Thankful Thursday

Everything I am most thankful for can be related in one way or another to this building. For those who don't know this is the Latter-Day Saint Temple in Los Angeles. It's where Jacob and I got married almost 7 years ago. It's where my parent's got married almost 34 years ago. It's because of this building that I can live with my family for time and for all eternity. It's because of this building that my family is eternal.

This building is a symbol of what we believe.... and I will share a little of that with you today (whoever you are....)

On Sunday I bore my testimony for the first time in a VERY VERY VERY VERY long time. It's really a combination of me not being a very eloquent person and being really distracted in sacrament meeting so I don't always feel the spirit that is there. Kira and Jacob had to stay at home on Sunday because Kira had a fever and I had to go to church so Jacob got the day off... except not really since he had to stay home with Kira... ANYWAY...

I was sitting there on my own and looking around, and as I looked in the rows across from me i saw one of the boys in primary was trying to sneak a little sip from his little sister's sippy cup but he didn't want anyone to see him (cause he's gonna turn 8 this year and he's too big to drink from sippy cups) and while he slllloooowwwwlllly snuck over to grab the cup and then shrink down behind the chairs so no one could see him and then take a super quick sip and then sllloooowwwwllly put the cup back in his mom's bag, a couple of things occurred to me...in sort of a string of thoughts..... 1 - I LOVE my calling, it's weird to say but I LOVE each and EVERY one of those kids... even the ones that don't listen.... 2 - I LOVE my calling so much, that I get to spend my sundays with these kids, and these kids are so great. They are really trying to do what's right. They are trying to live the way they were taught, because believe in the gospel or not, trying to be the best person you can be is tough at any age and a good goal to have in life... 3 - Our Heavenly Father must look at us the same way I look at Kira or my nieces and nephews or these primary children.... HE loves us, just like I loved this little boy in that minute, just like I love Kira ALL the time, even when she makes me SO mad I want to hand her off to my mother and come back in 17 years.... and that's when it happened... I felt my heart beat so fast and it wouldn't slow down and I knew I was gonna have to get up... walk ALL the way up to the pulpit and actually talk in it. In front of 100's of people I don't really know, who don't know me and I'll venture to say will never remember me once we move out of this place..... but I had to. I had to get up... but Jacob wasn't there..... and so I wanted to share because like I said, I'm not a very eloquent person. Writing tends to be a better medium for me, even if I'm not really great at it... but he wasn't there and I want him and eventually Kira and whoever else has doubted my testimony to know that I KNOW the gospel of Jesus Christ is the true and everlasting gospel.

I know that Heavenly Father knows me, loves me and is concerned about me. This really struck me on Sunday because we have been having such a hard year and I have sometimes doubted my own testimony. Things I know are true were suddenly hard to believe, but on Sunday it all came back to me... in that little moment (weird? I don't know?) I know that Christ is my Savior and has walked with me during these hard times. It brings comfort to me to know this.

On Sunday I also said and will repeat... I am so thankful for a husband who loves me. For the example he has set for us in our home about service and love and that he has honored his priesthood and has been able to give me blessings and the comfort that I needed from those blessings. I am thankful for the father he is. He is the best father, I know everyone says that about their husbands and dads but he is the best father for Kira.

I am thankful for Kira - even though she makes me crazy! I love her excitement to go to Primary every week and learn the music and hear the stories about Jesus. I am thankful for the mother she is making me into.... (patience has never been a virtue I possess) Jacob and Kira are my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Like I said last week there are 500 other things that I'm thankful for but for right now this is what it upmost and top in my mind........