April 4, 2016 - Monday in Nauvoo

Mom and I enjoyed our P-day today.  After we started our day with our morning devotional and prayers, we took a nice long walk.  Since we left the house at about 5:45am, we were back home by 7:00am and getting ready for the day.  Our first stop after leaving the house was our shopping trip to Keokuk.  We got to talk to our son on the way over, and two of our daughters on the way back home.  We are so thankful for our precious families back home and in Utah!

We were able to get the few supplies that we needed in a short amount of time, and we were able to drive back to Nauvoo and attend the 10:00am temple session.  The officiator asked us to be the witness couple and we are always grateful for that opportunity.  We attended with eight local young Elder and Sister missionaries from the Des Moines, Iowa mission.  The session was such a blessing for us.  The temple closes for a semi annual cleaning in a few weeks, so we are trying to attend two sessions each week.

The balance of the day was spent doing our weekly chores around the house.  I got to wash the car and mom was able to do some house cleaning.  I had asked for a lawn mower to be delivered today from the FM folks, but that was not able to get done.  I also had the opportunity to ponder President Nelsons talk in Priesthood.  I pulled a summary of that talk off the website;

I urgently plead with each one of us to live up to our privileges as bearers of the priesthood. In a coming day, only those men who have taken their priesthood seriously, by diligently seeking to be taught by the Lord Himself, will be able to bless, guide, protect, strengthen, and heal others. Only a man who has paid the price for priesthood power will be able to bring miracles to those he loves and keep his marriage and family safe, now and throughout eternity.

What is the price to develop such priesthood power? …

… Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, and diligence. And don’t forget humility! …… We need to pray from our hearts. … Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you.

Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power? …

Are you willing to worship in the temple regularly? The Lord loves to do His own teaching in His holy house. Imagine how pleased He would be if you asked Him to teach you about priesthood keys, authority, and power as you experience the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood in the holy temple. …

Are you willing to follow President Monson’s example of serving others? …… If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power.

President Nelson gave such an inspirational message about forgiveness and overcoming the grief he felt from losing two precious patients in his early heart surgery practice.  I could feel the weight taken off his shoulders as he responded to the visit of those two precious young girls and then to bring that family together with the sacred temple ordinances.  

I am so very thankful for the temple ordinances that we share as a family, both for those of us living, and for those who have preceded us beyond the veil.  This one sacred Gospel principle caught my early interest in joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!