson talked to us about the work we were about to do.  Being baptized for those that can't do it themselves.  He said that a few years ago he had been able to go back to where he served his mission 32 years earlier.  While in the temple he saw the very first person he baptized while on his mission, those long 32 years ago.  He went up to him and asked his name and who baptized him, when he told him that he was that Br. Anderson, the man embraced him.  He said it was unlike any hug he had ever had and that we would experience this same embrace when we come face to face with those we do work for in the temple.  The spirit testified to me that this was true and that there were indeed souls waiting to thank me for the work I had done for them.  How incredible is that?  How blessed we are, how loved.

Janae

Went to my hospice patient's funeral today. Truly one of the most amazing funerals I have ever been to. If there was ever a perfect funeral for a person this was it. It was a mixture of beautiful stories woven with stirring testimonies of why we are here and where we are going. I can't believe how blessed I am to have been able to get to know Janae a little. She had ALS and lived years beyond her diagnosis. Her children participated in her service and it must have given her great pride and satisfaction to see them walking in the paths of righteousness. The spirit was so strong through the whole meeting. I just kept thinking, this is where I should be.  When I went back out into the world, I saw people going on with their lives, unaware of this amazing experience I had just witnessed.  I again thanked my Heavenly Father for His tender mercies and for the great honor of being a part, even if it was a very small part, of this elect woman. And for the blessed hour and a half that I was able to bask in the spirit and feel my testimony swell within my heart of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For it's teachings of peace and love and for the joy it brings to my life! I am loved!

I am loved!

The last few weeks, months, I have had something weighing heavy on my mind. I eat drink and sleep it. It worries me and has caused me to question the direction of my life and if it is all worth it. Are the hassles worth the rewards, I was doubting that they were. My health has also been declining so that didn't help my outlook. This morning I got up, changed the page on my calendar, and there were the words that changed everything. "Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." D&C 24:8 "Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged, things will work out." Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley. Of course it will. I just needed that nudge from my Heavenly Father to lighten up and go to work, it will work out. I am so thankful He cares enough to send me these simple messages that cause my heart to swell and my outlook to change and my life to be set back on track. I am loved. Oh and because of my troubles, money has been a little tight, I was doing my visiting teaching and had shared my moment of bliss, we had gotten up and were walking out the door when this beloved sister said, out of nowhere, I need to gather up my daughters prom dresses and put them in our garage sale on Saturday. Emily needs a dress so badly but we just don't have the money to spend. How that Lord works in such miraculous way, I just don't know, but thank goodness He does!

It's like it was orchestrated....

Spotless 2010 Young Woman's Camp
What a wonderful adventure we had.  It was all such a dream.  Everything went according to plan, maybe not ours, but most definately Heavenly Fathers.  We had a trial by fire, love unfeigned, 2 minutes of feeling more gratitude that imaginable.  Talks given by camp hosts went right along with talks give by our leaders.  During testimony meeting the girls kept saying, "I am Loved".  That night we gave our handout that we had prepared weeks before, stating, You are Loved and signed by all the young women leaders.  It truly seemed like the whole camp was orchestrated by a loving Heavenly Father.  If you do all you can, He will do the rest.  My cup runneth over.

Blessings from above!

A Young Woman sent me a text, "Can I get a blessing?" Of course was my immediate response! She had just become active again and her testimony and light just shines. She came over with her Mom and my husband and a neighbor administered to her. How amazing that one request can bring so very many blessings. I had been very sick that day and not very happy. When she arrived all my burdens were lifted and I felt light. My testimony was strengthened as I felt the Spirit testify to me of His love for this beautiful girl. Bonds were made with her Mom, friendships built and my love for her and her family grew. She may have been the one that asked for the blessing but I was also very blessed. I guess that is how Heavenly Father works, He stands ready to bless us, all we need to do is ask and receive with grateful hearts. I am so thankful, for the Priesthood, for family, for friends, for my calling in His church and for His Love and Tender Mercies, seen and unseen.

Tender Mercies Continue

I had a rough night last night. Had someone actually be mean, right to my face. Hasn't happened in a long time, well at least not since the last time! ;) Anyway, it has been hurting my heart since it happened. I tried to blow it off as nothing, but it awoke me at night my heart knitted in pain. It was silly and really of no consequence, but I feel hurt and embarrassed. But Heavenly Father, in His tender mercy sent my visiting teachers to me this morning as a balm of Gilead. Of course, one of their first questions, was, how are you doing? They seemed to really want to know or at least I really wanted to get it off my chest so I told them I had had a bad night and was feeling down. They listened and then offered their own similar experiences. It was so comforting to know that I was not alone in what I had gone through, they had gone through the same and felt my pain. It brought me so much comfort and peace. I knew Heavenly Father knew my pain and couldn't be here Himself so he sent Sam and Jean. It is a good reminder to me how much our words and actions can truly hurt someone. I pray that if I ever do hurt someone like that I will be made painfully aware of it and bothered by it until I apologize for it. Also, that if someone shares something with me that I have experienced, sometimes it is good to commiserate. Thank you Heavenly Father for your everlasting love, for being there for me, always.