Gila Valley Temple Dedication (5/26)

This was a week of adventures for us. We've spent quite a bit of time tracting (which is really annoying in areas with lots of Church members - we should not have to do it!) Anyway, we try to make the most of it, and in true form have been having lots of laughs.

We rang the doorbell at one house a few times, and after a while it was clear that either no one was home, or they weren't going to answer. We started to walk away when we heard a loud "who is it?" - but we couldn't tell if it was a person, or a bird (or something in-between). Well, when it kept squawking we figured out it was a parrot... It says more than once in the scriptures that our call is to preach the gospel to "every creature" so we decided to answer the bird's question. Fortunately, instead of a regular doorbell, this house had an intercom, so Hermana Wilkins pressed the talk button and replied "it's the missionaries." Again, the parrot asked "who is it?" so through the intercom and with the most serious voice we could muster we identified ourselves as missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That was pretty much the end of our conversation because we were laughing way too hard to say anything else. Also, unfortunately, the parrot is not interested in the gospel. :)

On Sunday, we had the awesome opportunity to attend the temple dedication for the Gila Valley Temple. It is the third temple in Arizona, and it is only a small one, but it will allow more people to have to travel less to perform the important ordinances of the temple. A few things from the dedication really stuck out to me:

First, when President Thomas S. Monson spoke, I could feel his power, and testimony, which strengthened my testimony that he is a prophet of God. It was great to hear him speak from his heart, telling stories and jokes, mixed with his testimony and gospel truths... all guided by the spirit. He even messed up a few times, and corrected himself, which was really cute. It was so clear to me that he is a normal man just like the rest of us, but he has been called, chosen by God to carry this calling as a special witness of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Watching the temple dedication again reminded me of the importance of this gospel. Elder Costa (of the Seventy) made a comment about the temple, saying "THIS is why we do missionary work". It is so true... missionary work has nothing to do with getting more members to join the Church, or seeing how many people we can get baptized. We share this gospel, because we want to offer to all the blessings of the temples - so that they can receive the fullness of the blessings that comes from making covenants with our Heavenly Father, including the opportunity to be sealed to our families and live with them for time and all eternity.

I am grateful I have these blessings and opportunities available to me, and for the opportunity that I have to share them with others. The spirit that I felt during the temple dedication brings a joy that one can not understand without having felt it. It is a sense of wholeness or completeness, that only comes from participating in the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is not to say that others who have not accepted this gospel can not feel this spirit, or the light of Christ. They absolutely can, but here there is MORE. As missionaries, our invitation to everyone is always to just try it, just see, and let the spirit witness to you that it is true. Then, when you experience that feeling in your heart you will understand what it is that we are trying to describe, but can not for lack of words.

My testimony is simple - I don't always have the words to say to describe how I feel, or what this gospel means to me, but I know that it is true. This is not just another religion, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ - the same church that He, Himself established when he was on the earth. Following Him is not always easy, but I know that as we do our best to try, we will be guided and protected by his Holy Spirit, and our Heavenly Father will bless us. May He bless each of you for all that you do.

Much love,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette