So today Todd and I are going to go to the Temple. It is a place I love to go to and a place on earth where I feel closer to God than I ever do anywhere else. Laura asked me about Temples yesterday so I thought I would tell you what our Temples are.
First of all we are the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We are Christ's church here on earth. Mormon is a nickname given to us because I have an additional book of Scripture called the Book of Mormon, but we actually prefer to be called by our real name. Most communities today will have a regular meeting house or chapel, which is were Latter Day Saints go to worship and partake of the Sacrament on Sunday mornings. We also use this meeting house at other times during the week for various meetings, etc.
Please play the video as it is beautiful and has some lovely music and pictures of various temples around the world.
Our Temples are completely different than our meeting houses. First of all they are a lot fancier than our chapels are, and there are not as many of them in the world, although we do build more every year. The Preston Temple which is near us is the most elaborate and beautiful building which has been built in the UK in over 200 years. It is a very special place as are all of our temples. We feel our Temple(s) to be the literal house of the Lord, and it is revered as such.
We go to the Temple to make and keep sacred covenants with God, and to feel close to Him and to the Saviour. It is a place of beauty and reverence, un-spotted by the world and worldly cares. It is a place where we can do sacred work for our families.
It is a holy place of worship and because making covenants with God is such a solemn responsibility, individuals cannot enter the temple to receive their endowments or be sealed in marriage for eternity until they have fully prepared themselves and been members of the Church for at least a year. Throughout history, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. The Church is working to build temples all over the world to make temple blessings more available for a greater number of Heavenly Father's children.
Temples are places of learning. Their principal purpose is to provide ordinances necessary for the children of God to enable them to return to dwell with Him. Temple ordinances lead to the greatest blessings available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Church . . . the meetings and activities, the missionary efforts, the lessons taught and the hymns . . . all lead to the work done in holy temples.
Those who enter the temple must be worthy, which means that they keep the commandments and are prepared to make and keep sacred temple covenants. In two interviews . . . one with a member of a bishopric or a branch president and another with a member of a stake presidency or a mission president . . . Church members certify their worthiness to enter the temple. In these interviews, the priesthood leader asks about the individual's personal conduct and worthiness. Those who are worthy receive a temple recommend, which allows them to enter the temple.
It was in the Preston Temple that Todd and I were sealed together as a married couple, for "Time and all Eternity." We are literally married forever in the eyes of God, a blessing which goes beyond the boundaries of this earth and into the eternities, not just until death do we part.
I love to go there because it always reminds me of that special day that we knelt across from each other at an altar, holding hands and made sacred covenants to each other and to our Heavenly Father. I love to go there because I can feel my ancestors all around me and I can feel the presence of my Heavenly Father and the Saviour. I love to go there because it is peaceful . . . and sacred . . . and beautiful, and . . . quite simply . . . heaven on earth. It is not a secret place . . . but a sacred place, and a place I love to be.
This is a photograph I took of our Mitzie yesterday morning . . . she is so comfortable and obviously in seventh heaven, totally relaxed.
This is a picture I took of her about 4 hours later. Yes, she had moved from the sofa in the interim, but this is obviously her favourite place to be in the daytime in between playing and eating and walking and all sorts. I thought it rather funny that she keeps the same position each time and wanted to show you. It made me smile and I hope it makes you smile too!!
This is what I was working on yesterday afternoon. It is a Marie Antoinette Matchbox Doll. I took the photo last night so the colour isn't very good on it and you can't really see all the detail. There are flowers on her crown and adorning her dress and her shoes are sparkly.
And this is what's on the back, again the colour isn't good because of the time of day I took the photograph. Keep Calm & And Eat Cake.
What else would Marie Antoinette say!
I made three of them. One for a gift exchange I am doing and this is a picture of the box she is being given in:
Which is a complete collage of Marie Antoinette portraits and a Gold Wired Ribbon accent on the side and sparkles etc. I hope that they like it. The little Matchbox Doll will be inside.
The other two were made as, one a gift for my son's girlfriend and two for the miniature showing at the Gallery in March.
And that is how I spent my afternoon yesterday. I love to get in my craft room (still a huge work in progress) and loose myself in my work.
And this was a picture I took of the moon last night as it hung over Blacon where we live. It looked as if it were in front of the clouds and had rings around it. I thought it very beautiful. Of course it was not in front of the clouds . . . but shining so brightly that it looked as if it were! I found it quite magical and of course that magic doesn't really transfer itself properly to a photograph . . . but I took one anyways.
Don't you find the night time sky magical? I do . . . I can be looking up at the same moon and stars at the same time a person in another part of the world can. I think that is amazing. I once watched an eclipse of the moon with an old boyfriend and he was in a hotel somewhere in the American midwest and I was in Nova Scotia and we were on the telephone together talking about what we were seeing at the same time. I remember thinking it very cool. The miracle of modern technology. Who'd a thunk it.
I also think it's amazing that man has walked on it, and will never forget the moment that Neil Armstrong put his food down onto it's surface and the wonder of that instant.
A thought to carry you through the day:
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you."
~Jesus
Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Chicken and Mushroom Casserole with Crusty Dumplings.
Happy Day All!
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