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09/28/14 Churchy week...good lessons

Holly and Katie snuggling together
9/28/2014

It's been a pretty churchy weekend!  Maddi got her endowments out yesterday morning so spent all morning in the temple.  Yesterday evening was the women's broadcast.  Katie, Holly and I enjoyed the meeting together. Afterward we picked up dad and had late dinner at Carl's junior (I love their oreo icecream bars!!!)
Dallas
The whole meeting for the broadcast was centered on living your life so you can attend the temple. If you are old enough of course you should be attending but if you aren't or can't for some reason still live for the temple.  Read your scriptures, pray, radiate the light of the spirit, be a good example, etc.  One sister said that her husband was a stake president and when people came in for interviews he could always tell if they were worthy to attend the temple because they had a "spirit" about them and a "glow" and he could just tell. Cool, eh?!


I hope that my family will always have that spirit about them!
Last Sunday was the Ogden Temple dedication and that had a similar theme. They talked about how fortunate we are to live so close to the temple and how we need to take advantage of that great blessing in our lives.  
Holly
They all talked about the peace and joy you find in the temple and the blessings your receive from serving God.  I do agree. Whenever I attend the temple it seems to help to slow me down and lift the stresses off my mind and chest. Sometimes I might "stew" about something for a long time and if I go to the temple it seems to magic erase the problem or help me think of a solution. It helps to clear my mind and heart and help me focus on what really matters.
Pres Ochtdorf was awesome as always. Here is a little bit of what he said:  Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you.  You are preparing for a future better than you can imagine. You are a child of God qualifying for incomprehensible blessings.


Abide God's law. Receive the law and walk the path of discipleship. Obey the commandments. Live the Gospel joyfully with all our heart, mind and soul. Why doesn't it feel joyful sometimes? Do we sometimes ask if we really need to obey ALL God's commandments?


Katie
God knows something we don't!  Yes!!! we do! Choose what is best for you. Follow God's path and you will find the right way.  It will bless you throughout your life.  
Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessing upon us.  Don't block his blessings. (sin, unworthiness, bad attitude, etc)  
Receive his shower of heavenly blessings! The commandments bring peace in this life and eternal life.  Follow his instructions to us.  Commandments are the recipe for happiness, peace and eternal life. Humble yourself, exercise faith, take upon you the name of Christ, Seek him in word and deed, resolutely stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things and in all places.


Discover your real self, your best self.  Your joyfuy self. Being a disciple of Christ (he was talking visiting teaching but in your case it is even more true) always brings Joy.
He said in his cute accent something along the lines of Heavenly Father doesn't want you upset because someone un-followed you or un-friended you on facebook! He doesn't care about your hair or your nails or your make up or your size. Heavenly Father loves you for you! You can be more than you can imagine!  
Place selfish desires and unworthy ambitions on the sacrifice alter and follow the commandments - live the gospel joyfully!
What a great and true message.  I always feel more happy and at peace when I am making right choices and doing what I know I should do rather than what I think I want to do!


I hope that you are finding joy and peace and happiness as you make this huge sacrifice in your life. I am sure there are hours, days whatever where it feels like you are giving up more and it's not worth it.  But heavenly father is aware of you and your service and he will bless you long after your time of service there is done.  If you will lose yourself in being his disciple you will have great joy and happiness through the journey!
Finding joy in the journey is something I have always struggled with. I think I'm getting better in my old age (tee hee).  I always want to BE THERE (wherever THERE is) and not GET THERE...I am trying to change my attitude and enjoy getting there too.  Sometimes getting there is a far longer portion of a project and once you get there you realize all the great things along the way that maybe I hurried through instead of enjoying.  Bleh...not sure I'm making sense.  
I just want you to enjoy your time and have a happy joyful attitude and love for every day.  And this isn't just about mission life.  It's about ALL life.  There are so many things that feel hard but we can enjoy them if we change the way we look at them.  This is something I'm still struggling through even now so don't take this as a lecture to you.  Just thinking out loud on paper here!  
Anyway, today has more church in it for us as we are going to Maddi's farewell and then back to our ward for primary program practice and dad has early meetings etc.  Should be a great day!


Maddi doesn't actually leave until Oct 15 and then will spend 9 weeks in the MTC so it's kind of early for everything but with general conference and fast Sunday etc her ward didn't have another time to farewell her until she was already gone! I attached a picture of her announcing her mission farewell.  She looks so grown up!

I will send a couple more pictures in another email. LOVE YOU!!!! Pray for you daily. Love Mom!

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