Latter-day Saint Temples: A Conversation with a Church Leader

My friend, Shauna, said,  "This is the best explanation I have heard about what goes on inside a Mormon Temple."  You can also see this video by clicking here.  

The Tender Mercies of the Lord by Elder Bednar

click on the arrow to see the movie

"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us..." 

David Bednar

April 2005 General Conference

Monrovia/Duarte Seminary

What a great way to start each day.

We are studying the New Testament this year.  

Getting to Know You...

Recently I had the opportunity of being in charge of selecting a “getting to know you” game.  Of course I consulted my daughters to see if they had any ideas.   Renee came up with a good suggestion.  I liked her idea, modified it, and named it.  This is the end result:

Introducing:  ME!

1. What is you favorite place on earth?
2. What is your dream job?
3. Tell about someone who changed your life for the better.
4. What is your idea of a satisfying day?
5. What is something that you’re good at?
6. What’s your favorite line from any movie?
7. What is set as the background on your computer?
8. What is your best scar?  Tell the story of how you got it.
9. Is there a story behind your name?  What is it?
10. Tell about a time when you went outside of your comfort zone.
11. What was your favorite childhood toy?
12. What famous line did your parent(s) use over and over?
13. Tell about a valuable piece of advice that someone has given you.
14. What are your three favorite spices?  
15. Tell about an unusual ability that you have.
16. Describe a family member that you admire
17. Tell about a time of your life that you feel nostalgic about.
18. What is the story behind the most liked status/picture on your social media page. 

How to play:  

Print up and pass out the questions.  Without delay, tell the group that they will each be given the opportunity to answer any question.  A question can be answered more than once, because no question will have the same answer.  No one will be called on to answer a question.  Whoever is playing can volunteer to answer a question when there is a lull in the action.    To help this game be successful, don’t delay in starting after the questions are passed out.  When I’ve played this game, I’ll start as soon as the instructions are given.  I’ll usually answer #9....because I have an interesting story behind how my parents chose my name.  

I have played this game twice.  Once at an adult gathering and once with teenagers.  It was equally successful with both age groups.  

I’ll have to say, the funniest answers were given to question #8.  The question that no one answered each time I played it was #14.  

Have fun!

You can print up the link below, cut into fours, and pass out the list of questions. 

Reader's Digest quote

I found this quote in the July/August 2012 Reader's Digest magazine.  

Angels Among Us

What would you think if you received this text?

We got her out.   Locksmith came and did it for free cuz baby was inside.

As I was driving home from the store on Saturday, I did, indeed, get this text from Janelle.

I sent a text back: 

What? 

When I didn’t hear back, I called her cell phone and Dave explained the situation of why Janelle sent the text.  

Janelle wrote about what happened in her weekly letter to Lisa:

Me and Savannah washed Dad’s car on Saturday.  I put her in the front seat while I drove it back into the garage.  I gave her the keys while I got out of the car to walk around to get her out (cuz she LOVES keys, and she LOVES playing in the car).  In the three seconds I was out, she had pushed the button on the keychain that locks the car.  She was in there for about an hour.  She was having a ball the whole time.  Only cried for about three minutes towards the end, which means mom cried more than she did.  Dave and I tried getting her to push the right buttons the right way….Dave has broken into the car before, but it takes a lot of time, and helps if the window is down even a crack.  Nothing worked.  So we finally called a locksmith who came right out and opened it in like two seconds.  He did it for free cuz there was a baby in there.  We were very grateful. 

While I was at the store, Janelle called our house to talk out the situation with Scott.  Because I was at the store, I was oblivious to the drama that was taking place in Rexburg. (hence my confusion over the text)  Of course Scott was concerned and felt very powerless to help with the situation.  After some time of feeling anxious and helpless, he did the only thing he could do. He offered a heartfelt prayer.  He pleaded for an angel to come help get Savannah out. 

Scott’s prayer was indeed answered.  An angel, namely the locksmith, came and quickly remedied the situation. 

