Today I was helping with the proxy sealings of deceased individuals when a couple in their 30's came in to be sealed. As always it was a special experience to see this sweet couple married and have that marriage sealed for eternity by the priesthood. The real special part however was when their little three and a half year old daughter was brought in to be sealed to her parents. As they opened the door to allow her to be brought in we were privileged to see this little girl come walking into the room as if she owned the whole world. With her beautiful light brown skin, dressed all in white with her dark hair swept back into a white bow on each side of the back of her head and a soft curl of hair that fell down each side of her face to frame that sweet face with those brilliant, glistening dark eyes she strolled into the room. She walked right over to her father and threw her arms around his neck and held on with a tight hug. After letting lose she walked to her mother and repeated that heart felt expression of pure love. She then knelt at the altar just being tall enough that I could see the top of her head and her eyes as she reached up and placed her delicate little hand on top of her parents hands and quietly knelt as she and her parents were sealed together as a family for all time and eternity. I felt like I was witnessing a heavenly scene. At the conclusion of the sealing she stood up and as her father picked her up and held her she curled one arm gently around his neck. Then with poise and dignity as she was set down she allowed those of us in the room to give her a hug and a kiss on the top of her head as we congratulated her and her parents on this wonderful event in their lives. Then grasping the hand of the sweet sister that had brought her into the room and without looking back she left the room as if to say – you have had the benefit of my presence, goodbye. Watching this transpire one got the impression that being so soon from the presence of her heavenly parents she was the one who really understood the significance of what had just taken place. The spirit of our Heavenly Father was therein abundance and it was a holy and scared experience.
Today, Friday, was a beautiful spring day. The sun was out and was warm but there was a cool refreshing breeze blowing. Yesterday a couple of buses arrived from the interior of the country and this morning there were additional buses. As I sat outside the temple in the warm sunshine I watched as a large double decked touring bus arrived and people started unloading. It’s not uncommon for the buses to travel all night, eight, ten or twelve hours to arrive at the temple in the morning. It appeared that entire families came. There was one family I met and visited with for a minute that included, mom, dad, aunts, children and grandma. All of these people coming to spend the weekend at the temple. This is really quite a financial sacrifice for many and especially when bringing the entire family. They unload from the bus dressed in their rumpled travel clothes, tired but smiling and head to the dressing area where there are showers and room to dress in their Sunday best so they will be properly attired when entering the temple. The parents take turns entering the temple while the other one minds the little children that they bring. The teenage children will do baptisms for the dead while their parents do other ordinances both for themselves and/or for ancestors.
As I sat on the bench taking it all in I saw the folks arrive plainly dressed and then as they emerged from the dressing rooms I beheld beautiful families dressed in their best as they came out and filled the temple grounds. There were lots of little girls in beautiful dresses, lots of white dresses with soft pastel colors, young boys in white shirts and many with coats. Teenage youth in their finery with the young men dressed in Aaronic Priesthood style with dark dress pants, long sleeve white shirts and ties. There were complete Families, smiling and laughing with the shine of expectation on their faces, as they walked towards the temple, the house of the Lord. I could not but think that this is what heaven will be like, families mingling in happiness and joy as they advance towards their rendezvous with their Heavenly Father and their Elder Brother, Jesus Christ.
It was a holy and sacred moment. How I love the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ. How grateful I am to witness these choice and tender things. How grateful I am that the Lord knows each one of us individually and is mindful of our eternal needs and I witness to you that indeed this is true, He does know and loves us.
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