Category Archives: Temples

Nearer, My God, To Thee

08 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Angels, Dreams, Faith, General, Jesus Christ, Temples

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A few weeks ago, I learned something I thought already knew.

It reminded me of those pictures that have hidden images within the artwork. The art is nice, but if we spend a little more time looking, we can discover all the secrets that are hiding there. These images have always been there, we just didn’t look closely enough at first glance.

hidden animals

I learned all over again, that the temple ordinances really are the pinnacle of our gospel goals, and should be the focus of our own individual spiritual development, and the best way that each of us can really be connected with Heaven.

I knew that temples had always been and important part of our religion. But, I didn’t quite realize how prevalent the ordinances, endowments, blessings, and promises were throughout the scriptures.

The temple has always been taught in scripture. If we look specifically for the word “temple” we can find several obvious instances in the Bible where it is mentioned. When Jesus went missing at the young age of 12, Mary and Joseph found him teaching the elders in front of it.

295

Jesus again visited the temple during his ministry. This time to turn over the tables of the money changers right outside its walls.

JesusClearsChangers520x545-56a145753df78cf772690ada

There are many, many other references to the temple, or its ordinances that are in the scriptures. To find them, we just have to look, and listen a little more carefully to see more clearly.

Even if we are familiar with the existence of these ancient Temples, we sometimes don’t seem to associate them with our modern temples. Especially when we think about our own ordinances. We don’t think Solomon’s temple has much to do with the one we drive by on the way to Costco.

Model-of-the-Temple

We seem to think that what takes place today inside these beautiful buildings is somehow vastly different than what took place anciently. But, while there may be some differences in the implementation of the temple ordinances, I think there are many more similarities than we really understand. After all, we believe the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored, not created anew.

Tijuana_Temple2_2015

The importance of the temple has always been taught. Whether by word, or by actions. The Lord’s Prophets have always gathered The Lord’s people to the temple. Why? It is the perfect place to gather for anyone looking to be closer to God.

Here are just a couple examples…

“Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the Lord.”
-Jacob 1:17

“And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.”
-Mosiah 1:18

And of course, the most famous chapter in all of the Book of Mormon. This section describes where the people were in the very moments right before Jesus Christ appeared….

“And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple which was in the land Bountiful; …..”
-3 Nephi 11:1

scriptures-legacy-2-heartland-setting-750w1

We also know that the Lord himself taught the Apostles about the temple and the power it endows us with…

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them…And [they] were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”
-Luke 24:49-53

So the question becomes, what is it specifically that makes the temple so significant to God’s people? What is it that draws the most sincere followers of Christ to its doors? What is it that happens there that makes such a difference? Why do we go? Why should we go?

I think the answer is really plain and simple.

We go for the ordinances.
We go for the covenant blessings we receive.
We go for the endowment of power.
We go for the feeling we get when we enter the Lord’s house.
We go for the assurances we feel when we participate in those ordinances.
We go to be instructed.
We go to become elevated.
We go to be lifted up, and
we go to connect with Heaven.

The covenants we make there literally connect us with Heaven. When we covenant with God, we are connecting ourselves with Him. What closer connection could there be with God, than a covenant connection?

This has always been the case. This is not something that originated in 1836 when Joseph Smith dedicated the Kirtland temple. This has happened since the beginning.

Lets look at a few scripture stories and instead of skimming the surface, and seeing them for what is sitting out in the open, lets look a little closer, and see if anything pops out to us as we read the words. Lets examine these verses through lenses that filter everything into a temple context. Not just the idea of the temple, but specifically the ordinances, blessings, and connections that all happen inside. Lets see if we can pick out any similarities to what we experience today.

We can start at the very beginning. Before any of us are allowed to enter into the temple, we have an interview. In this interview we have the opportunity to really consider ourselves and evaluate our worthiness to enter into the Lord’s House, and participate in the ordinances. During this interview we are asked simple questions regarding our faith, and our relationships with God, and others.

Lets apply the context now. Do we suppose that a similar process to our modern interviews may have taken place 3,000 years ago when someone wished to enter into an ancient Temple?

Lets read Psalm 15 to get a little glimpse…

“Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle?
Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.”
-Psalm 15

Or, again in Psalm 24……

“…Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or
Who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.”
-Psalm 24

One of the most descriptive scriptural passages that highlights the blessings and promises from God in a “temple” sense is the story of Jacob’s ladder in Genesis 28. It describes a vision/dream that Jacob has on a journey from Canaan to seek for a wife from his own people. In that context, let’s read the highlights of the chapter and imagine ourselves preparing for our own temple marriages, and the blessings/ordinances we received in the temple beforehand…

“…And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, … And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place;… this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el:”
-Genesis 28:10-19

The name “Beth-el” translates into “The House of God”.

