34 Best Years - Life At Its Finest

We now interrupt my normal boring blog for a tribute to my amazing wife of 34 years. She must be a really patient woman! I have no idea why she chose to become stuck with me, but it is clear that she's far too good for the likes of me. (Just now she walked by and saw what I'm writing and said that it's the other way around, but I know better.)

We celebrated our anniversary yesterday and the day before, with an outing that included a nice dinner, a Shakespeare play (The Tempest),


and a short visit to Zion National Park.

Here she is stretching her back before we went into the play, so that she would be able to sit through it without hurting.

Here is what she was looking at while she stretched.

But from my point of view, the important thing was not where we went or what we saw, but that I got to spend a couple of days away from the routine with the best travel companion imaginable.

I thought that I was completely and totally in love when we first married. And I was, I suppose. But the years and the good times and the hard times and the service to one another have broadened and deepened that love til it is many times what it was then.

I am so very glad that the Lord gave us to one another. We must have been created for one another - that's what it feels like. Except for the salvation provided by Christ's atonement, God has given me no finer gift than the privilege of life with her.

What My Testimony of Jesus Means to Me

I don't really know where to begin with this one. Any success as a father, church member, priesthood holder, husband, or in my career that I have enjoyed or that I may yet enjoy in my life, I owe to my Savior. Faith in him makes all things possible, and without him there would be no good in my life, or in the world. Faith in him allows us to have hope in trying times. It gives me strength to be a kind man and a pleasant person when circumstances or natural inclination might give an excuse to be otherwise.

Hymn Number 198 in the LDS Hymn book, "That Easter Morn", describes some of my feelings:

That Easter morn, a grave that burst
Proclaimed to man that "Last and First"
Had ris'n again, and conquered pain.

This morn renews for us that day
When Jesus cast the bonds away
Took living breath, and conquered death.

Thus we in gratitude recall
And give our love and pledge our all
Shed grateful tear, and conquer fear.

I testify that Jesus lives, that he loves us, and that through him the Father's plan of salvation and exaltation for man is put into effect. He cam, he taught, he suffered and died, he broke the bands of death to allow a resurrection for us all. He took upon himself the penalty for our sins, and also took upon himself all of the pains of mortality, that through his grace we may be made pure and at one with our God. He is God's Son, and literally a God himself, and offers us the opportunity to be heirs with him of godhood.

I feel to say, along with Elder Bruce R McConkie, "... in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet, and shall wet his feet with my tears... I know... that he is God's Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way."

My Savior is my Hero, and he is the source of the power and goodness in all of my other, lesser heroes.

So, it is this testimony that comforts us, gives us peace during turmoil and strength during trial. It enables us to know the intended end for which we exist, which is to become as our Father is, and gives us courage to live for this goal. It enables repentance and improvement, love and charity, righteousness and mercy.

This, then, is but a part of what I feel. I ramble on and an in attempt to put my feelings into words, yet I fall short.

I love him, and want to be like him.

In his holy name, even that of Jesus Christ, Amen.

What the Priesthood Means to Me

First, the doctrine associated with the priesthood, as I understand it, is that it is God's own power, delegated to man to further the salvation and exaltation of mankind. Those who hold the priesthood are thus our Father's legal agents - it is a sort of power of attorney. As such, we have great responsibility to act as he would act, as he directs, and to be worthy in every way of this great trust.

Through the priesthood, the great saving ordinances of baptism, confirmation, and the temple ordinances are made available to his children. Also, comfort is given through priesthood acts not essential to our salvation, such as father's blessings, blessing of the sick, dedications of homes and graves, etc.

The priesthood is to be used always in the blessing of others, and not with any self-aggrandizement. It is not meant for us to use it for dominion over others. We don't give ourselves priesthood blessings - it is all meant for the service of others.

The priesthood is also the organization of government in the church. The various offices and callings provide a framework through which the Lord himself can direct the church through worthy agents at all levels from local to worldwide.

It is also the power by which God does all his work, from creation of worlds to atonement to control over the whole universe. And worthy men, in the next life, will grow in the priesthood until they have this same power.

The Melchizedek Priesthood is received with an oath and a covenant. The man covenants to magnify his calling in the priesthood, obey the commandments, and "live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." God then makes an oath that all who are faithful to this covenant will receive "all that the Father hath", including godhood itself.

Now, I want to write about some of my personal feelings on all this. I can't really comprehend the eternal aspects of it, so I don't think about them as much as I should. What I do understand is that, in the here and now, the ability to provide priesthood blessings to my wife and children is a great comfort and blessing. The knowledge that I am sealed by priesthood authority to my immediate family and my extended family, so that I can dwell with them forever, is an even greater comfort.

The opportunity to serve in any calling in the church, such as teacher or clerk, is another privilege, and a great responsibility.

In short, the blessings of being a faithful priesthood holder in mortality are great, more so than any other activity in my life, and more than I can comprehend.

The blessings to come in eternity are even beyond that - the Lord truly rewards his faithful servants.

What the Knowledge that We Are Children of God Means to Me

We are children of God. As the Father of our spirits, he loves us. We dwelt with him for ages before we came to this earth. He knows each of us, better than we know ourselves. This is why he came up with the plan of salvation, by which we may become like him. This is why he asked his firstborn, Jesus, to provide an atonement for our sins. This is why he has given us scripture, prophets, the church, prayer, and all of the other blessings that lead us to worship Him in truth and righteousness.

The knowledge that I am a spiritual child of God lifts me. It gives me hope and comfort when life is hard. It gives me a goal, which is to live and behave as a child of God should behave. It makes me understand that all men are literally brothers, who deserve respect and love, and that all women are literally sisters worthy of the greatest respect and honor. It gives me hope when I am not able to obey the gospel as well as I should, because just as no human parent would fault a toddler who stumbles when trying to learn to walk, so our Father looks on us in love and excuses our errors, so long as we are sincere in our attempts to follow him.

Lastly, just as any child grows to be the same kind of being as its parents, we too have the capacity to become like our Heavenly Parents, Gods and Goddesses, and heirs to all of the power, glory, and characteristics of our Father.

If we accept the atonement and are obedient to our Father in all things, repenting when we fall short, we will become like him. We will have numberless spirit children of our own, and create worlds on which they may dwell, and our work and our glory will be the salvation and eternal life of our children.

What greater motivation to love and obey him could we have than this knowledge that we are his children?