15 Years down and eternity to go!

I wish to share with you something has been a part of me over the last 15 years. As I think about the changes that I made so long ago I wonder where and how my life would have turn out to be if I did not make those commitments and follow the directions for the Holy Ghost. On October 18, 1998 I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. This was 15 years ago. At the time of my baptism I had just turned 15 years old. This can be considered my “Golden year” of my baptismal date. I have been equally in the church as long as I have been without. Although I do not remember much about my childhood, I am able to see the difference in me after following the example of my Savior and to be baptized into his church. I wish to share with you several experiences in which I know Heavenly Father (God) has been aware of me. These experiences are very important to me and I do not speak of them lightly. I hope that those that read them will consider them special experiences and respect my view on how Heavenly Father communicated with me. During my missionary service in Las Vegas, Nevada I was transferred to a new area as well was my companion. As we got settled into our area and started to see that we did not have any people we were working with we started to go though past investigators and part member families. I called a member that was active but her husband was not a member of our church. I explained that I was a new missionary in their ward and that we wanted to know if we could stop by and meet the family. They agreed and we set a time to go. Somehow I forgot to make it down in my planner and agenda for the following day. The next day we forgot about our appointment and missed it. Have you ever had that experience where you lay down and everything that you forgot to do that day comes to you? That happened. I sat up in my bed and thought “OH NO!” I called Jon the next day and apologized for not showing up. We set another appointment for a few days later. That night I learned from several members of that ward that Jon did not like to be pushed. Their exact words were “Do not push him.” Jon did not like the pushy sales men type of church members and missionaries. I agreed with them and wanted to be a support not a salesman. The morning of our appointment my companion worked out a brief message about the plan of salvation. All day I was thinking about Jon and his family. We made it to the appointment and as we knocked on the door and as Jon opened the door I remember hearing direct instructions for the Holy Ghost that we were not to leave until Jon was set for baptism. I looked at my companion to see if he said that but my companion had not. As I walked into their home I thought about what I had heard and wondered in my heart how I was going to do this. I was told do not push him and wanted to respect that. Members and leaders of the local ward had been working with him and I did not want to ruin what they had been working on. I sat there and wondered if it was directions from the Spirit. I wondered how am I going to do this? The Spirit then told me that I am not going to do anything. He would be the one that would be doing it. I talked to him about my baptism, the way I felt, the happiness that came to me after I was baptized and such. I asked Mikki his wife to tell me about her baptism and likewise did the same with my companion. After the both of them finished I spoke about the baptism of the Savior. Even though he lived a perfect life and did not need to be baptized he still obeyed his father’s commands. In Matthew we read the account of Jesus being baptized. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:13-17 We read this with him and taught him that it was important to follow the example of the Savior and likewise be baptized. I then asked Jon, Jon will you follow the example of Jesus and be baptized? As I sat there preparing to be told that I would not be allowed back in their home, I looked at Jon to see him looking at me. He looked at his wife then at the ground and then back at me. With tears streaming down my face because I knew that the Spirit was there and he was in charge of this mighty change in Jon’s heart. Jon said yes. The tears were streaming down Mikki’s face because she would now be able to attend church as a family, and possibly be sealed to the love of her life. I then asked Jon, when would you like to be baptized? He wanted it to be on his birthday. I told him that I would be at home in Colorado but I would come back to witness it. He changed the date to October 18. I looked a Jon drying my eyes and said why that day? He told me that was his daughter’s birthday. I told him that that day was the day that I got baptized on. Jon asked me if I would be the one to baptize him. I accepted his request. On October 18, 2005 at the exact time I baptized Jon 7 years after my baptism. That night I rode my bike back home with tears in my eyes and a silent prayer in my heart thanked my father in heaven for this tender mercy. I knew that that was one way Heavenly father let me know that he loved me.