Jacobs_ladder

So, after Jacob has this amazing experience, he promptly calls the place where this took place, the “House of God”, and the “Gate of Heaven”, and builds an altar, and consecrates it with oil. Then, just a few chapters later in Genesis 32, as Jacob returns towards Caanan, he again meets God, face to face, and receives a new name…

Marion G. Romney lays it out nice and plain for us…

“Pondering upon the subject of temples and the means therein provided to enable us to ascend into heaven brings to mind the lesson of Jacob’s dream. You will recall that in the twenty-eighth chapter of Genesis there is an account of his return to the land of his father to seek a wife from among his own people. When Jacob traveled from Beersheba toward Haran, he had a dream in which he saw himself on the earth at the foot of a ladder that reached to heaven where the Lord stood above it. He beheld angels ascending and descending thereon, and Jacob realized that the covenants he made with the Lord there were the rungs on the ladder that he himself would have to climb in order to obtain the promised blessings—blessings that would entitle him to enter heaven and associate with the Lord.”

Temples are to us all what Bethel was to Jacob. Even more, they are also the gates to heaven for all of our unendowed kindred dead. We should all do our duty in bringing our loved ones through them.”
-Temples—The Gates to Heaven,” Ensign, March 1971, p. 16

The Brother of Jared had a similar experience when he went high on a mountain to converse with the Lord, and inquire about how to light his barges that he had constructed to cross the ocean. During this visit, he heard the voice of the Lord, and saw his finger. Because of his faith, the Lord allowed the Brother of Jared to see him as he was. Listen to the specific words the Lord uses during that exchange…

“And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.”
-Ether 3:13

Ether

Isn’t this what we all want? To be brought back into His presence? The temple does this both literally and symbolically. It tethers us to God. We become his. We commit to Him and He, in turn, empowers us, or endows us with unbelieveable blessings and promises.

The scriptures are rich with these plain and simple truths that are right in front of us, if we just scratch under the surface and look a little deeper. They teach us of the importance of the temple. Not just to redeem the dead, or help us feel the Spirit, but to literally connect us to Heaven. This is our purpose here on earth. And we can be more clear in emphasizing its importance! We are here to learn, and to become what we are meant to be. And the Temple is the earthly place that teaches us how to do just that, and connects us to our Heavenly home.

We all know the famous hymn “Nearer, My God, To Thee”. But, what we may not know, is that it is a hymn about the vision of Jacob’s Ladder from Genesis. In its 3rd verse, it describes in simple words the steps we can take towards heaven, and that all along the way, we will have angels to beckon us upwards along this temple ladder that leads to God.

There, let the way appear, Steps unto Heav’n
All that thou sendest me, In Mercy giv’n
Angels to beckon me, Nearer, My God, To Thee
Nearer, My God, To Thee
Nearer To Thee.

 

The Shining of a Flaming Fire

08 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Temples

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Photo by Rick Satterfield – taken from ldschurchtemples.com

We have all heard that the world is becoming increasingly dark – and it is true.  “The world and the wisdom thereof”1 is clamoring to become an even louder and more influential voice among us, and its “dark clouds of trouble hang o’er us and threaten our peace to destroy” yet we can rest assured that “there is hope smiling brightly before us, and we know that deliverance is nigh”.2 

All over the world and “upon all the face of the earth”, we will find “the church of the Lamb”, and even though our “dominions upon the face of the earth [are] small” we can and will be “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory”.3  

Symbolism is so powerful, and we have “the great symbol of our membership”4 that we can look to every single day to learn exactly how to live in these perilous times.  Every single day, and literally spread throughout the whole earth, there are beautiful temples standing firm, tall, and glorious as a symbol of “all we hold dear”. 5 And each night as the sun goes down and the darkness of night gathers around that temple – it begins to shine.  That darkness comes slowly, and as it does the soft light of the temple begins to glow and we may not even notice it until the natural light of the day is completely gone and darkness is nearing its peak – but each great edifice, each great symbol, stands as a magnificent contrast to the darkness surrounding it as it glows with “the shining of a flaming fire”6 for all to see.

We have learned that “Fire is a symbol for cleansing, purifying, or sanctifying, and that it can also serve as a symbol of God’s presence”7 – and nowhere is this more true or symbolically visible than in his own house when that flaming fire is against a backdrop of complete darkness – it is a reminder for each of us to “stand with brightness” in a world full of darkness – for the whole world to see.

