Symbols

Yesterday and today, I went to the temple. I went to the Provo Temple yesterday, and to the Bountiful Temple today. Both trips were really awesome. :D

When I went to the Provo Temple, while I was waiting for my turn to do baptisms for the dead, I was thinking about what all of the symbols in a temple mean. I recall the song called "Sacraments and Symbols," and it is quoted, 'Sacraments and Symbols, open up my mind, pointing to a world waiting behind them. simple bread and water, represent the Christ, even daily bread serves to remind.'

Then I started looking around and discovered many little things that got my mind going. I wrote a bit about what I saw and what I thought each of them means;

Being at the temple we all dress in white, which is a symbol of Purity, and a symbol of unity, we are all Loved by our Heavenly Father.

When I picked up the book of Mormon, I noticed that this copy was white with silver lettering. I was thinking about what it means, I thought that the white symbolized purity in honest written form. The silver lettering shined in the light, and I realize that anyone who will read the book of Mormon can have a share in the light of Christ and shine their testimony abroad.

The benches we sit on have patterns of vines with leaves. To me this symbolizes our relationship with our Heavenly Father, He is our Father and I know that each of us can be the fruit of his tree. "You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed."

There are Celestial Mirrors in the baptistry around the font, To me this signifies the eternal gratitude of those we do the work for. Also it gives us an inkling of what our existance will be like in the next life.

I looked at the oxen holding up the font. I notice that each and every one was different, meaning that the tribes of Israel all have differences in who we are, and the responsibilities that we each have to fulfill. The fact that all of the oxen are holding up the font together siginfies that each of the tribes has the responsibility to bear one anothers burdens. If we all work together, we can get the Lords work done.

I know that there is power in going to the temple and doing the Lords work. It gives us a greater resolve to fight the adversary, and a greater desire to become the disciple the Lord knows we can be. So take the time to go to the temple and give someone the chance to gain salvation.

May the Good Lord bless and keep you.

Time

Today has been interesting. For those of you who don't know, I work construction for a campany called HHI. The work I have been doing is mostly cleaning up the job sites that are being finalized. But this week three of the projects are getting finished. And I have been 'working myself out of a job,' So to speak. So today I didn't have work, and I will have the same problem tomorrow.

Yesterday, when I went to my Great Grandmothers funeral I talked with my great uncle and I asked how he was doing. He is retired and just playing. He said he made a deal with his wife when they got married, which was (and is), 'if you ever have any free time, fill it with something to do.'

So today I decided to give it a try. And wow, it has made feel like I can actually get things done. I cleaned my room, I cleaned the family room and I took time to read my scriptures and pray.

And for sure the temptations were there that wanted me to waste my time with nonsense things, but making the conscious decision to fill my time with positive things makes the biggest difference about how I feel about free time.

Tomorrow, There is no free time for me.

May the Good Lord bless and keep you.

Foreordination

I've been thinking a lot recently about what it means to be foreordained. The word foreordained means that we were chosen to have a certain calling in this life before we got here. The concept of being chosen in the premortal life gives us a clue to how strong and righteous we were before we reached this mortal life.

In this life however we do not know how we acted in the premortal life, thus giving us the opportunity to choose for ourselves what to think and believe here on earth.

My thoughts tonight are about choosing to be foreordained. It is my oppinion that through our actions and our choices that we become foreordained. Like a Patriarchal blessing, we can choose to follow it's guidance or choose to completely ignore it. But if we choose to follow it, we will gain the blessings of it and gain the Spirit more fully into our lives. The way we live our lives and the decisions we make fulfill our opportunity to become what the Lord has planned.

I believe that we choose to be foreordained. The wonderful Plan of Happiness sets the scene and we choose our outcome, though we may not know the consequences at that time.

I know that the Lord lives. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, he is my advocate with the Father. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that if we make the right decisions we will be happier in life and become better and true disciples.

May the Lord bless and keep you.