a little taste of heaven

last night was a stake temple night for stake conference this weekend.  i enjoyed the chapel session, and was just happy to be in the temple where i knew i could leave the world behind and have some peaceful, spiritual time alone.  i was especially looking forward to it because things have felt busy and hectic lately and i needed a break (this is summer break, isn't it?! : )  i needed the kind of break i knew the temple would provide.

it was fun and interesting to see how many people i recognized compared to a stake temple night a year ago when we'd only lived here 3 or 4 weeks.  it was also nice to be in good company and see people i've grown to know and love.  i also got to sit next to my friend emily. : )

after sitting down for our session, while watching people walk in to fill in the rest of the seats i thought i saw someone who looked like will's cousin.  will's cousin who i've never met, only seen pictures of.  i tried to look over at will, but he wasn't looking at me.... and i forgot....

after the session i was enjoying being around people i knew and recognized.  when i walked into the celestial room it felt like a family gathering - lots of friendly faces smiling, hugging, and enjoying being together.  i liked it.  i looked around for the most important one: will.  after finding him (and getting my kiss : ) i told him that was good practice for heaven.  we'd get there and see all sorts of people we knew, and it would be great.

after a few minutes i saw the guy who looked like will's cousin again.  oh yeah!!  so i asked will if it was him. he said it looked like him, but it had been a long time since he'd seen him.  so we went over to see if it was him or not.  i was nominated to do the talking...

is your name steve?  yeah.  steve laney?  that's me.  hi!  do you recognize us?  (ha) ummmmm..... this is will howes, your cousin.  no way!  yeah!  and i'm his wife, ashley.  and so on....

it was exciting.  and i thought about how awesome it's going to be when we get to heaven and not only will i find will first and love being with him, but then we'll be able to find and meet family and friends and it will be so happy and wonderful!

in a recent young women's lesson there was a quote along the lines of: by doing our family history or reading journals (or leaving them for those after us), when we get to heaven we'll just already be that much better acquainted.  so... i like that idea.  but for all the ones that i'm not able to learn about, it's still going to be an excellent family reunion.. : )

i'm grateful for Heavenly Father's plan and that through our Savior Jesus Christ we'll be able to return to Him and live eternally with our families forever!!

this has been one of my favorite scriptures for quite a while (since some time in florida!):
Mormon 7:5-7
5  Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.
6  And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgement-seat.
7  And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgement day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

living with my family in the presence of God eternally sounds like happiness which hath no end to me : )





and then we went to fenton's with nathan and emily : )