Family IS Forever

I had two experiences last week that I wanted to record, and as it is much faster to type rather than write, I'm going to use this space.

Wednesday morning, about 4am, I had a dream.  I was traveling with my kids and my mom and some of Blythe's little friends.  We were driving over a high mountain pass in the snowy cold and stopped near the summit of the mountain.  We got out, and as we were walking around, Blythe's friend Kassi tripped and hurt her ankle.  I called her mom to come meet us, and after some time waiting, making no progress on our journey and really just killing time, Kassi's parents arrived.  I wanted to get on the road and told my mom we needed to get back in the car and be on our way since Kassi was being taken care of.  She didn't feel like she could go, but I was tired of waiting and exhausted physically and just wanted to be home.  So I got in the car and drove away.

As I got down into the valley, I realized I didn't know where I was.  The surroundings reminded me of Spain, but as I was driving, I knew I couldn't be there.  I passed a small information office, and stopped to ask for directions.  When I went into the office, the man at the desk and I had a very difficult time understanding each other.  I kept telling him I needed to know the way home, and he kept acting like he didn't understand anything I was saying.  I was trying to show him on a map where I needed to be, but I didn't know exactly where I was, so I couldn't orient myself.

Suddenly, next to me, my father appeared.  He didn't speak to me.  In fact, it was as if he was ignoring me.  I said, "Dad! What are you doing here?" but he didn't respond.  He sort of bustled around the office and then walked over next to the man I was trying to get directions from.  Miraculously, the man suddenly comprehended what I needed and gave me clear and concise directions of how to get home.  He showed me on the map, pointed the routes I was to take, and encouraged me on my way.  When he was done and it was obvious I knew what I needed, Dad bustled out of the office.  Again, he didn't say anything to me and I desperately wanted a hug from him, but I knew that he had made my communications with the man at the desk possible.  He knew how much I wanted to go home and eased my way.

I woke crying and realized that Dad is involved in my life.  I can't see him or talk to him or hug him, but he wants to make sure I get home and is working from the other side of the veil to insure that happens.  He is easing my way and I felt that so profoundly as I woke from my dream.

The following day, Thursday, I went to the temple just after dropping the kids off at school.  I have been going on Wednesdays since school started, but I wasn't able to go then last week, and changed my day.  Aunt Georgianne works at the temple on Thursdays, and when I was going on Thursdays, I would see her all the time.  She was the initiatory coordinator, so I was always able to say hello and give/get a hug.  Although I was doing initiatory, positions have changed and I didn't see her when I went in.  I waited on the bench for just a moment, and was then taken into a booth randomly.  Well, not so randomly as it turns out.  I was washed, and then out of anointing came Georgianne to seal my washing.  We were both surprised to see each other, and I stood and gave her a hug.  She performed the ordinance and then we went into the anointing booth together.  She was very emotional, hardly able to speak as she performed the ordinance.  She then came into clothing with me as it was time to change places.  She and I were both very touched by the spirit as she finished off, both of us crying.

It was wonderful to be in initiatory with my favorite auntie.  I love the blessing promised during each stage of initiatory, and to hear them pronounced upon my head by someone I love and that I know loves me was very powerful.  It made me think of Grandma Hare.  Before we had Brandt, I would go to the temple on Thursday mornings with Georgianne and Grandma Hare and Aunt Beth (until her death) and sometimes Jackie.  I know Grandma Hare is busy on the other side of the veil, and I believe she is probably helping with temple work from her side.  I thought about Grandma Barnes, another active and energetic soul, and can imagine her doing temple work too.  It was just so moving to be there with family doing such critical work that brings about the binding of families forever.

And I cried, too, because Georgianne has daughters she loves even more than she loves me, and she can't go to the temple with any of them.  She's done everything right as a parent, and yet all but one of her eight children have left the church and don't participate anymore at all.  I keenly felt that loss and imagine she was thinking about it too.  But there is hope, too, that comes from temple covenants.  All of Georgianne's children have been sealed to her, and her righteousness and obedience help insure that her children will be hers for eternity.  Hope is a wonderful thing.

I was so grateful for both of these experiences, tender reminders of the eternal nature of families, and the love our Father in Heaven, as our father, has for us.  I rejoice in my sealing to Kent and the sealing of our children to us, and to know that I and we are linked to those we love very most forever.