Families are Forever

 This past weekend has been pretty hard.  On Friday my Mom ended up in the Hospital with a blockage in her small intestine.  She wasn't able to keep anything down, and was in excruciating pain.  It broke my heart to see her like this.  Every time I looked at her I was wishing that I could take away her pain.  The day after she arrived at the Hospital, she was given some medication and she stopped breathing.  After about 7-10 minutes they were able to get her to respond a little bit.  I was so scared I was going to lose my Mom.  

On Sunday my mom went in for surgery.  I wanted to be there so bad, but I now have a calling in my church to teach the 3 year old children.  I was going to ask someone else to teach my lesson so that I could be with my mom, but decided against it.  I prayed to my Father in Heaven and asked him what I should do.  I wasn't sure if I should leave my class to be with my mom or not.  I got a very calm feeling when I thought about teaching my lesson.  I knew my Heavenly Father was letting me know that if I would be where I was supposed to be, and be doing what I was called to do, that he would take care of my Mom until I was done and could get down to the hospital.  

After church got over, my husband and I rushed home, changed our clothes, and headed to the hospital.  I had just talked to my dad and he let me know that she was still in surgery after 4 hours, and he hadn't heard anything.  I was so nervous.  I have had the same surgery she was having done, and my husband had to remind me that when I had it done it took about 5 hours.  He assured me that she was going to be okay.  When he told me that I was at peace, and knew it was true.  

We arrived at the Hospital to see my dad just beside himself.  He was teary eyed, and so worried about my mom.  It was then that I gained a true testimony of the fact that because my parents were married and sealed for time and all eternity in the temple that even if my mom did pass on we would be together again.  An hour later she was brought into the recovery room, and 2 hours later she was awake and talking to us.  It was so good to see her alive.

We are taught through the Book of Mormon, and by our prophets that if we will choose the right, and follow Gods commandments, and do all we must do to be sealed with our spouse in the temple one day that we will have eternal families.  My marriage doesn't stop if I die.  Dave is sealed to me for time and all eternity, and no matter what happens in this life he will always be mine.  If I was to pass away tonight, Dave would be sad, but he would find so much comfort and joy knowing that I am on the other side waiting for him.  I will be his wife, best friend, and companion, long after our physical bodies have died.  The same thing goes for my parents.  Because they chose to marry in the temple, and continue to be worthy of their temple blessings, I know that even when they die they will always be my parents.  More importantly I know that I will see them again when this life is over.

Families are eternal if you will keep the commandments of God, and choose to be sealed in the temple.  That is what is such an amazing blessing that is taught to us by our true prophets of God.  If we will continually follow our Savior and Father in Heaven we will live with our families once this life is done.  

I am so grateful to have an eternal family.  I'm so grateful that my husband is mine for the rest of eternity and not just until "death do us part".  I know that once this life is over I will live with my Father in Heaven, Savior, and all of my family again.  It really is true; Families can be together forever through Heavenly Father's plan.

Introduction to the Mormon Housewife

Hi everyone!!  I'm so excited that you're here.  My name is Jill Strasburg, I'm 27, and I live in Utah.  I wanted to start a blog dedicated to talking about and discussing topics about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aka Mormons.  Before I start I want you all to know a little about me.  Like I said my name is Jill, but I normally go by Jilly  :)  I am the youngest of 4 children, and I was born and raised in Utah.  I have parents that have been married for 35+ years, and I feel so blessed to have had them raise me with the standards I have.  I was baptized into the church at age 8 and followed all the teachings until I was 14.  At the age of 14 my father was Bishop (the leader of a parish) of my ward.  I was really offended by one of my Young Women's (a program for girls ages 12-18) and I stopped going to church.  I knew it was wrong, but I guess I felt justified.  I knew in my heart that the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) church is not about the people of the church.  It's not based on the people of the church it's based on the teachings in the Book of Mormon and by the teachings of Joseph Smith, and when you go to church you are going for your Father in Heaven, not the people there.  Being young and naive, I let the comment of my leader bother me and stopped going.

I was inactive until the age of 23.  I always knew the church was true.  I never doubted it, not a day in my life.  I just chose to not live according to it's principles, but I always knew the teachings were true.  I had prayed about it, and Heavenly Father had let me know that the teachings I had been taught were true.  Each of you can do this as well.  You can pray to God at anytime and he will comfort and guide you.  If you ask him about my church I promise he will answer.  I tell you all of this because I want you each to know that I have lived a life.  I have been on both sides of my religion.  I know that it is a challenge to live the Gospel principles.  I know it is a sacrifice and it takes hard work, but living on both sides I can testify to you that I am so much happier following my Father in Heaven then I ever was allowing temptation to overcome me.  Because I am so happy now, I rededicated my life to my church and I am so thankful to have it.

At 23 I met a man at the gym I was managing.  He walked up to me as I stood behind the desk and reached out his hand and said, "Hi I'm Dave."  I thought he was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen and my heart pitter pattered.  I was hooked to him instantly.  Over the next year we dated and spent every second together that we could.  It was so hard to leave him every night, but knowing that we had chosen to get married in the temple (a sacred house of the Lord) I knew it was wrong to spend the night or have intimate relations with Dave until we were married.

On March 14, 2009 Dave and I got married for time and ALL eternity in the Mount Timpanogos temple in American Fork Utah.  It was the greatest day of my life.  While I was preparing to go through the temple I had an interview with my Bishop.  Every person must have 2 interviews to get a temple recommend.  1 is with your Bishop, and your 2nd is with the Stake President (a leader/advisor for many congregations).  During my interview with my Bishop (who happened to be my Dad for a second time in my life) I was asked a series of questions that you must be asked before entering the temple.  I was so worried and had doubts of my worthiness because I had not always lived the gospel principles.  I was so nervous because in my heart even though I knew I had taken the correct steps to repent, I feared I might be unworthy.  My Bishop asked me the questions which I honestly answered, and then he looked at me and said, "Jill you are worthy to enter the house of the Lord."  At that moment I had an amazing feeling come over me.  It was calm and peaceful and gave me and intense feeling of love.  My Bishop said, "Do you feel that?"  I said, "Yes, what is it?"  He looked at me and said, "Jill, that is the spirit/holy ghost letting you know that your Heavenly Father finds you worthy to enter the temple as well."  At that moment it was the first time I had been able to recognize the spirit.  I promised at that moment that if Heavenly Father would continually send me the spirit that I would follow him 100%  He has kept his promise and I have kept mine.  I have become very sensitive to his promptings and I'm so thankful for that guidance.

In the upcoming posts I will write on a bunch of different topics.  Please feel free to ask me any questions that you might have in the comments.  I will answer them to the best of my ability and with 100% honesty and sincerity.  I'm so excited to share my love for my christian church with you.  I'll talk to you all soon!

Love,

Jilly