What Did You Get for YOUR Birthday?

Three weeks--THREE WEEKS until I leave! Can you believe it?? 

I can't. 

It's so surreal to think that this is all actually happening. Sometimes I feel like shouting, "HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!! I'M GOING ON A MISSION!" all the time! And other times I think to myself, "Oh my goodness--what am I doing?? I can't believe I'm doing this!" But I know in whom I have trusted, and my Savior will sustain me through this grand new adventure in my life.

Anyway, back to the title question of this post: What did you get for YOUR birthday? 

 

Because I got a temple for mine.

On Sunday I turned 22 years old, and on that day, November 18th, 2012, a prophet of the Lord, Thomas S. Monson, rededicated the Boise Idaho Temple in three sessions.

I went to two of the sessions that were broadcast in the stake center: the noon one with my sister Tara, and the 3:00 one with all of my family except Nate--Eli even came up from BYU-Idaho to go.

As I looked down the row filled with my very large family (in number and in stature) and saw friends that we knew and loved around us at the dedication, I thought to myself,

This is what heaven must feel like--like being in the temple surrounded by family and other people that we love.

I teared up a little at the thought. This time at home with my family has been such a gift, and I have come to love and appreciate them even more than I did before. We are not perfect, but we are so blessed, and we truly do live the abundant life full of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The dedication was so full of the Spirit, and I had some things made clearer to me. Some of them are too sacred to share, but I will share this:

I found out fairly recently that another interpretation of my name, in addition to lion(ess) of God and another name for Jerusalem, is Temple.

Therefore, it seemed particularly symbolic to me at this point in time, as I am about to go forth and serve a mission, that on my birthday in my hometown, the temple would be rededicated to the Lord. As the dedicatory prayer was said, I rededicated myself and my life to the service of my God and the building of his kingdom.

You know, the brethren didn't know when they scheduled the temple dedication that November 18th was my birthday, but Heavenly Father knew. He knew, and in his grace and love he was kind enough to give me the gift of being in his holy house to be reminded of my covenants and renew my dedication to him.

I can't think of a better birthday present. 

Here's to 22 happy years and many more in the service of the Lord.

Temple picture from here