Twin Falls Temple Dedication/President Monson

Just wanted to share the expericence that we had in the Temple on the morning of the dedication of the Twin Falls Temple. I was lucky enough to get tickets for Mark, Ryley, McKinley and myself to be in the temple for the 9:00 dedication. We got to the temple 2 hours before the dedication (which means we had to be up at 5:00 AM) to get seats. We were seated in one of the smaller sealing rooms. With a T.V. to watch the dedication on. Mark was really hoping to be in the creation room because the painting in that room is so spectacular, but no luck it was already full. They had placed folding chairs everywhere to allow for as many people to be in the temple as possible. I had several people ask me if I thought the Spirit would be any different in the Temple than at the Stake centers where the dedication was being broadcast they acted like I was crazy to go to all the trouble of getting to the temple that early. I just kept saying YES it will be. Weeellllllll as we sat on those folding chairs trying to be reverant and wait for everything to begin (which for 2 hours is pretty hard for me let alone for my kids) I began to wonder if all those people had been right, about 45 minutes before the dedication was going to start the girls and I thought we better make a trip to the bathroom. We went out into the hall and were directed to the restroom all the way downstairs. (aaauuurrrghhh I thought) So we went down the stairs and around thru all the chairs down in the main waiting area and people sitting waiting. We stood in line for the restroom for what seemed forever. When we got done and came out to head back upstairs to the sealing room and Mark, everyone in the main area was standing I began to panic because I figured we had been waiting in the restroom long enough that the dedication had started I didn't have a watch on so I had no idea of the time. I got in front of the girls and began to quietly excuse us through the crowd of people standing to get back around to the main staircase to get upstairs. I heard a big strong voice and I stopped in my tracks as He laughed. I looked wide eyed at the lady standing near me, she nodded her head and mouthed " yes it is the Prophet" I stood on my tippy toes, there he was in his "street clothes" Suit and tie..... I turned to my girls and motioned for them to come past me. The crowd standing by us was mostly adults they parted and motioned for my girls to come forward so that they could see the PROPHET OF GOD and hear what he was saying. One lady even lifted Mac up so that she could see him better. He was just chatting with people as he walked by and telling stories and laughing, taking the hands of the children along the way. He stopped at one little boy I would guess he was 10 or so he asked the little boy if he was planning on serving a mission the boy said YES! The Prophet laughed and took his hand and said good. I don't know where you will be called but I can tell you it will be the right place for you. The little boy pipped up and said I hope it is somewhere warm. President Monson laughed hard at that and then said so you like the sunshine, me too. Do you want to know how I learned to swim? He then told a story about when he was a young boy and his sister and her boyfriend were swimming in the Provo river and the boyfriend threw young Thomas in the water and told him sink or swim. I couldn't quite hear all the details over the laughter from the crowd but I think that when he got out of the water he punched the boyfriend in the nose and when they got home the sister told their Father that Thomas had punched the boyfriend and when Thomas explained to their Father what had happened their Father said "Well, I would have punched him in the nose too!". He laughed, his shoulders shook up and down. (For a minute I thought I saw the family resemblence.) With that he moved on a little further and then stopped again taking the hand of another child in the crowd. He told another story about one day his wife had asked, "Tom, why do you line your shoes up by the bed the way you do every night?" He said he told her he didn't know.... he said then I began to think about why did I line my shoes up the right shoe 2 inches in front of the left shoe right next to my bed every single night. Then it hit me, I joined the service when I was 17 years old he said and they taught us to do that so when there was a problem in the night we could find our shoes in the dark and get on our way. "Isn't that funny that 70 + years later I still do that, Well, that just goes to show you what a habit will do!" He told the kids make sure they learned good habits because habits are so hard to change. He then said, "When I told my wife why I lined my shoes up do you know what she said to me? She said, "Well, I hope you don't expect me to start doing it!" Then he giggled again. He moved on down the row shaking hands and greeting people all the way to the elevator. As I stood about 15 feet from him watching him and listening to him I swear I could see the Spirit around him..... Even in a dark suit he glowed. Does that sound crazy?????? I could feel the Spirit in that room sooooooooooo strong again.. It was just like the night before at the Youth Cultural Celebration I think I could have reached out and touched it the Spirit was just that strong. (One of the little girls that he shook hands with lives in Declo and goes to school with McKinley. We saw her after the dedication waiting to get onto the bus that took us back to where we had all had to park our cars. I asked if I could touch her hand that the Prophet had touched ..... She had to think for a minute whether or not I would ruin it..... After a few minutes she did let me touch her hand)
We made our way back to the sealilng room. We were sooooooo excited we could hardly stay quiet. ( We couldn't wait we had to whisper the experience to Mark) It was an amazing thing for me and 2 of my beautiful daughters who are at such an impressionable age. They both felt the Spirit and it did make a huge impact on them. A young boy seated behind us heard us talk and asked the hostess couple in our room if he could stand by the door to watch for the Prophet to get off the elevator. They let him in fact they had all of the children in the room stand at the doorway to see him . They did see him, he waved at them and then they came back to their seats the boy behind us said to his Mom, "he looked me right in the eyes Mom" I turned around and said then you better do everything he has said like serve a mission and get married in the temple hadn't you he said Yes, for sure I will." Do I even have to tell you that I have loved to tell every single one of the people who said to me..... "do you think the Spirit will be any different in the Temple,......." YES IT WAS....... WE SAW THE PROPHET OF GOD..... WE FELT HIS SPIRIT...... I do know that those members who were at the Stake Centers felt the Spirit also and that it was a truely wonderful experience for them. We were just lucky no we were blessed so very blessed to be able to have this special once in a lifetime opportunity to feel His Spirit to reafirm that God does lives, and has a Prophet on this earth to lead us Thomas S Monson is that Prophet...... I testify to you that this it true!!!!

