Now this really IS wonderful. Thanks for a great start to my day (well, I taught seminary today, so a great continuation!). And I don't see any flames.
Jon Chet wrote" > Occasionally (just occasionally) I get serious on this list. (And get > shot down in flames for revealing my ignorance.) But this -- this is > too wonderful to not share. And maybe it will give someone else the > incentive to press on. And maybe there is someone who doesn't realize > that they're avoiding happiness and power. > > Early in November, my middle daughter called and said she was going to > get her endowments and she & my son-in-law were going to get sealed in > the SLC Temple - over the Thanksgiving "weekend." They had not yet > started their temple prep class, but had just come from meeting with > their bishop. > > Naturally, as always happens, Everything Went Wrong as soon as they > decided to go the temple. The car got sick, they weren't able to come > up with the money to move to Alaska (where he had a swell job offer), > etc, etc, etc. Anything which could discourage them happened. Doesn't > it always? It happened to us and to everyone we know (who's sealed) -- > Does Satan get panicky and make lots of last ditch efforts or what? > > But they persevered. They didn't give up. And -- > > I really don't have to tell you how amazing the endowment or the sealing > were, do I? Besides the things I won't discuss on the > internet(especially during her endowment Wednesday -- or was it > Thursday. Boy, am I tired!), the same Holy Spirit which attended every > sealing causes the experience to be incredibly personal. I have long > been of the opinion that if 50 people attend a temple ordinance, there > will be 50 distinctly different (though similar) experiences. One thing > I will share, which struck me with significant symbolism: during one > time when I held Cherie's hand, Crystal was resting her arm on > mine....and, nope, we hadn't started out being next to each other. > > It's unbelievable how much Cherie and I cried, not just for happiness > for Crystal, but at some dear friends who travelled to be a part of this > and being together again, for those couples have been dear friends for > many, many years, and know far too many deep secrets about us, and have > triumphed through some really dangerous events. And we have watched > each other grow a decade older, though it seems we've known each other > for far longer. > > The photographer was fantastic, and I can't wait to get the photos (late > December) on CD to put up on a website! We literally spent hours (our > poor feet!) with photos all around the temple, across into Main Street > Plaza (no anti-Mormons were throwing tantrums that day), and we were all > exhausted -- physically, mentally, and spiritually. Reluctant to say > good-bye, we spent a leisurely lunch at Spaghetti Factory. We had saved > enough from our budget to give the kids a few hundred bucks to help them > in their move to Alaska (They are driving to Seattle today -- got sealed > JUST in time, eh?). And then we had to say good-bye. And it wasn't > easy. > > The drive back to Denver didn't tire us any further than we were -- we > got here about 11:30 pm. The next morning, I suggested we sleep through > Sunday School and RS/priesthood but Cherie insisted "We OWE Heavenly > Father" and we pulled ourselves out of bed. Co-incidentally enough, our > gospel doctrine class was All About Temples Past, Present, & Future; > combined priesthood was about ordinances; and almost every testimony > (all but two) was about endowments or sealings. And testimonies - even > before Cherie & I got up - were all about temple ordinances and > closeness. So we cried. Oh, how we cried. Then we were sustained as > Temple Prep teachers, and set apart. More crying. Cherie came home to > sleep while I attended high priests' group leader meeting (I's > secretary) where some more experiences brought more tears (they just HAD > to discuss the testimonies heard today!). Then I came home and dozed -- > and we missed the Christmas broadcast!!! Sheesh!! > > I can't tell you how many horrible mistakes I made as Crystal's father. > I can't tell you how many times we felt like giving up a few years ago. > I can tell you that the discouragement, the fear, the trying and trying > and trying again, and all the pain -- was worth it and more. I can tell > anyone who feels like giving up that there is great victory and power if > one keeps trying and having faith in promises from Father. > > And I can tell you that there's nothing more wonderful than seeing > promises fulfilled. > > > *jeep! > --Chet > > PS: All the "Everything Going Wrong" problems solved themselves within > hours after the sealing. Satan runs like the very devil from freshly > endowed and sealed couples, doesn't he? > > "Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you > are doing the impossible." > > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// // > /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// > /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// > //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// / > > > ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
