Temple Work
So, if you aren't LDS, this post will be confusing to you. I will try to explain what I can, but there are some things that I can't explain. So you have a choice. You can either choose to ignore this post (she's just doing her "church thing" again.) Or you can read it and try to understand the meaning behind it even though the actual events don't make much sense to you. Completely your choice.
So, I've been working on family history a lot lately. A LOT. I love it. I'm completely addicted. I love to find families and wonder about their lives. I love finding out about occupations, and seeing how many married old and how many married young. I love seeing that some families had three kids and some had thirteen and some had none at all. Some people were killed in wars, some died as infants and some lived long productive lives. Well, at least I like to think they were all productive and wonderful, 'cause, let's be real, the alternative is too depressing. So until I know otherwise, I will assume they were all wonderful, hard working people.
I've mostly been working on Michael's family history, because it was an easier place to start. My family has been LDS for generations and both Grandparents on one side as well as cousins on the other side, have done copious amounts of work on my family history. They have researched and gathered and accumulated information for decades. The old way. The way I was always too lazy, or confused to understand or undertake. Now that family history is SO MUCH EASIER, I have begun again and I'm loving it. Most of Michael's family is untouched, unresearched, which means, it's really easy to locate (well at least on one side) and it also leaves temple work available for our family.
Here's where I need to stop and explain what I can. In our church, we believe that after death, all people will be given the opportunity to accept the gospel and come into God's kingdom. In order to do that, each person needs to have ordinances preformed. Ordinances such as baptism and eternal marriage. If these ordinances were not preformed in their life time, then a proxy needs to preform them on their behalf. Now, to clarify, just because I preform a baptism on behalf of someone, that doesn't mean that they are automatically a part of our church. It just means, that if they so choose, they can accept that ordinance and come closer to God.
If our church is right, and that's really how it works, then we are preforming an amazing service for these people. One that they cannot possibly do for themselves. If our church is wrong, then the baptism is completely meaningless and therefore it doesn't matter at all, right? So what's the harm?
So back to my story.
Going to the temple is really exciting and spiritual. Each time I'm there, I am reminded of the covenants (promises) that I have made with God and I come away uplifted and refreshed. I learn about myself and what God has planned for me and my family. I have questions answered and new questions posed. I love the temple.
Going to the temple for people that I have researched, that are my ancestors, or the ancestors of my husband, is especially amazing. In addition to my own spiritual renewal, I also feel connected to the person that I am there for. I know who they are. I know their family, I know where they come from. I know that they have a vested interest in me. Not just because I'm doing a service for them, but because I am raising their inheritance. I am caring for their children, and teaching those children to love God and respect their ancestors. It's an amazing feeling. I very often feel those people with me, feel them praying for me and giving me strength. They understand my plight. They have been there and made it through.
Last week, I took a group of friends and family to the temple to do sealings (eternal marriages, connecting spouses to each other as well as children to parents for eternity). It was such an amazing evening. Three of the four couples there, had not preformed proxy sealings before. One couple had only been to the temple for their own sealing a few weeks before. The spirit in the room was amazing. The sealer (the man preforming the ordinance) asked us all to listen carefully to the words as we preformed the ordinances. It was amazing to hear those words again. Words that are so important, words that we can't focus on while we are there for ourselves because there are way too many things to think about and be excited about. To feel the joy as spouses, parents and children were sealed together. People who have been separated by death, but are now able to be reunited and feel the joy of an eternal family.
The satisfaction that I get from family history and temple work is very addictive. Because true joy is addictive. It enhances my soul and makes me feel alive. It makes my work feel meaningful. It gives me a boost and makes me feel like I have more angels surrounding me, buoying me up, giving me strength. In today's world, with so much evil surrounding me and my children, I like the idea of having angels around me. Looking out for me and my family and helping us to stay on the Lord's path.
I can't wait to go back.
So, I've been working on family history a lot lately. A LOT. I love it. I'm completely addicted. I love to find families and wonder about their lives. I love finding out about occupations, and seeing how many married old and how many married young. I love seeing that some families had three kids and some had thirteen and some had none at all. Some people were killed in wars, some died as infants and some lived long productive lives. Well, at least I like to think they were all productive and wonderful, 'cause, let's be real, the alternative is too depressing. So until I know otherwise, I will assume they were all wonderful, hard working people.
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| My Nana showing me some of the family history that she has found |
Here's where I need to stop and explain what I can. In our church, we believe that after death, all people will be given the opportunity to accept the gospel and come into God's kingdom. In order to do that, each person needs to have ordinances preformed. Ordinances such as baptism and eternal marriage. If these ordinances were not preformed in their life time, then a proxy needs to preform them on their behalf. Now, to clarify, just because I preform a baptism on behalf of someone, that doesn't mean that they are automatically a part of our church. It just means, that if they so choose, they can accept that ordinance and come closer to God.
If our church is right, and that's really how it works, then we are preforming an amazing service for these people. One that they cannot possibly do for themselves. If our church is wrong, then the baptism is completely meaningless and therefore it doesn't matter at all, right? So what's the harm?
So back to my story.
Going to the temple is really exciting and spiritual. Each time I'm there, I am reminded of the covenants (promises) that I have made with God and I come away uplifted and refreshed. I learn about myself and what God has planned for me and my family. I have questions answered and new questions posed. I love the temple.
Going to the temple for people that I have researched, that are my ancestors, or the ancestors of my husband, is especially amazing. In addition to my own spiritual renewal, I also feel connected to the person that I am there for. I know who they are. I know their family, I know where they come from. I know that they have a vested interest in me. Not just because I'm doing a service for them, but because I am raising their inheritance. I am caring for their children, and teaching those children to love God and respect their ancestors. It's an amazing feeling. I very often feel those people with me, feel them praying for me and giving me strength. They understand my plight. They have been there and made it through.
Last week, I took a group of friends and family to the temple to do sealings (eternal marriages, connecting spouses to each other as well as children to parents for eternity). It was such an amazing evening. Three of the four couples there, had not preformed proxy sealings before. One couple had only been to the temple for their own sealing a few weeks before. The spirit in the room was amazing. The sealer (the man preforming the ordinance) asked us all to listen carefully to the words as we preformed the ordinances. It was amazing to hear those words again. Words that are so important, words that we can't focus on while we are there for ourselves because there are way too many things to think about and be excited about. To feel the joy as spouses, parents and children were sealed together. People who have been separated by death, but are now able to be reunited and feel the joy of an eternal family.
The satisfaction that I get from family history and temple work is very addictive. Because true joy is addictive. It enhances my soul and makes me feel alive. It makes my work feel meaningful. It gives me a boost and makes me feel like I have more angels surrounding me, buoying me up, giving me strength. In today's world, with so much evil surrounding me and my children, I like the idea of having angels around me. Looking out for me and my family and helping us to stay on the Lord's path.
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| our family at Mary's Falls in Kimberly |
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