I know that God does hear our prayers. And I know that he sometimes sends angels to answer our prayers.  

This situation reminds me of a talk Elder Holland gave in conference in October 2008 entitled:  The Ministry of Angels

...I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods... Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind....

...My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. “[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.” Moroni 7:36 On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. .....the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us.....

Oh, did I mention that up until Saturday Janelle and Dave only had one key to that car?  They are now the proud owners of two keys to their car.  

Have you ever wondered what it's be like to be a missionary?

I always enjoy reading Lisa's weekly email.   Her sister, Rachel, asked a few questions and here is Lisa's response to one of her questions:

Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder how on earth you ended up in Argentina on a mission???? 

yeah, like all the time.  but not when i wake up in the morning.  it´s usually when i´m crossing the railroad tracks into a different barrio and there are a ton of horses just hangin' out, or when a drunk guy asks me if i am god (true story), or when it's pouring rain and i'm walking through the mud to an appointment, or when i just spent 45 minutes in some stranger's house speaking to them IN SPANISH about the restoration, or when i'm "showering" from a bucket because we have no water pressure again, or when we help make a billion empanadas from scratch.  it's kinda crazy to think back to how i got here.  definitely an inspired decision.

She also wrote a follow up on this story:  

i'm with some of the gobelli fan club.  we had a cita (appointment) with one of their mom's, but she wasn't home, so we sat on the sidewalk and taught the group of kids about the plan de salvación.  after we got home we discovered that we had a TON of bug bites on our legs (looks like flea bites?).  so worth it.... 

Two weeks later:

okay, and here´s the best story of the week:  remember my story about contacting a mom of someone in the gobelli fan club (see july 16 letter...her husband died 7 years ago and she just feels empty).  we pass by her house all the time and she's been avoiding us--havn't had a lesson yet.  we keep passing by because i felt like we were really guided to find her.  well, finally on thursday, we had a few free minutes so we pass by, expecting to get turned away again.  but she says, "well, like, what´s your message like?  do you know what happens after this life, or no?"  YES!  before her husband died, she told him that if were to die before she did, to come back and give her a sign that there is life after death.  she's been disappointed because after 7 years, there hasn't been any sign from him.  we spent quite a bit of time standing there in her polleria (chicken shop) testifying about the resurrection, the spirit world, kingdoms of glory, our purpose in life, etc.  after a bit, she said, "you know, i dreamed about you girls the other night.  and my husband was there too.  he was chewing me out for not listening to you.  he said i should."  and that was super cool, because then we could testify that the things we were teaching were true, that her husband was learning these same things and wanted her to know them too.  i am excited for our lesson with her tomorrow.

We love you, Lisa!  Keep up the good work!  

Grandpa + Granddaughter = Magical

Arriving in Rexburg from California

Breakfast with Grandpa

Lions and tigers and bears.

Oh my!

 Catch me, Grandpa!

 Playing dollies

Enjoying the beach together....

Reading stories....

 At the LA zoo....

 Puzzle time

Catch, Grandpa!

Playing blast off....

We'll be together again real soon.....

Cousins!

Goodbye, Dane!  

We'll see you in two years.

Good Things to Come - Happy Father's Day

I’ve had similar experiences to the story told in the video as a little girl with my father and family in Fernley, Nevada.  Also as a wife and mother with Scott, in Victorville, Calif.  I’m grateful for the fathers and husbands in our lives who have the courage to always keep moving ahead when faced with difficult  trials.  Happy Father’s Day!

You an also see the video by clicking here

The closing two paragraphs are my favorite words from the video:  

Just two weeks ago, I drove by that exact spot. For just an instant, I thought perhaps I saw on that side road an old car with a devoted young wife and two little children. Just ahead of them, I imagined that I saw a young fellow walking toward Kanarraville, the weight of a young father's fear evident in his pace.

In that imaginary instant, I couldn't help calling out to him, "Don't you quit! You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead." Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come till heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.