And this is what its all about....

On Friday, October 10th, my brother Brian and his family were sealed together in the Manti temple. This day has been a long time coming; but the wait was well worth it. Both Brian and Cari have been working especially hard this year to be able to go to the temple together. Jake was asked to be Brian's escort and he was super excited that he was asked! It was so neat to be able to see both of them take out their endowments (going thru a live session) and then to be sealed together. Out of a coincidence, they were sealed in the same room that Jake and I were married in. Brian and Cari were invited into the sealing room first to have a discussion with the sealer. When the rest of us were invited into the room, Brian motioned for me to go sit next to him. He told me that I was taking Mom's place that day. What an amazing experience to watch the ceremony. Before the ordinance was performed, the sealer talked about "others who had gone before that were present to witness also this ordinance". I knew both my parents and grandparents and Beth were there to witness. There was such a powerful spirit in the room and sitting there I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the church was indeed true. When Brock, Kayla, and Brice walked in the room they didn't really know what to expect and were a little timid. I have en grained the picture of Brian's family all kneeling together at the alter making a covenant with our Heavenly Father in my mind. There was such a feeling of peace and serenity in the room and every member of the family looked happier than I had ever seen them before.

I wished that my whole family could have been there together. Due to finances, Heidi wasn't able to come and Anne already had a prior speaking engagement in Atlanta. It was wonderful being there with Brian and Bill's families.

I know this sounds sappy, but this saying sums the whole day up:

We begin and end with family.


I'm patiently waiting for the day to see my parents again and I know its possible because they participated in the same ordinance many years ago in the Switzerland temple.