11 years!

When you think about what "eternity" means, and what it means to have an eternal family (one that NEVER ends), it's kind of mind-boggling.  The greatest blessing, to me, about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, is the knowledge we have of eternal families, and the authority we have to perform those sacred ordinances in bind families together forever.  This doesn't mean all just being together...it means maintaining the same family relationships we have here, eternally.  Mom and Pops will always be my parents.  James, Steven, and Michael will always be my brothers.  When I get married (and sealed in a temple), my husband will always be my husband, and our kids will always be our kids.  And so on.  It extends backwards to Adam, and forwards to the end of "time."  It is a wonderful, amazing, HUGE blessing, and is the purpose of life.  It's the purpose of everything we do.  God created the earth so we could come here, gain a body and experience, and return to live with Him...in families.  Without families, there would be no point to anything, and definitely no point to life.  Cuz come on, who wants to be alone eternally, without any kind of relationship with anyone?  The Atonement of Christ happened so that we could have this blessing.  Everything centers around Christ, and Christ's sacrifice centers around fulfilling the Lord's purpose, in bringing all His children home, in families.  Eternal families.  I can't imagine thinking I'd be married to someone just "for now", while we're both on earth.  I can't imagine having children, and then having nothing to do with them after I die.  I can't imagine eternal life without my parents, my brothers, all my family.  My family is the center of my world!

On December 1, 2001, I entered the recently-dedicated Boston temple with my parents and my brothers for what would be a life-changing event.  That was the day that we were sealed together.  I remember thinking, in my 12-year-old mind, that this meant my brothers and I had to try harder to get along.  We never fought a ton, but as all siblings do, we had our squabbles and pushed each other's buttons.  I remember consciously trying harder, and hoping my brothers were too, to make sure we got along better.  After all, this was the beginning of eternity together!  That was 11 years ago today, and thinking about eternity....11 years is less than the blink of an eye!

I have the privilege of working in the Temple each Saturday morning.  This means I get to see people coming through doing proxy ordinances for their deceased ancestors, family members, and loved ones. I see the love and joy written on these people's faces, as they do something that the deceased cannot.  I see the happiness in their eyes as they add another member to their eternal family.  Today after my shift, I stayed longer and got to participate in some proxy sealings.  I didn't know any of the people who were sealed today, nor any of the other people who were in the room with me (with the exception of one sister who works my shift as well).  But it was incredible to be a part of that.  The sealing ordinance, the binding of families together for eternity, is truly the crowning ordinance.  There is no way not to smile in a sealing room, thinking about my own family and that special day 11 years ago, and thinking about all the good that is being done, and all the people who are now privileged to have these ordinances done for them, sometimes after hundreds of years. 

There are a few things I can specifically point to and say "that changed my life"...and December 1, 2001 was one of those days, with our family's sealing.  I see it in my mind like it was yesterday.  I remember not the words that were said, nor all the people who were there to witness it, nor the details of the white dress I got to wear, but I do remember the feeling of happiness, pure joy, and love that filled that small room as I knelt at the altar with my whole family.  The gospel is the greatest gift that the Lord has ever given me in my life...it is what has led to everything good in my life.  I can attribute it all back to the decision I made to be baptized and follow the true gospel of Christ.  And on that note, while in the temple today, I got a big prayer answered, one that's left me uneasy for days.  And it came through the simple words of a friend I ran into while there.  The gospel is amazing.  

If you are not familiar with the Church, feel free to ask me questions about it, or visit the church websites, http://www.lds.org or http://www.mormon.org, which are both available in many languages. You can also talk to local missionaries, or friends you may have that are also members of the Church. I do not know everyone who reads my blog, nor where you are in life or anything about you, but I do know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is for you.  This is the restored Church of Jesus Christ on this earth, with the same doctrine and organization as the Church He established when He was on earth.  This is the way to true happiness.  If you feel that you have everything you need right now, and that you are already happy....trust me when I say that there is even more happiness available to you, and you have a loving Heavenly Father who wants to bless you even more.  But don't take MY word for it...do what I did.  Pray and ask God if it's true.  Ask Him if this is what you need in life.  And be willing to and follow the answer you receive.  He will answer; He always does!