I love you all my dear, dear family.......

Post some pics

Hello dearest family! I am anxiously awaiting pictures of the wedding this past weekend of Matt and Molly. I was so very sad I couldn't make it up there for the occasion! (being that I started a new job and couldn't get the time off). So...please post some pictures ASAP! Congrats Matt and Molly!

Twin Falls, Temple Dedication

Just wanted to share a couple of experiences that we had during the Twin Falls Temple celebration and dedication. With my calling in the Stake I have been lucky to be involved with the Youth Culture Celebration it has been overwhelming most of the time to think that over 3200 kids ages 12 - 18 from 14 different stakes would really be able to come together and perform for the Prophet in song and dance the history of our area and wrap it all together with the theme of "The Living Water" practices started early in the year and took up most all of the mutual nights. Looking back the kids had much better attitudes than the adults most of the time. They were excited to see the Prophet of God and have him speak to them. The celebration took place at the Filer fairgrounds all I could think of was how dirty everything would be. We met a couple of times at the fairgrounds to run thru things before the weekend of the dedication. It always seemed to be complete chaos.... The weekend of the dedication rolled around and the amount of time and work that had gone into this experience began to show. 3200 kids all in costumes that had to be made/begged or borrowed/ 2 of the numbers involved all 3200 kids they had 2 different flags one had 3 streamers in it(representing the water) all had to be sewn, that was over 9000 streamers for the flags in just that number. Then each person had another flag for the end number so 3000 more flags. The arena had been transformed into a beautiful, peaceful setting. It had a huge beautiful waterfall and pond, the ground had been covered with sod and was green and lush.... Several stages had been built... big enough for all 3200 kids to be on all one time. For me as I stepped into that arena the 1st time on Friday night I was very humbled to know that so many people had given so much of their time, talent, and resources to make this happen. We had 3 dress rehearsals from Friday night to Saturday night when it was finally performed for President Monson.... it was awesome to see the youth support each other and really come together ...they wanted to do the very best job they could for the Prophet. President Bill Mendenhall who had been our Stake President in Declo was the President in charge of the YCC he had been fighting cancer and passed away on Thursday before the dedication. It hit our kids hard because they knew and loved Pres. Mendenhall he was amazing with the youth... So the mood in our Stake camp was pretty sober Friday night.... Saturday as time neared for the final performance the kids were excited, it was crazy, it was hot, everyone was tired. We lined the kids up the last time to walk them into the arena and get them in place and sat down for the Prophet to enter. You could feel the excitement. They were ready.... I sat in a set of bleachers on the side with some of the ladies I serve with and my favorte sister Sandie and husband Dave...... there was some excitement behind us we turned to look and there was a bunch of cars all lined up. I realized this is it, this is the Prophet. (we still were not sure if President Monson would be coming or if it would be one of the other memebers of the 1st pres.) They started unloading men and women out of the cars into golf carts to bring them into the arena. As they came into the arena it was silent you could have heard a pin drop.... well maybe not over the roar of the waterfall.... No President Monson.... My heart fell. I was sad the kids had worked so hard and were so excited to see the Prophet.... then the golf carts went back out and more people began to get out of cars. I saw President Monson.... I could tell it was him. Must be the family resemblance> :) I got so excited I wanted to scream or jump up and down. I was snapping pictures as fast as I could (I will try to get some downloaded.) They brought him into the arena the kids were in awe... You could feel the spirit..... IT WAS SO STRONG I REALLY FELT LIKE I COULD REACH OUT AND FEEL IT THE SPIRIT WAS AWESOME. HE REALLY IS A PROPHET OF GOD. I KNEW IT WITHOUT ANY DOUBT ...... He walked across the stage to his seat the sun was going down and shining brightly on the stage he had on sunglasses he chatted with the kids as he walked he smiled and laughed. The introduction began and it was soon time for him to speak to our kids. He took off his sunglasses and placed them on Elder Brent Nielsen,sitting by him everyone giggled. Then he went to the pulpit and talked to the kids. He told them stories and laughed He joked he let them know he is a real man who loves the Lord and has given his life to serve him. He let them know how important they are and that the Lord loves them...... He gave them all a blessing it was AWESOME..... I sat with tears running down my face. The spirit was so strong... I was so grateful for my heritage, especially for my parents and for the gospel in my life and the blessings that have come from the Gospel. After President Monson was done talking they took him back in the golf cart went back around to the front of the arena and got him seated and the program began. It was fantastic...... The kids did a great job.... at the end the Prophet was suspossed to leave while the kids again sang the song "Living Water" which was written for this program He wouldn't leave he stood holding onto the railing listening to the song and waving and smiling at them the song ended the kids didn't know what to do no one had planned on the Prophet still being there!!!! They all started waving their flags and yelling, "we love you President Monson" IT WAS AWESOME.

I will share the experience we had in the temple for the dedication when I get some more time.

I want you all to know how much I love you all. I would truly be lost without my family. You are more precious than anything to me. I am so grateful for the opportunity of having a temple in our area and so thankful for the blessings that the temple brings in our lives. For the knowledge that families can be forever!! I want you to know that I also KNOW that President Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and brings great happiness if we live it.

Update on the Wicked One

So I thought that I would give a little update on the happenings of the computer scandal. I had had a particularly unhappy day this last week at school, probably because I had left early in the morning and forgot to take a lunch with me...resulting in a foodless period from 7am to 9pm that night. I was slightly cranky, and what better to alleviate this crankiness than to get myself worked up on the phone with the man that I had prayed the last week would be pummeled by an erant condor dying in flight. I dialed up the number and amazingly enough, I heard a voice on the other end. "Hey Jacob! Man, where the heck have you been man?! I was wondering where..." Me "Alright let's get one things straight! I drove out to Africa to meet you, informing you previously of the time and location...and waited there for hours all the while calling at least 20 times!" Wicked One, "Ok, now hold on there. I told you to call before you came driving out..." Me, "Yeah...I talked to you at noon, and then again before I left! Now, I will report you to craigslist (yeah, like that would do anything) and I have already contacted the police and will call them back if reparations are not made!" Wicked One, "Ahh, now I was gonna be nice(debatable) about this but I ain't gonna take these threatenings. Now, you threatened me and that's not cool. I won't ever answer a call from this number again." Then he hung up. Dang, as long as I "threatened him" I should have made it worth it...like told him I would raise an army of finger-eating ninja rats to hunt him in the night or something.

HAPPY (belated) Birthday!

Happiest Birthday wishes to Makenna! This post is a day late (shame on me!!) but that doesn't mean I didn't think about my wonderful sister all day long! Love you lots Kenna and miss you like crazy!