This past Saturday on August 31st our stake youth went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. The difference with this trip from other youth trips to the temple was that each youth was encouraged to bring family names to be proxy for the baptisms. Thanks to my brother who is big into doing genealogy he emailed me some names so that my kids could do the work for them. We also helped a couple of other youth who were unable to find names for them.
Having done work for my own ancestors before has been amazing but to be able to witness my own child (my son was feeling sick in the morning and did not go on this trip) doing the work was even more amazing.
Shania did 5 names and another girl in our ward did 5 names as well and one young man did 5 names. I loved feeling a connection to someone who lived hundreds of years before. The dates for some of the names were from the 1700's. I was able to also be in the room when they were confirmed for the same people they were baptized for.
After our wards turn in the baptismal font was done myself and friend were able to go up and do initiatory work for the females that had just been baptized and confirmed only moments before. My visiting teaching companion was lucky enough to also be going through the temple on Saturday to take out her own endowments and be sealed to her husband. I was in the temple from around 0730 until 1500 on Saturday. I was so overcome by the spirit and the closeness that I felt with the name on the piece of paper that I was holding. I am glad that I was able to spend such a great day in the temple. All of the females names that were baptized on Saturday then also had their endowments done as well. I look forward to another day of going to the temple and completing the work for the names that I have as well as going forward and doing the research to get names ready to take to the temple and doing the work for them as they have since passed on from this life with out that work being performed while on the earth.
I am so glad for the gospel especially since 2 of my friends from high school have both lost their mothers in the past month. One also has a knowledge of the blessing of the plan of salvation and the other does not. It is interesting to see the differences in their facebook posts as to their view of the passing of their mothers. It is not an easy thing to lose your mother in death. But I am so glad to know that I will be able to see my mother again and that we can be an eternal family forever. As long as I am keeping the commandments and doing what my Heavenly Father wants me to do so that I can be reunited with my family members again.
I am so very grateful for the experience of the temple that I had on Saturday. It just reaffirmed my love for my Saviour and for the gospel in my life.