The temple is much more that just a building, and much more than just a sacred place – although it is that.  The temple as a symbol stands for everything that we as latter-day saints proclaim to the earth as unique truth restored through Joseph Smith and the whole reason for existence.  It is the one and only place on earth where eternal families can be forged, where we can learn about where we came from and who we really are.  Each mighty temple is “a standing witness that the power of God can stay the powers of evil in our midst”. 8 It is a constant reminder of the ideal and atoning sacrifice of our savior, how to be like him, and what he did for us.

The world is becoming increasingly dark – this is true – but the world is also becoming increasingly bright.  Each day and each month and each year, there are more and more people and families and homes that have started to glow brighter.  As that darkness becomes more intense, so must our brightness and when the natural light of the day is gone and darkness is found everywhere, we must be found standing tall and firm and true as “the shining of a flaming fire” as a very visible contrast to the prevailing darkness of the world.  Let us all stand with the light of the world, and the light of all truth – even Jesus Christ – and continue to fill the world with that light.

Notes

1 1 Ne. 11:35

2 Hymns, no. 196

3 1 Ne. 14:12-14

4 The Great Symbol of Our Membership, by President Howard W. Hunter, Oct. 1994 Ensign

5 Priceless Blessings of the House of the Lord, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson (Chapter 13).

6 2 Ne. 14:5-6, see also Isaiah 4:5.  As Isaiah mentions, the temple is very much a “cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night”.  I think it’s also appropriate the point out that there are 3 places referenced where his glory shall be as a defense and a refuge; the first is “every dwelling place of mount Zion” (our homes), the second is  “her assemblies” (wards, stakes, meeting places), and the third is  “the tabernacle” (the temple).

7 The Guide to the Scriptures – Fire

8 Priceless Blessings of the House of the Lord, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson (Chapter 13).

Crowns

07 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in Marriage, Temples

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A few days ago, my sister was sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple. During the ceremony, the sealer mentioned something that made me think. He said that the ceremony that we were all attending that day was the “crowning” ordinance of the gospel.

When we think of “crowning” in this sense, we might think of it as the pinnacle, or the peak, the top, or the maximum goal achieved. While all of these may be the case, in that moment, I thought of it in a slightly different way.

When he said, “the crowning ordinance” , I thought of it in a much more literal way.  Almost like my sister, and her new husband were there to be “crowned”, or to receive their crown and become a king and a queen. In a way, isn’t that exactly what happened?

Having experienced 15 years of marriage to my queen, I know that is exactly what happened.

If we look at the sealing ceremony as a “crowning” ordinance in this context, it is slightly different as far as its place on our life’s timeline.

Rather than being at the end, achieving the ultimate goal, and reaching the top or pinnacle, we are, instead, just beginning.  A king or a queen, when “crowned” are merely starting their reign. They have their whole life in front of them.  Decisions to make, a family to create, and a personal kingdom to build and rule over.

We learn a lot of things in the temple, and a lot of things that are taught are so unbelievably amazing that they are hard to believe. But, they are true. And if we listen and believe the blessings that are promised us there, the reality of the “crowning” ordinance is made abundantly clear. We are all kings and queens. Or, at least we can be. We just need to live up to our potential. We need to follow the example of our Heavenly King. He has demonstrated the perfect way to be.  We need to listen, learn, and believe the words we hear in the temple. Because if we do, our potential is limitless.

“Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive…”

-D&C 25:15

“And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father. “

-D&C 81:6

“And again, verily I say unto you, I command you again to build a house to my name, even in this place, that you may prove yourselves unto me that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, immortality, and eternal life.”

-D&C 124:55 

Health in the Naval, Marrow in the Bones

18 Saturday Apr 2015

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“And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;”

D&C 89:18

We usually talk about this scripture when we are referencing the Lord’s health law, and talking about how beer, cigarettes, coffee, tea, and caffeinated diet coke (the last one only applies to BYU campus) are the stuff we should stay away from. This part of the scripture is where we are told that we will have physical health and strength if we obey the word of wisdom.

It is a bit interesting that the promised blessings for health are not strictly given by obedience to “these sayings” meaning the word of wisdom, but keeping the word of wisdom AND walking in obedience to the commandments. So, we can’t just eat brussels sprouts, carrots and spinach and expect to be perfectly healthy, its a little more than that.

But I want to concentrate a little more on the next two phrases in the promise, “health in their navel”, and “marrow to their bones”

Does this phrase sound familiar? Is there anywhere else that we hear this promise? If this promise does sound familiar to us, then it is likely that we are, in fact, “walking in obedience to the commandments” by being where we ought to be as often as we can, in the Lord’s house.

The temple teaches us what we are ready to learn, when we are ready to learn it. If we are casual visitors to the Lord’s house, we tend to learn and understand things taught there in a more straightforward way.  Like any relationship, it starts in a simple get to know you kind of way. We may feel a bit nervous when we speak, and we are worried about saying the right thing etc. But, if we go often, and attend regularly, the familiarity with what we listen to and say, allows us to concentrate more on the feeling we get there. We look for deeper understanding that comes when our “confidence waxes strong” This, in turn, allows our spirit to be the learner. We then maybe start to see or hear, or even say things a bit differently, in a way we didn’t quite grasp before.

Lets take the first one, “health in their navel” and think about it for a minute. Does this seems a bit odd for a belly button to be the body part associated with good health? I guess all the cool body parts were taken already? Health in their colon didn’t quite have the same ring to it, I guess. But maybe not. What is just below the surface? Could it mean anything a little more?

What is the navel anyway? besides an awesome place to collect lint, and a great place for kids to stick peas they don’t want to eat, it is a permanent reminder of the umbilical cord. That essential lifeline that once connected us to our mothers, this lifeline fed us, took care of us, helped us grow and develop. From a mother’s perspective, it is a connection, or link, to “posterity”.  Maybe “health in the navel” can mean more than a tummy that doesn’t hurt, or overall health. Maybe we can look at it as a healthy connection, or link to our “posterity”, or a “healthy” connection or link to those who have gone before us? We do learn about these important links in the temple each time we go.

Now, what about the second promise? “Marrow to their bones”. Most people know the basics of bone marrow. It is hugely important in many different ways for our bodies.  It produces red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and also where certain stem cells can be harvested.  If our body were a society, the bone marrow would be the only place where every car, or transport vehicle was built.  That would include all the cop cars (complete with police officers ready to arrest and execute bad guys) and every delivery truck that carries food, and fuel. It would also be where all the garbage trucks are made. It would also be where all the universal spare parts are produced that would be needed to repair any item anywhere. Without bone marrow, you are in a world of hurt. Having marrow in our bones, is really more like having life in our body.

These two blessings are just a drop in the bucket of what we can receive through God’s power and His priesthood. But, if we continue to be where we need to be, and do what we need to do, and visit His house often, He will bless us with His power, and we will be forever connected to our families both in the past and for the future. Just imagine the eternal chain we are creating! Next time we are in God’s house, lets pay special attention to the words we say, and contemplate and ask ourselves, “how do my words affect both me and my posterity”?

Grandma’s House

09 Thursday Apr 2015

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Just like the rest of the world, I remember going to grandma’s house when I was younger.  We’d go and eat all her treats, she’d cook us bacon and then fry eggs in the leftover bacon grease, she’d let us run downstairs and spend hours on end exploring the amazing and completely unfathomable amount of weird things, objects, boxes, toys, tools, and random stuff downstairs, only then to run rampant in her trailer parked outside.  There were so many things to do – and so little time.  I would look at or play with something for 13 seconds, get bored and then move on to the next thing, and on an on and on.  We’d eventually come back upstairs and avoid getting wrapped up too much in ‘old person stuff’ like letters, books, looking at her old and weird furniture, antique pictures, old stories, and the creepy dolls that sat on their little custom made chairs on the shelf next to the TV that we tried to ignore while we were watching cartoons.

At times, especially during the ‘old person stuff’ (times) when the TV wasn’t on, and I wasn’t running free in the basement exploring, it had the tendency to become a bit awkward – or even totally weird, and maybe even smelled funny.  This might have been because grandma was a lot older than me and she just didn’t understand what a 9-year old wanted all the time, or it could have been the opposite, that I didn’t know everything that grandma had to offer a 9-year old, and was therefore unprepared to really get the most out of that precious time.

Think of your grandparents’ house, it has a unique smell, a unique feel, and a unique presence which all scream ‘grandma’.  We all know what it is, and it is different for every home, but they all have that ‘feel’ and can still recognize it instantly.   I may be alone in the fact that there is some awkwardness there, but the fact of the matter is – that awkwardness might be due to the infrequent visits that we’d made over the years growing up.  My grandparents lived a fair distance away and short visits every few months were just enough to rekindle the excitement of her basement and her treats, but they weren’t enough to last past the few hours that we would spend there during that time.  Soon enough, I was bored and found myself looking forward to returning to my own home where I felt more comfortable.

