Monday, October 27, 2008

Godly Happiness

I had one of my best nights ever at the temple this week. I was officiating for a session and the temple coordinator brought down to the endowment room a young couple to be the witness’s. It was their first time attending the temple since their marriage two months before and their first time as the witness couple. The coordinator in a very serious tone told the wife that she was allowed to cross the aisle and punch her husband in the arm if he falls asleep and misses his cue to go to the altar. Then he cracks this great big smile and says some other funny things and just brought a warm and happy tone to the start of the session. I also jumped into the conversation and we all were smiling when the session filled up and got started.

I stood in front of these noble saints and thought no guilt for the laughter we enjoyed, in fact it felt great. I realized that the Lord’s house is a place to be joyful and happy. If the gospel is “good news” then the temple as the “House of the Lord” should be one of the happiest places on the earth. I listened to the movie and several times it mentioned “happiness”, “joy”, and “rejoicing”. I viewed the whole session differently. As I look out over the patrons there was this one tall guy who couldn’t stop smiling during the whole session. There was also a lady who was always smiling and both of them brought such a happy countenance to the endowment. Sometimes all you see are sad, droopy, sleepy faces, but during that session it seemed so bright with a lot of reflection on the joy of the gospel. It made me very thankful to be able to be in the temple and be presented with godly happiness.

Saturday we had some fun when Danica and Jensen both aged about 3 years old came to visit and rolled around in the huge pile of leaves in the front yard.
I had a great trip to the aquarium where I became best friends with another Moray Eel, maybe its my new hair gel. The aquarist said she had never seen an eel act so friendly, but she warned me not to stick out my fingers. It wasn't my fingers I worried about when he dove down between my legs. Mom and I found a new and fun bike trail in the afternoon and then we played games over at Danica's at night. We topped Sunday off with a Sunday with Chad Greenberg and family. His 5 year old boy is crazy over sharks and so he and I had a fantastic time swapping shark stories.

3 comments:

Tracy Hogan said...

Tell that eel to keep clear of the family jewels!

Celeste said...

Sometimes I have such a clear understanding that the Lord wants us to be happy and our lives should be full of joy. (Sometimes I don't). I'm glad you had such a joyful session at the temple, to erase all the unhappiness of the week.

Mikidees said...

Thanks for saving the leaves for us dad:)