Going To The Merida Yucatan Temple

 Dear Kids,

We were able to visit the Merida Temple! Talia did baptisms for the dead for the FIRST time in Mexico! That will hopefully be a memory that she will remember for a long time. 

We got to the temple early in the morning together with our friend Juan Lopez. We brought him with us so he could go to a session as well. He hadn't been since Covid. I told Brent it was okay if I didn't do a session before we brought the kids for baptisms, but he pushed for me to go. I'm SO GLAD I did! 

I didn't realize how much I NEEDED to go to the temple - and to have some reminders that ONLY going to a temple OUTSIDE of the country would give me. As soon as we walked in to get dressed before the session my heart just settled. I couldn't believe how much I had missed the temple. It's amazing because NO MATTER what temple you go to, no matter where it is in the world - the feeling is ALL the same. Protective, powerful, peaceful.

And the people in the temple, they are also all the same no matter what language they are speaking. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I just started to cry. The ladies that were helping me, I knew their hearts. Their goodness and their strength. The gospel in it's fullness produces people that are AMAZING. There is A LOT of negative press right now in the media, a lot of negative shows about the church and the history of the church. And granted, I've had my own questions and struggles as well. 

BUT - BY THEIR FRUITS yes shall know them. And the fruits of the people living the gospel all over the world is AMAZING. The type of people the gospel produces, when they choose to really live it, are AMAZING. I was hit by that feeling SO STRONGLY while in the temple. I just cried and cried about it. 

The other thing that was so overwhelming for me was that the world needs more and more temples in order to really lift the people everywhere in the world. While in Utah and Idaho we've had the blessings of the temple for so long, we've forgotten what their presence has actually done for us as a people. In a talk by Elder Bednar he talked about how there needs to be thousands of temples. I BELIEVE that is true. There is SO MUCH work to be done in order to LIFT the whole earth. I had this feeling about how, I don't know how much longer it's going to be until Jesus comes back - but it might be a while longer in order to build more and more temples. It's necessary. This is the gospel for the entire earth. I don't envy the brethren their job of trying to keep everything in the kingdom running while "the beast controls the land". 

The beast does control the land - make no mistake about it. Socialism and Communism are sweeping the earth, the governments of the world are really corrupt. But the work goes on. 

AND - after the session in the temple we went back and took Gabe and Talia back to do baptisms for the dead. It was so cool! My only regret is that we didn't take the time for them to bring family names. I thought because we were in Mexico that the names they would have baptized would be from Mexico - but they actually weren't. They were from all over the world. I wanted them to baptize people from Mexico to feel those spirits from the land where we have been, but it didn't happen. Because of that, I wish I was better prepared with family names. 

But even with that said, it was a wonderful experience. Talia went first and baptized 15 people. When she came out of the water, she was just GLOWING. She said to me, "Does that mean that 15 people entered the kingdom of God because I did their work for them?". I said, "YES! And if they didn't, then Mimi and Shayla are going to go find them and be their missionaries since you made it possible for them!."

Then I told her about my memories of Mimi in the temple when we would go with youth groups. She would just be hustling around, bustling to make sure that everyone was taken care of. She was SUCH AN AMAZING Young Women's leader. It was wonderful to watch her do her magic with the youth. Everyone felt special to her. She was so good at giving compliments and making everyone feel like THEY were the most important person in the world. I talked to Talia about those memories and told her how much Mimi LOVES temple work. 

I got emotional thinking about how Mimi would always give me names. We had a deal when she couldn't go to the temple anymore that she would get the names ready, and I would get the work done. Now I am going to have to take the time to actually find the names myself!

Gabe, you were so sweet being there as well. You were so reverent and said a really long prayer by yourself on the other side of the room. Your heart was so full being there in the temple and you were so excited to be there and feel everything there. You are such an old soul. 

I love you kids! It was worth every sacrifice to make sure that you were able to be at the temple. 

I love you, 

Your Mom