Indescribable Joy

God is the designer of the family.  He intended that the greatest of happiness, the most satisfying aspects of life, the deepest joys should come in our associations together and our concerns one for another as fathers and mothers and children.
-President Gordon B. Hinckley

Life just doesn't get any better!  We can NOT stop smilin'!  

I feel like I can't NOT journal this most beautiful family experience but I have been conflicted as to what to say/how to say it/whether to only say it privately in my personal journal or post it here.  I did NOT want to be preachy or goofy and this experience was so sacred and special and close to my heart that I debated on how and if I should share it.  I have written several versions, edited, deleted and finally feel like I should just get on with it and take this opportunity to share my testimony of temples and families.

Words can't express the gratitude, love, happiness and joy in the hearts at the Happy Hough homestead.  And so I won't even try.  Matt and I have typed up our thoughts and impressions about our temple sealing but will save those personal reflections for our family journal.  To sum it up:

*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true!  It is such a blessing in our lives.  It gives us a path (this is not to safe life will be a walk in the park, skipping down a lane of roses...no, the path might be bumpy but at least God's road for us is straight and there is peace along the journey when you live righteously and enjoy the blessings of obedience even though there will certainly be adversity and hardships).

*Our loving Heavenly Father sent His Son to atone for all mankind so that we can repent and live with God again in eternal families.  How grateful we are for our Savior, Jesus Christ!  Matt and I were so moved by the gorgeous art in the temple as we met together and made our way to the sealing room.  We had such gratitude for our Savior for making that miraculous and indescribably beautiful day possible. 

* There is power in prayer: I was so overcome with emotion as Matt and I entered the silent sealing room filled with our most favorite people in the whole world (minus some very special and dear loved ones who couldn't be there, but whom we love sooooo much and include in our "favorites").  When I sat down, I looked around at all the loving faces looking back at us.  Seeing my brothers and sisters, tears streamed down my face.  I lost my breath and gasped a tiny gasp trying to find a calming breath.  Such joy!  So grateful for the powerful prayers of my parents and siblings, stake presidency and bishopric that helped us make it to this miraculous day.  There is strength in numbers and when so many great people are rooting for you, you can't fail!   

*  The priesthood is the power of God, which is given to man to act in His name.  It is on the earth today.  The blessings of the priesthood are available to everyone. 

*  The temple is such a blessing!  Each time we go, we leave better men and women.  Temple service sanctifies, purifies and empowers us!  It is not just an expectation, chore, or to-do on the checklist.  It is a privilage beyond measure.  It means so much to qualify for the beautiful blessings and promises of the temple.  There is so much power in making and keeping temple covenants.
   

Temple and family history work unites families.  Husbands and wives, parents and children can be sealed through sacred temple ordinances.  The goal of this process is that "the whole chain of God's family shall be welded together into one chain, and they shall all become the family of God and His Christ" -Joseph F. Smith

I LOVE all the happy, smiling faces in this picture!  Everyone is BEAMING.  I've never seen a family picture with so many happy sets of sparkling teeth.  We were ALL feelin' the JOY!

Logan Temple--February 16, 2013--Best.  Day.  Ever.
Forever Family

Madi, Mama, Grandma Patsy, Daddy & Hannah, Josh

Temple ordinances, covenants, endowments, and sealings enable individuals to be reconciled with the Lord and families to be sealed beyond the veil of death. 

Daddy and Hannah

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains the role of ordinances and covenants--"Ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into [God's] presence.  To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality.  Once we have received them for ourselves and for our families, we are obligated to provide these ordinances vicariously for our kindred dead, indeed for the whole human family."

Mama and Madi

"WE DID IT!!!"  Madi made a temple count-down chain and nearly every day we drove past the temple, sang "I love to see the temple," and looked at pictures/talked about the temple.  We discussed being reverent but every time we practiced whispering, Madi would SHOUT.  When we talked about being nice, she'd yell, "NO...MEAN!"  To say I was a little worried was an understatement.  So boy was I thrilled when she didn't even skip a beat as we left her in the children's center with the sweet workers in the temple (she ran right over to the toys like she was at nursery).  And then when they brought the girls in to join us in the sealing room, she was so sober and calm.  Her eyes were big, taking everything in.  She was perfectly serene and silent.  Hannah was peaceful and calm.  They both looked directly at the sealer and listened like they were sweet, little old ladies instead of tiny tiger tots.  I think they understood better than any of the adults the magnitude and importance of what was happening.  Then when the ordinance was over and we stood up, Hannah let out a loud squawk and needed Mommy (Matt thinks her future little brother there in attendance may have bonked her on the head) which caused Madi some distress and she also let loose and needed Mama.  Kind of hilarious.  They pulled through when we needed them to but then all bets were off and everyone got to witness the joys and stresses of having two little ones so very close together in age. 

Goin in for the Kiss

Uncle Josh and Grandma Patsy

Grandma Marcia, Hannah, and Uncle Brent

LIFE IS GOOD!  It was so amazing to start the day at the Logan temple with the crowning ordinance of our temple sealing and then end the day in Bountiful with the double baby blessing of sweet baby Hannah and her precious, perfect cousin, Olivia (Jill's baby girl).   We came full circle all in one beautiful day!  My gorgeous girlies constantly remind me that God is good and I have much to be grateful for.  My family is truly the source of my deepest joys.  I will never in a million years forget this miraculous, magical, momentous, perfectly beautiful day!

I know we aren't allowed to take pictures in the temple because it is too sacred and special, but the picture in my mind of Matt and I kneeling at the altar, Grandpa kneeling with Madison in his arms--her sweet hand resting on ours, Grandma holding Hannah--Hannah's precious hand linked in ours---all of us at the altar--(Mama, Daddy, both angel babies, and Grandma & Grandpa) dressed in pure white inside the gorgeous sealing room, as we were being sealed and linked together for eternity--is the most beautiful image I've ever beheld and it will hang on the mantel of my mental fireplace forevermore!

And there I go again...this was supposed to be a brief summary.  I should have just let the picture do the talking and simply said, "LIFE IS GOOD!"

P.S.  I am VERY grateful for these priceless pics.  Considering we just about bagged it and didn't take any, were hungry and ready to get to lunch (PARTAY AT THE GOLDEN CORRAL), were dealing with two very tired and hungry babies--Hannah is the sleeping lump in the blanket in the pics at the temple--they turned out very well.