Temple

I went to the temple today. First time in a long time (I won't say how long because its pretty sad). I left little Abby with her Dad and went to enjoy my morning in the Temple.

It was an adventure getting there. It is always an adventure going to the temple. I have never had a time when everything went perfect and smoothly on my way to the temple. No matter how much I plan I feel like I am always screeching in right before the session starts.

Last night I laid out all my clothes, got my temple bag ready, got my recommend in my temple bag and set my alarm. I had a really stressful day and it took me forever to fall asleep. And then sweet little Abby woke up what felt like 100 times that night. So when my alarm went off I was exhausted, but I was determined to make it to the 9:30 session. I rushed through the shower and got ready. Woke Abby up and fed her and then rushed out the door.

On my out the road I take was closed for unannounced road construction. I took a different road and then a car pulled out in front of me to make a left turn and almost hit me. It was crazy, but I made it to the temple despite satan's best efforts to thwart me.

There is so much peace in the temple. It felt so wonderful to be there again. To be reminded of my Savior's love for me and to be reminded of the covenants I have made.

I love the Temple and I am grateful I have the opportunity to live so close to the Holy house of the Lord.

This church is true. I know it. 

Last Day of October!

Happy Halloween! Lacee and I decided that we would have all of our Virtue experiences done by the end of October... I'm really pushing it!

Value Experience 3

Alma Chapter 5. The questions Alma asks:

Verse 11 Alma asks about his father Alma who listened to the words of the prophet Abinadi. He then asks the people if they believe that Abinadi was a prophet. In order to be worthy to enter the temple and in order to keep the covenants you make there you have to believe that Abinadi was a prophet, and that Alma was a prophet, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that our prophet today still receives revelation from the Lord.

Verse 14 -15 Alma asks have we been spiritually born of God? Have we received his image in your countenances? Have we had a mighty change of heart? Do we exercise faith? Do we see ourselves standing before the Lord? These are all very good questions to think about before we enter the temple for the first time and even every time after that. These are all things that I am continuing to work on. When others see me I hope they see a women that is striving to align her life with what the Lord wants for her.

Value Experience 4
Repentance
Having little Abby it is hard to sit and feel the spirit while taking the sacrament. And it will be years and years before I have a peaceful sacrament meeting experience. But I try and think of the covenants I am making and renewing. Repentance is something I need to work harder at. When I do something wrong I don't really go through all the steps. I hope that Heavenly Father can see my heart and that I really am trying to do better. But I think that really going through the steps of repentance can help to bring healing and helping not to do those things wrong again. I want to be able to teach my children repentance, and how much I love them and how much their Heavenly Father loves them when they repent of the things they have done wrong.

Well that finishes the value experiences from Virtue. Over this next year I will continue to read the Book of Mormon for the value project. I am grateful that I am working on this again. I hope that this will help me to continue to build my testimony and help me to be a better mother and wife. I have a testimony of this gospel, but sometimes I feel like I am not doing all that I can. I want to be better, because when I do all of these things I feel better about myself. I fell like the kind of women I want to be. I have been really happy lately. Kyle has been gone a lot at work, so I've been alone a lot with Abby. My love for that little girl grows stronger each day. I don't know what I would do without her. She is so precious and I can't get enough of her. I can't believe that she is part of me. She is a special little spirit. I hope that I can be a good example to her. I hope that she loves this gospel with all her heart, and that she holds to it and never lets go. This really is the way to happiness. True and pure happiness. I know that.

Virtue Experience Value 2

This value experience talks about how living a virtuous life will bring you the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

John 14:26-27: This scripture talks about how the Holy Ghost is a comforter and that he will give you peace. "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid". Today was a really rough day. Abby was all out of wack and didn't want to sleep, or be held, or play. She just wanted to be miserable...and that made me miserable. Days like this make it hard to find "peace". It makes me nervous about my ability to be a mother and have lots of kids. When I read a scripture like this I feel like he is talking straight to me. Telling me not to worry and that he will take care of my short comings. I like knowing I can count on him.

2 Nephi 32:1-5: This scripture talks about how we need to ask what it is we should do and he will guide us to the light.

D&C 45:57-59 : This scripture promises us that if we receive the truth and take the Holy Ghost as a guide that our children will grow up without sin unto salvation. That is a promise that I can live with :)


D&C 88:3-4: This scripture promises us that the Holy Ghost is the way to eternal life and the celestial kingdom

D&C 121:45-46:  I LOVE this scripture! It promises you confidence in yourself and in the teachings of Christ.

There have been many times in my life that the Holy Ghost has guided me. One of the biggest and probably the most important time that I asked for his guidance was when I needed to know if I should marry Kyle. I felt such peace and happiness when I thought about my future with Kyle. There is a scripture that talks about how you will know it in your heart and in your mind. And I did, there was no confusion. Just peace. And that is how we can know that we are making the right decision. The Holy Ghost will bring us peace.

Virtue Experience Value 1

Lacee and I decided that since the project for Virtue is to read the entire Book of Mormon we better get started with that. So we are going to do the Required value experience and try and get them done by the end of October. We are also going to try and read a chapter and half each day so that we can finish the Book of Mormon in a year. This value experience asked me to read Moroni 9:9, Jacob 2:28, "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"; the section on Sexual Purity in For the Strength of Youth; the 13th Article of Faith and Proverbs 31:10-31.

These were some beautiful scriptures. I especially enjoy reading Proverbs 31:10-31 about a virtuous women. That is the kind of mother and wife I hope to be. The women that I picture in that scripture is a women of power and strength. She has courage and she works hard. She is smart and resourceful. She is kind and loving. I think that all of these traits are already in me, Heavenly Father has given me everything I need. I just need to work hard to bring those traits out. Its not going to happen all at once but I know that by working hard I will become the women I want to be.

Today I read the first two chapters on 1st Nephi. I know I've read them a thousand times but its amazing how I will always find something new. 1 Nephi 2:16, Nephi shares an experience he had with prayer. Lehi has taken the family out of Jerusalem and into the wilderness because of a vision he had. Nephi goes to the Lord and cries unto him to know if what his father had spoken was true. The spirit came to him and testified of the truthfulness of his fathers words. I thought that this was interesting because you never hear of Laman and Lemuel going and praying to find out if their father was really a prophet. They saw many marvelous things or "signs" as some people call them. But they still could not keep their testimonies strong. Maybe that's why Heavenly Father doesn't send us all angels to let us know the church is true. It is only by prayer and dedication that we can keep our testimonies strong like Nephi and not falter and lose our way like Laman and Lemuel.