A Very Happy Reunion

Friday, July 10, 2015

I had the most wonderful, happy day today.  We went to the temple today and sealed families together forever!  The Ness', the Anderson's and Mike and I did my family names.  They were all people that I had personally worked on to find records to be able to put families together.  Some were from my Stephens line, the Ackerley line and the Helm line.  I had decided through some more research I did this last month, that I had the correct brothers and sisters for Thomas Helm (3rd grt grandfather) and could seal them as a family.  We had a wonderful temple sealer and he spoke slow and distinctly for each person's sealing ordinance (in Spanish of course). Each one mattered. And because he spoke slow, I could understand.

As we were doing sons, he stopped when he saw the date of 1781 in England. He was amazed at how long this person had waited for this ordinance.  As he started the ordinance, he was visibly touched and tears came to his eyes and his voice trembled as he obviously felt what we were all feeling now, a great spirit of love and gratitude from the other side of the veil.  Mike shared with him the great effort that was made to even find this family after 50 plus years of researching and he also told him that we felt that my Dad (who had died) was very much a part of finding this family on the other side.  There is no doubt in my mind or heart that the spirit world exists and that the veil is very thin in the temple.  The family of my 3rd great grandfather were very happy today.  We all felt it!
As I was reflecting on these ordinances while sitting in the sealing room, a mental image came to my mind and I could see them running across a wide open field and jumping into the arms of their loved ones who had been waiting for them for a long time.
Today, we empowered them with the ordinances of the holy priesthood so that they could move forward with God's power to help themselves and their familes and friends progress.  And all of this is possible because of Heavenly Father's love for His children, that He gave His only Begotten Son, even Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.  Although I know I do not comprehend all, I do know that it is all real and it doesn't negate my profound gratitude for the opportunity of mortal life that prepares us for eternal life with our Maker, our Redeemer, and our families.  Of these truths, I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.