One year ago

One year ago on October 8th our dear friend James took his life. He died because of an imperfect body and broken mind. He died without baptismal, temple or priesthood blessings. He died deeply loved by family and friends who want to be reunited with him. God is mindful and merciful, and can take any bad and make it good. Never in my life have I seen such evidence of this truth.

The miracle started the weekend that Betsy attended a grief conference in Utah. As she was leaving for the airport she grabbed a journal from the bookshelf, one she hadn't seen before. As she opened it she found a note from James telling her that he loved her and looked forward to being in the temple with her. That same day Betsy's Stake President called to let her know that the First Presidency had approved the restoration of James' temple blessings. In an unprecedented short time, James could be sealed to his adopted sons on the one year anniversary of his death. To make things extra special, Elder Bednar would be able to perform the sealing.  Words really can't adequately express the peace and comfort we felt in the temple. It was a motivating experience and will be a reminder to me all my life that God's power and mercy brings us from the deepest sadness to the sweetest joy.

Tony and I flew to Utah on Monday night with Jason and Andrea. We had a good time being together, perusing the BYU bookstore, visiting Tyler's new company, eating at fun new restaurants and enjoying the fall colors in the canyons. But the purpose and highlight of our trip was the time we spent in the Salt Lake Temple. Here are some things I learned that evening:

Agency and choice are not the same. Making a selection off the McDonalds menu is not exercising agency, it is making a choice. Choices made in accordance with the Savior become exercises in agency.  Exercising agency is representing the Savior. To lose agency is not to lose choice. It is to lose the power of the Holy Ghost and the power to act in the name of the Savior. The loss of agency is the loss of power and potential. We lose agency when we represent someone other than the Savior.

When we act out of line with the Savior we are not exercising agency, we are rebelling against God. Saying, "I can use my agency to make a bad choice," is silly. We can choose to rebel, but our agency is lost. Agency (being an agent of Christ) frees us from lost potential (never ending regret and torment).

Eve was our first mortal example of exercising agency. She became an agent of the Savior when she partook of the fruit, because she submitted her will to God. Partaking of the fruit was not just a simple choice, it was the exercise of agency.

When we have been baptized and entered into a covenant relationship with God to always remember Him, agency is not just choosing between good and bad. The decision becomes whether we represent the Savior or not. Baptism is our first mortal opportunity to be bound and sealed to the Savior, to declare ourselves His agents.

Temple ordinances are further opportunities to bind and seal ourselves to the Savior and further declare ourselves His agents through sacrifice and consecration.

When we have made and kept ALL of our covenants and the Holy Spirit of promise has ratified those covenants, we enter into The New and Everlasting Covenant.



To add to the amazing miracle of the whole weekend, Mom and Dad quietly pulled us aside and informed us that they have a new calling--In the Spokane Temple Presidency.  It was another blessing to think that Dad will have the sealing keys, the same ones that Elder Bednar used to reorganize the Hughes family.  What a blessing to my kids to be sealed by their Grandfather.



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