Swaddled Babies

For family home evening, I asked Miss V to pick an activity from the December Friend magazine, and she found a 10 Days of Jesus page. We picked two of the activities together. We watched Sister Joy D. Jones talk from the Christmas devotional about how Christ is the gift who keeps on giving. We drew pictures of the baby Jesus while we watched.

The other day at the dinner table I was explaining that Christ lived a perfect life, and Miss V piped in, "I'm perfect, too!" Well, she's not wrong... We talked about how before children reached the age of understanding and accountability, around 8 years old, they are considered perfect in Heavenly Father's eyes, and don't require repentance or baptism. Obviously, Jesus Christ was perfect in totality, and His understanding came at a much younger age, but I'm grateful Miss V is thinking about how the gospel topics relate to her.

I know Jesus is the Savior and Messiah, that He came to be the Example of how we can live full of compassion and love. I know that what He taught applies to me today, and that He suffered in Gethsemane for me and my children, and my husband, and every other person in this world. He did all of this so that we might overcome death and our shortcomings and sins to become perfect like Heavenly and Christ. So we can live as families with Them again. What a blessing to be able to share this earthly experience with my little swaddled babies, entrusted to me by their loving Father in Heaven.

I'm a Mormon Profile

While weeding my "garden," which is technically the rose bushes my landlord planted along our sidewalk, the missionaries from my congregation stopped by and invited me to create a profile on mormon.org. I love getting on there and watching the videos. I've sat there watching them for hours, because they just make me feel so good. I created my profile, which isn't nearly as impressive as any of those with a video, but it shares some experiences. http://mormon.org/me/9BXT/Nicole

I've been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my entire life, baptized at 8-years-old, with a pioneer heritage that came west with the Saints shortly after the church was restored. I've learned about some other religions, and am just impressed with how many truths are found throughout the world. We believe that Christ established His church on the earth when He came to atone for each one of us. He had apostles and leaders, but after Christ was resurrected, and then returned to Heaven, there was wickedness, and the apostles were killed, and the priesthood keys they held were taken from the earth. Because Heavenly Father loves His children, He brought the fulness of Christ's gospel and church back to the earth, with latter-day prophets. The priesthood keys have been restored, and each individual can know for him or herself. Everyone can receive personal revelation, and receive help with struggles we have.

Some of the sisters I met on my mission!

Some of the happiest times in my life are when I get to talk about the gospel and share my testimony of these restored truths. One thing I learned while I was a missionary was that the scriptures, including the Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, and other books, can really answer questions that we have about our families, marriages, priorities, and our eternal purpose.

If you do have any questions, check out mormon.org, The Holy Bible, and The Book of Mormon. Don't be afraid to ask Heavenly Father about your life. I know He and Jesus Christ care about each one of us, and have made it possible to repent and start over anew whenever we need to make changes in our lives.

A Day in Heaven

For our first anniversary, Zak and I returned to the place where we married, the Logan LDS Temple.  As part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that everyone who didn't get a chance to hear about the gospel and be baptized while on the earth will have the opportunity after they die.  Members of the Church get to act as proxies for the people, and be baptized in their place.  We also believe in eternal marriage, with which a couple and family can be sealed together for time and all eternity, not just "till death do you part."  I've heard about people renewing their vows.  At the Temple, we can hear the commandments and promises given, as we act as proxy for couples and their children.  It really was so peaceful, and sweetly romantic, kneeling across the altar from Zak.  I love him, and we are blessed.  One of the women in the Temple with us had done family history, and found members of her family who lived in Austria-Hungary generations ago.  They got the information behind the iron curtain.  After we finished, she mentioned that her congregation had time set aside that day to attend the Temple, which they called "A Day in Heaven."  I can't think of a better place to be.