If I am being honest – which I am – going to grandma’s house when I was younger was all about me.  I looked at it as an event to get what I wanted out of it, which was treats, bacon, and some good times in the basement or trailer.  Once I’d had my fill, I was ready to go.  I was young, and I think that is the normal purpose for children at grandma’s house.  I knew then, and I know now, that grandma loved having us there.  She went out of her way to make us feel welcome, loved, and taken care of.  I also know inside her heart of hearts that she wished we had come more often, and that she wished we had spent some more time doing ‘old person stuff’ because that’s where she really saw the magic, even if we didn’t.

Now, as I am older, I understand that I missed a lot of opportunities.  If I had really wanted to get to know grandma (instead of visiting her for my own selfish reasons), to understand who she really was – I needed to spend time with her, and the best way to do that was to go to her house just to see her (and not the bacon).  If I never visit her, and never really get to know her and spend time with her – especially doing some ‘old person stuff’, it may feel awkward, a bit unknown or even weird to me, and I might find myself looking forward to going back to my own home where I feel more comfortable.

As we spend more and more time there – and as we grow up a little – we become familiar with her house, then we realize by asking a couple of questions, we can learn that the weird cabinet in the corner with the creepy dolls on it isn’t really that weird – because it has an amazing story behind it.  Grandma can tell you who built it, why they built it, where they got the wood, why he made the dolls, and that it was a gift made out of love, and we suddenly realize that it’s the most amazing cabinet that has ever been built, and we were so foolish to not see it previously.  We realize how much that cabinet means to grandma, and amazingly, it now means something to us.  Slowly our eyes begin to open, and we realize that everything in grandma’s house tells a very real story of grandma – and not only grandma, but grandpa too.  The stains in the garage, the rocking chair on the porch, the squeaky screen door, the sloping hill in the backyard, the paisley couches, various letters that always seem to be on counter from friends and family, and even the dishes in the sink that are full of bacon grease and egg yolks, we may even learn why they always have bacon when we come.  Everything in the house helps me to learn about who they were, who they have become, what they’ve been through together, how they got there, about their family, their love, what they’ve done for their children, how they spend their time, and at the end of the day what is important to them.  Now, that awkward and sort of stinky smell becomes sweet and inviting.  I can start to feel grandma’s house.

And it doesn’t stop there – soon enough we realize that the whole neighborhood and town start to belong to grandma and somehow always did and still do remind us of her and the time we spent at her house.  We recognize landmarks, streets, and trees only because they are close to grandma’s house and they let us know that we are ‘almost there’ – and only later do we understand that there is no other reason in the world that these particular items would be even remotely recognizable, unless they remind us and point us to our destination – grandma’s house.  Then, if we listen, she can tell us about the neighborhood, the town, the trees, the roads, and somehow knows all the answers to all the questions about her house and her history, we just have to ask the questions.  Then, the mere mention of the town evokes memories of grandma’s house.

This same story is true about the Lord’s house.  If we go there when we are unprepared, or if we go there infrequently we may go only with the purpose of getting something for ourselves or to fill our own needs and meet our own goals.  We may go looking for the treats, the bacon, the trailer, or the organ, and miss (or even avoid) the ‘old person stuff’ that makes us feel a bit awkward because we don’t understand it or haven’t had it explained to us yet.  But, if we have the intent and ask the right questions; to ask the Lord to explain his story to us, (and this can happen as we spend more time there with the only intention of getting to know Him), we can learn about the weird furniture, the strange smells,  the old newspapers, and realize that they aren’t strange at all, in fact, they are the most beautiful things that have ever been crafted, and somehow they seem to be alive.  We learn about the dolls, the antique photos, the letters that have been and are still being written, we learn about the struggles, the trials, and the absolutely amazing story that is the Lord’s family and we can begin to understand who He has been, who He is, and who He will be.

And it won’t stop there.  As soon as we’ve tasted the magic of the ‘old person stuff’ that is in the Lord’s house – we will develop a sense of awe and reverence for it, that will make the bacon and the organ and the trailer seem insignificant.  We can remember the happiness they gave us, but we will also be so very  thankful for the day that we got tired of the organ and came upstairs just to sit with grandma on the couch, because she was able to give us true joy.  Then, we can come to grandma’s house to see grandma, and to feel of her love, and to share our love with her.  Then, we can begin to understand the power of influence – and we want to spend more and more time with just her, and let her love wash over us because it is real, and because it is constant, and because it is warm and because it is love – because that is what home feels like.

I wish I could really go to my grandma’s house again – but I take comfort in knowing that I can go to the Lord’s house through his amazing spirit I can feel her, and that someday I will see her and hug her and she will understand that I was only 9 and I didn’t quite understand what I was missing.

“Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways…”(Isaiah 2:3, Micah 4:2, 2 Ne. 12:3)