Uniting Families for Eternity
As we shared the message of "Uniting Families for Eternity" this last week, three words jumped out at us Empowerment, Unite and Build. As we go to the temple to perform these sacred ordinances for our ancestors we receive a blessing of Empowerment as we renew our own temple covenants whilst performing the ordinances for them. We receive a gift of power to make it through this life of temptations and stress to find the joy and ability to overcome our own personal difficulties. The Kirkland temple dedicatory prayer included the following (Doctrine and Covenants 109:22):
And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy aname may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine bangels have charge over them;
As we perform these ordinances for our ancestors, we are helping Heavenly Father to Unite His family, which brings Him great joy and is answered with blessings upon our heads. We become as President Gordon B. Hinckley said, like 'saviors' to them.
“Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the temple, become as saviors to those on the other side who have no means of advancing unless something is done in their behalf by those on earth.”
In the temple work we perform we Build our own Eternal Family. We become one family united for eternity and hence why it is so important to seek to find our ancestors so that we can perform the uniting temple ordinances for them that we all might be made perfect (complete). As recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants 128:15, we read:
"And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect."
Our Preston England Temple:
A Trip to the Temple with Ben Lowerson
This has been an incredible week as we worked to help prepare Ben Lowerson to go to the Preston Temple to receive his Endowment. Ben joined the church 1 year ago as an 18 year old and has embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ with every fiber of his being. He is the youngest and only member in his family-- he has wonderful supportive parents. He is preparing now to serve a mission. We have been teaching him in institute for the last year. The day before he left for Utah to visit friends there he served in the temple all day. Here is a text message he sent us:
"It was amazing! Once you guys left after my endowment, Elders Ferrell, Palmer and I went to get lunch, visited the bookstore and saw Beth, then we went back to the temple and did sealings at 2. They were really good, I loved doing them but my thighs were shaking half way through lol, for like 10 minutes after I finished my knees were wobbling around the temple lol. We then went and did initatories which was fun. We then asked the temple president if we could go to the baptistery and he let us, we went down and an MTC district or two was there, ferrell and palmer helped as witnesses and stuff in the baptistery, and I did all the confirmations for all the mtc missionaries which I had a blast doing, then a lady came with 60 names! Ferrell and palmer took turns baptising, and I did 15 of the 45 male confirmations, and sat as proxy for another 22. We then went to the Celestial room for like an hour and abit, it was such an incredible experience. We then finished the day by getting some Belgian chocolate milk 🥛."
Here is Ben's facebook post after his special day: "Today I went to the Preston Temple for my endowment! I’m so grateful that I was able to go with some of my closest friends. It was such a beautiful experience and I can’t wait to return to the temple! I have been a member now for 13 months and have been excited to receive my endowment for some time and it was definitely well worth the wait! I feel so blessed."
Santa Delights Young and Old (Alex Miller)
Alex Miller is 37 years old (striped shirt) and lives in an assisted care facility. He was born 12 weeks early and suffered many issues as a result as he fought for his life as an infant. He has suffered from Cerebral Palsy all his life. His parents (Brother Miller on right) sought for the faith, prayers and fasting of everyone they knew in the stake when Alex was born. It was a miracle he survived. As he grew up his parents taught him of the miracle of his life. He has faithfully attended church all his life and received all the recognition that any other youth would receive in the church. He graduated from Seminary and Institute. Every chance he gets he shares his testimony of the Love of God for him and the miracle of his life. What an example for us. He is funny and joyful in his circumstances and was so overjoyed to receive a visit from Santa. Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it!
Visit to President David Clare and Sister Jayne Clare's Home
This last week we had a senior missionary gathering at President and Sister Clare's home. It is always a treat to visit them because of the beautiful decorating and warm and welcoming atmosphere they create.
Harwood House
Before we visited the mission home for a senior missionary Christmas gathering, we visited the Harwood House. Harewood House is an 18th century stately country home, approximately eight miles north of Leeds city centre. One of the Treasure Houses of England (a collection of the foremost stately homes in England), this historic Georgian property also features extensive gardens, a serene lake, an impressive bird garden, and a small animal farm. Designed by York architect John Carr and interior designer Robert Adam, the Grade I-listed building was built between 1759 and 1771 for Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, a wealthy West Indian plantation owner. England’s greatest gardener, Capability Brown, designed its famous 1,000-acre gardens. Harwood house was a favorite filming location for the Downton Abbey film in 2018 and two seasons of ITV's Victoria.
No Flag to Fly ? - Try a Tree
In this beautiful time of year of Christmas trees and decorations we noticed an interesting sight. A whole town of people had stuffed Christmas trees in their flag pole holders on the sides of the buildings. Try it next year on your home !
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