Eternal Families

Recently, I was attending an evening Temple session with a friend and we met a woman and her family that were all gathered for the same session. The woman's husband had just passed away two days before and all but one of her children, along with spouses, were in attendance with her. I was struck by the example of the eternal bond and nature of the family by this very fitting and moving tribute to a loving patriarch. To say that the Spirit was strong in this session would be a gross understatement.

In my own life, I have not been blessed with a lifelong spouse that honors and respects his covenants, but that doesn't lessen the commitment that I feel to those covenants. I still hold out hope for the eternal bond between husband and wife and a righteous posterity.

There was a time, not so long ago, when my sites were not as focused on these things as they ought to have been, but my life and dedication have been restored to these aspirations with renewed vigor. I plan to keep it that way. The turning point for me was the conference address by Elder Richard G. Scott, this past April. I was moved to tears by his account of his life with his wife and the bond that they had shared during her life and will continue to share in the life to come. I realized at that very moment what was of most importance in my own life and what I needed to do to obtain it. This is now my focus and my daily endeavor.

The covenants that I have made in the Temple with Heavenly Father have been an anchor and a strength to me in times of trial and they have also been a source of immeasurable joy. I know that these very covenants have given me the strength and the guidance I have needed along life's journey. One day, I will have the privilege and blessing of sharing them again with a worthy companion, but in the meantime, they are a reminder to me that Heavenly Father does not forsake or abandon and that His love is enduring. He hears and answers my prayers and I feel His love for me every day of my life. Even when my needs might seem trivial or insignificant, He addresses them. The very best way that I can show Him my gratitude is to serve Him often in His holy house.