Dedicating one Day a Week

While Dad was fighting for his life with the new meds I felt very helpless.  I felt very prompted to start fasting for him.  Once a week I would fast.  I worked very hard for it to be a true 24 hour fast.  Something I’ve never been great at doing. My testimony of fasting grew so much.  I felt like I was actually doing something to help Dad.  If I lived in Utah I would have done what I did with my friend Marie.  I would have dedicated one day a week to spend time with him.  But that wasn’t possible for me.  So how grateful I am that through fasting I could ask my Heavenly Father to open the windows of heaven and bless Dad.  

While teaching seminary my temple attendance really dropped.  I felt like all my time and energy went into my daily lessons and doing more church on Saturdays was just too much.   Before teaching seminary I would attend the temple once a week.  Attending the temple is an all day affair.  I loved dedicating one day a week to going.  I had a sweet friend Sandra who would go with me each week. I’ve been done teaching seminary since June and have not had my act together and been much to the temple.  

Once Dad passed away my heart aches to feel heaven.  I really wanted to be in the temple and feel my Heavenly Fathers love.  I really wanted to go once a week.  Each week I would try to have friends go with me.  I never have gone alone.  The hour drive in downtown Dallas each way alone always felt hard.  Asking someone each week was getting difficult and really finding someone was an extra layer of effort.

Until the day I was at the temple and one of my cute past seminary students were there who just returned from BYUI, Kaylee Allred.  I gave her a big hug and told her how proud of her I am that she is now endowed and that she was at the temple.  I asked who she came with, she said she was there alone.  Yep she is just 19 and did that drive alone.  I decided right then that not having a friend to go with will never hold me back again.  

Now I go once a week, all alone!  I actually love the drive alone.  It’s an hour each way that I get to reflect on my Dad and have a good cry.  It’s been beautiful.  When I arrive I sit in the chapel on the front row each week. I stare at the picture of the Savior surrounded by angels with trumpets.  I had never payed much attention to the angels before just the Savior.  I can almost picture my Dad being one of them.  In that sweet chapel each week I can reflect the love I have for my Dad and it’s a time I feel so close to him. 

Ministering angels have become something I notice more and more in the scriptures.  I use to think of them as those angels that administered to Jospeh Smith.  Now I’m learning that they are really our loved ones helping us from the other side.  It’s a beautiful gift we have.  My sister Becky shared with me a chapter in Moroni that teaches about ministering angels.  I read it this week while in the celestial room.  This verse stood out to me.  It’s by our faith that we can feel the love and ministering efforts of our loved ones who are now angels.