Spiritual Feast

Our dearest family,

I want to take just a moment to share with you the wonderful spiritual feast we have enjoyed these past two days. We have just returned from hearing via satellite the last dedication service for the Twin Falls Temple. It was such a joy to be there and hear the testimonies and messages from area authorities and from our beloved prophet Pres. Monson, to share in the Hosanna Shout and to hear the inspired dedicatory prayer. We were blessed to attend with Jeff & Sarah, Jonathan & Autumn, Jennifer and Melody. I thought of all of our children and look forward to the day when we can all be in the Holy Temple together. I am so grateful for my testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and for the blessing of having a temple close to us. The beautiful hymns sung by the Tabernacle Choir were background as we viewed the beautiful rooms and grounds of the temple. Dad leaned over to me with tears in his eyes and overcome with emotion and he said. “ It has just hit me so powerfully that the people in this area finally have a temple. They are so deserving, like your parents and mine who have lived in this area and have served the Lord so faithfully. It is exciting that they get to witness this in their life time.” I too was filled with emotion and gratitude for our parents and our ancestors and for the lives they live. I feel to rededicate my life to doing and being better… to be an example to my children and grandchildren.

This weekend was our Stake Conference and we were privileged to have Elder Yashihika Kikuchi of the Quorum of the Seventy with us. The Saturday evening session he shared his testimony of Christ as he told of his life and of his Atoning Sacrifice for each of us. The whole meeting was filled with the spirit of our Father in Heaven to such a great extent that it was almost tangible.

Today, Autumn and I had the special opportunity to sing in a woman’s Choir “ Lord, I would Follow Thee”. I loved singing those words of faith and commitment. Also for the prelude, we were able to sing I am a Child of God in Japanese, while a descant of beautiful soprano singers sang the English Words. It was so beautiful to be part of such a choir.

I was blessed as well to be able to lead the music for the conference and at the end of the meeting, Elder Kikuchi said, “I want to change the program, I want to sing 'As I Have Loved You' Do we have an accompanist?...yes you (and he pointed to Connie Hadlock.) Do we have a conductor? And he pointed to me, Yes you.” He had us all stand and he had the Stake Presidency and the Mission President all join him at the pulpit.He put his arms around them and he sang strong into the microphone, “As I Have Loved you, Love One Another” As I looked out at the audience and at my family I was so overcome with gratitude for the gospel and for the blessing of being part of this great church.

I want each of you our family especially our children to know that we have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, That Jesus Christ Lives! This is His Church. We have a living prophet today even Thomas S. Monson.

We have been promised that as we attend the temple and keep our sacred covenants that our lives and the lives of our families will be blessed.

Have a wonderful week everyone. We love you all. Love, Mom & Dad