Salt Lake Temple

The Temple is the House of the Lord.  I am so grateful for the temples that we have on the earth today.  I am so blessed to live so close to both the Salt Lake Temple and the Bountiful Temple and I am so grateful for the blessings that we receive therein.  This quote is from the April 1993 General Conference and is from President Gordon B Hinckley talking about the anniversary of the dedication of the Salt Lake Temple.

"Now let me return to April 6, 1893. A terrible storm arose that day. Rain fell in torrents, and the wind blew with savage fury. It was as if the forces of evil were lashing out in violent protest against this act of consecration.

But all was peace and quiet within the thick granite walls. The aged prophet, then eighty-six, led the way to the beautiful fifth-floor assembly room. The room was filled to capacity in this, the first of forty-one sessions. After appropriate preliminary expressions in music and speech, President Woodruff stepped to the pulpit at the east end of the room and offered the prayer of dedication.

It was a moving and powerful prayer. It was an expression of the hearts of those who love the Lord.

It was followed by a wondrous voicing of the Hosanna Shout by all assembled. The choir then burst forth with Evan Stephens’s setting of those same words of praise to the Almighty: “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb!”

Then the congregation joined in singing, “The Spirit of God like a Fire is burning,” which had first been sung at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple."

Pleadings

Prayer is such an important part of my life.  It is a time in which I get to talk with my Heavenly Father and let him know how I am doing.  Just as I am interest in what my children have done and learned, so to is our Heavenly Father waiting to hear about our days.  He wants to know how we are feeling and what we are thinking.  He waits to bless us if we will but ask.  He wants what is best for us.  This quote is from Elder Russell M Nielson in the April 2011 General Conference when he said,

"If we pray with an eternal perspective, we need not wonder if our most tearful and heartfelt pleadings are heard. This promise from the Lord is recorded in section 98 of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord … and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.

“Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.”⁸

The Lord chose His strongest words to reassure us! Seal! Testament! Sworn! Decreed! Immutable covenant! Brothers and sisters, believe Him! God will heed your sincere and heartfelt prayers, and your faith will be strengthened."

Forget Me Not

President Uchtdorf said it best in the Relief Society session of the October 2011 General Conference when he said,

"The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us."





Participate

From the First Presidency Message in the July 2002 Ensign, President James E Faust said,

"Francis Webster, a member of the Martin Company, stated, “Everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.”⁷ I hope that this priceless legacy of faith left by the pioneers will inspire all of us to more fully participate in the Lord’s work of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children."

Here is another photo I took at Martins Cove in central Wyoming.  I think of those Saints there in Martins Cove exactly 155 years ago today.  They were in the cove in a blizzard from November 4th to the 9th of 1856. 

Worth of Souls

In life we experience many ups and downs.  The adversary continually works to make sure that we stay down as much as possible.  However, Heavenly Father wants us to experience joy.  I love this quote from Elder Uchtdorf during the October 2011 General Conference when he said,

"But even though man is nothing, it fills me with wonder and awe to think that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.”⁷

And while we may look at the vast expanse of the universe and say, “What is man in comparison to the glory of creation?” God Himself said we are the reason He created the universe! His work and glory—the purpose for this magnificent universe—is to save and exalt mankind.⁸ In other words, the vast expanse of eternity, the glories and mysteries of infinite space and time are all built for the benefit of ordinary mortals like you and me. Our Heavenly Father created the universe that we might reach our potential as His sons and daughters.

This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it."