Too Much to Say

There's so much to say about this week- J's family is in town visiting us (Yay! We have room for house guests!), my Dad's cousin and her husband came up from California to visit for a day, Ernie is over her cold, and life is wonderful. I'm sure once I get the pictures in order, you'll hear about all this in LOTS of detail. Or not.

However, the most important thing happened Friday morning: my little brother, Boy/Uncle Bear, went through the temple for the first time. This is a huge occasion for Latter-day Saints, as this is the time we make eternal covenants with our Heavenly Father- we make promises to Him, and in return we receive promises of blessings.

King Benjamin explained it very well (Mosiah 2:22-24) (taken from LDS.org, online scriptures)

22 And behold, all that he ^arequires of you is to ^bkeep his commandments; and he has ^cpromised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth ^dvary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do ^ekeep his ^fcommandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 And secondly, he doth ^arequire that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately ^bbless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

I found a picture from 2004, when my oldest (younger) brother went through the temple. So fun to see, and I am so grateful to have been raised in a family that raised me in the Gospel. My parents both made the decision to join this church when they were younger, before they ever met. I will be grateful for their decision every day of my life.

Here is our family picture from Friday. Boy, J, Me, Mom, and Dad

Here is our family picture from 2004, when R went through the temple. In this picture, we're only missing my twin sister! Amazing that in 3 years we've gone from only missing one to missing 3 when there are 5 people in the picture!

I'm hoping some day soon we'll be able to have every one in town so we can go in together: Mom, Dad, Me, J, LoLo, LoGung, Boy, and R. As LoLo and LoGung are on the East Coast right now, and Boy is leaving for his mission in a few weeks...it could be a few years!