This experience with Jon leads to experience number two. After returning from my mission I returned quickly to Las Vegas to live. My main goal while living in Vegas was to never move back to Colorado. If I did I would not have been the person I am today. I got a job working for R.C. Willey. I lived about 10 miles away from work and had no car. The busses did not run earlier enough for me to catch to get to work on time. For eight months I walked to and from work. I would get up at 2:15 in the morning and start my walk and would arrive at 7:15. During that time I would listen to the Tabernacle Choir, EFY music and General Conference talks. This walk in the morning became my time to listen and to pray for those around me. I was called to be in several callings at that time and would often pray for those that were in our ward. I would also discuss my future with Heavenly Father. Those that know me in Las Vegas know that I was an emotional wreck. I could not sit through a church meeting without balling my eyes out. I was in a choir that sung at events regularly and I would not be able to get through a song without tears falling from my eyes. I recall these memories because I honestly think that Heavenly Father was so close to me. Just recently I read a book called “Hard times Holy Places.” The stories shared in this book helped me see that I was now trying to make a better life for myself. I was dealing with all of the hardships I had had from an abusing “father figure” I remember listening to some of the holiest talks given by Elder Holland and seeing my path that my Father in Heaven laid out for me. I was recently talking with a great family from Vegas a few weeks ago. The husband was in my singles ward bishopric. We were talking about how different my life is since I moved away from there and have gotten married with the jokes from him toward me. I remember I was saying that there I only one regret from that period in my life. I was a very needy individual. I was sometimes very dependent on others for their help. As I sat there and said this to this them I realized that I had taken for granted those that had done things for me. I want you all to know that I am very appreciative of what you sacrificed so that I could have stayed in Las Vegas. I am thankful for the hard times because I know now that they have been holy places for me. I pray nightly for those that sacrificed so much for me. I want to personally thank every member of my singles ward, my roommates, and friends in Las Vegas. I may have been a burden on you and have asked you to do things that may have seemed hard. But you still helped me. I know that Heavenly father will bless each and every one of you for your service on my behalf. God blessed me with holy places in which I will never forget.

Lastly, (Note: I started this post last Thursday on October 17) Kirsten and I moved to Chandler, AZ in April. Many know that we live about 20 minutes away from the new Gilbert Arizona Temple. When we moved here I started to photograph the progress of the temple and started to submit these photos to a local blogger and she has been updating this blog with several on my photos. Last Friday I checked my email and saw that I had received a message from her. Earlier that day she got an email for a member of the dedication committee had contacted her to get the contact information for three of the photographers that have submitted work to the blog. This gentleman contacted me to let me know that he was in charge of compiling a book from the very beginning of city of Gilbert AZ and how it has become the city it is today. In this book he will also be telling the story about the temple and the stories behind the scenes. He has taken testimonies from workers and members of the area. He needed to contact all of us to get permission to use our photographs for the book. One of our photos will be on the cover of the book. And many of our photographs will be printed on the pages inside also. This is a very special book. This book will be limited in prints. There will a limited copies printed. The first copy will be placed in the corner stone known as the Capstone and will be dedicated apart of the building. Here is a snippet from the email I had received on Friday. “You have shown your testimony through the beauty of your photographs. We are extremely blessed, in the fact that we will have our names and artwork literally inside of the dedicated temple walls, as a testimony of our belief in the eternal blessings from temples.” Two other copies will be made and sent to Salt Lake City, for the records and historical purposes and will be considered history of the Church. The remaining prints are based given to others under the direction of the New Temple President. It will not be not for public distribution. I may never get to see this book, read the messages and testimonies of those in it. But that day when we gather together to dedicate this holy house and the many time I enter in the doors to so the work of my ancestors I will always walk by the capstone and remember my testimony that I gave when taking photographs of this temple. I will forever be grateful to a loving Heavenly Father that has continued to show his love for me on the day that I committed and covenanted with him to follow him and to keep his commandments. He has never neglected me and never left me alone. He has shown me his love by reminding me of the tender mercies and the hard times in my life because he was walking very close to me. I love my Heavenly Father so much; I know that his Son Jesus Christ is my Savior and the one that sacrificed his own life so that I can have mine. I know that through the Holy Ghost I can hear the messages loud and clear telling me what I need to do to accomplish what God sent me here to do. I know that my marriage to Kirsten is an everlasting marriage that when we leave this mortal experience I will be with her and my children forever. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the father and Christ his son in the grove of trees. God is unchanging; he is our father and we are his children. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Of this I know to be true. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.