What's up everyone?! Hope you've all had a good week- if not...well hey it's a start to a new week so that's just peachy, huh? J Okay this week was awesome but the highlight was for sure this weekend! Why, you ask? Well I'll tell ya - hang tight!
Okay so Saturday night was the Cultural
Celebration for the Philly Temple. For
those that don't know what that is: basically it's just a big celebration for
the temple being completed, there's lots of cool cultural dances and it gets
you pumped for the dedication! So earlier in the day Sister Jacobson and I had
this prompting to invite one of the less-active members we've been working with
to come. So we called him. He was having a pretty crummy day and was
telling us all about his current stresses (have I mentioned how much I love the
rambles?! #SoMuch). But seriously- so I finally reined the ramble
in and we said a prayer with him over the phone. We had a good talk about faith
and putting our trust in the Lord. We were able to testify to him that any time
we sacrifice for the Lord we are blessed more than we could ever expect or
imagine. We told him we felt like coming to the celebration would be something
good to get his mind off his stress - and there would be food (which makes one
happy) so....long story short, he came! And he loved it! He said that it was
just what he needed and was somehow able to figure out solutions to the
majority of his problem. How? Not sure. But the Lord works in mysterious ways
folks! But the celebration was super interesting and cool! It was legit how
they were able to tie the founding fathers and significant Philly events into
significant church events going on at the same time. It was just really cool!
It brought back great memories of when I was able to participate a few years
ago in the Boise Cultural Celebration! Good times :P
And then came the Philly Temple dedication
(the 152nd temple!) on Sunday! I felt so blessed to be able to
attend all 3 dedication sessions that day. Each had things that were different
and things that were the same and the repeated messages were powerful. I was
really reminded that as more and more temples are dedicated the closer we get
to the 2nd coming of our Savior and the harder we need to work. It
was also a great comforting reminder that temples are safe havens, refuges and
peaceful places to escape from the world's storms for a time. Elder Perkins (who came to our mission a few
weeks ago) was there along with Elder Christofferson and Pres. Eyring! They all
seemed to be beaming from ear to ear and it made me think of how I felt when I
got to finally go to the temple again last month, for the first time in the
last year! Temples truly bring pure joy! Some things that I loved that Elder
Perkins said were that "we need to sacrifice ourselves to be like Christ -
to be in world but not of it." We
can go to the temple to receive much needed peace! He also said "If we want to be happy,
try to be a little more holy every day." Bam! Isn't that just so great?! And so true! I want you guys to think - when was the last
time you were able to go to the temple? What's
keeping you from going as often as you can? (Unless you’re a missionary - then
that struggle is real, HA!) But I want you all to reflect on what the temple
means to you. Most of us have a temple close. If for one reason or another you
can’t enter into the temple right now, that's alright! Keep working at it. Keep your sight always on the temple. We all need the peace the House of the Lord
brings. Even just walking on the temple grounds can be a powerful, peaceful
experience. I hope we can all take full advantage of being at the Lord's House
as often as we can. I know it will bring you peace, guidance, comfort and the
healing that you seek. Keep enduring and keep pressing forward with the temple
in your sight! :)
💕Sister McDonald
Ponderize: Psalms 91:11-12
"For he shall give his angels charge over thee...they shall bear the up in
their hands"
Commitment: "Press
on!" And "Look to father's example" ~ Elder Christofferson
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