Glimpses

Perhaps tonight, more than ever, I reflect upon my last two nights trying to fall asleep. It's been a blissful event; I love being able to sleep-just relaxing and taking in all the peace in a warm and comfy bead.

These last two nights have been unique however: I feel the desire of marriage and companionship so much more clearly, my prayers become more earnest and I am filled with warm peace. It's almost as if she were there beside me and I could talk to her and gaze into her beautiful eyes. She is an unkown, as of yet, ideal--that which I hope for and in earnest pray for. But the feelings are real and true.

Perhaps this is part of what the eye of faith is...looking forward to something that is yet to come, but believing so intently in the promise that it is as if the promise has already been brought to pass--for it is so sure, it is so secure.

Whatever it is, the feelings are wonderful. Granted I am somewhat saddened by the fact that there is no one there beside me, but I am elated by the peace and joy.

Porque en la eternidad del tiempo,
y con los millares de anos,
cuando milenios pasan por segundos,
y estrellas mueren en parpadeos,
el dia en el que tu me acercas,
es el mismo dia hoy, ya que estas.

Baptism

I went to a new member's baptism on Monday and thoroughly enjoyed. There was a sweet spirit there, although it took me a bit to really settle out the days worries to tune in. Something that impressed me the most was the old Bishop's talk on the Holy Ghost. He's just been released as our Bishop (just as I was getting to like him!) and so this was, more or his, his final talk.

It was powerful. He's a great orator and always delivers such a powerful testimony that's filled with love and concern for each one of us. I wondered through this, how did he get so strong?

Spiritual growth is very much like a tree. It takes diligent nourishment, constant care and vigilance, much time and patience and the tree will grow. Give it 20 some odd years of great care and the tree will be a mighty tree. I desire to have that type of strength and power, and the answer lies in diligence and patience, watering the tree and exercising faith through service and obedience.

Tough

Sunday was an interesting day this week as we had a kind of strange regional conference--it was just like regular church except everyone met together from various wards. What impressed me most is the Elder's Quorum lesson.

The teacher was speaking on the power of covenants from a talk given by Elder Christofferson (two conferences ago?). He began by saying that his four year wedding anniversary was coming up, which definitely turned a few heads as the vast majority of us are single. He then related how he had carefully dated this woman for about a year, then proposed and got married. After a month, they were driving and got in an accident. It was a miracle that he survived, but his wife did not.

I pondered how difficult this would be. I long for a happy marriage and the joy therein. I cannot imagine finally gaining my sweetest dreams only to have them taken, and me miraculously saved. I would ask a lot of whys, and perhaps become angry and bitter for being left here to walk alone. This good man was an example of great faith in the midst of some heavy trials.