A Temple in Winnipeg ... What a Blessing!

For many years a small piece of paper has been on the door of my fridge, it reads, "I promise you that all who faithfully attend to temple work will be blessed beyond measure. Your families will draw closer to the Lord, unseen angels will watch over your loved ones when Satanic forces tempt them, the veil will be thin, and great spiritual experiences will distill upon this people." - Vaughn J. Featherstone. About six months ago, in the Saturday morning session of conference of the church I attend ( I originally said "my" church, but it isn't mine, it is the Saviors' church), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it was announced that in the city where I was born and grew up, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, a temple would be built. http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/winnipeg/ Sayings like, "when pigs fly", came to mind, or maybe, "in the Lord's due time." Winnipeg, REALLY! My eyes and my heart welled up and although you could only see the tears in my eyes I know there were tears in my heart also. What a blessing to that small group of Saints, who up until now have had to go to Cardston or Chicago, or Regina or Bismarck ... now they will be able to serve in their "backyard ... I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The missionaries came to my home when I was eight years old, Elder Bruce R. McMurtrey and Elder Benny Richard Smith. You never forget the names. My mother talked to them and it created quite a division in my family. I wasn't able to join the church until I was sixteen, but, with the support of many, I went to church all those years . I learned about temples, saw pictures of temples, but never saw one, in person, until I went away to university. I remember coming with a friend to Salt Lake City from Rexburg, Idaho, where I spent my first year of college, and upon rounding a corner south of North Salt Lake, I saw the Salt Lake Temple. I am an emotional person and I think I sobbed quietly! I have lived in Utah for about forty years, always living within a ten minute drive of a temple, but the people who nurtured me spiritually in Winnipeg have not has the blessings of a temple in their midst. Now they will! My husband's family were temple builders. John Rowe Moyle, after being kicked in the leg by a cow, had his leg amputed and walked, each week, with his wooden leg over the mountains from his home in Alpine, Utah to work on the Salt Lake Temple. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1Z2DIWp7FQ (Clip from the move, "Only A Stonecutter - Ashlyn, my daughter was an extra in the movie). One of the last things he did before he died was carve the words "Holiness to the Lord," that appears on the east side of the Salt Lake Temple. His son James was a foreman on the Salt Lake Temple. Somewhere on the Winnipeg Temple you will find those same words. Follow this link to know more about temples https://www.facebook.com/Mormon/videos/1445295125504104/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED and the Winnipeg Temple http://mormontemples.org/winnipeg Elder James E. Talmage said: “‘Mormonism’ has taught me that God holds himself accountable to law even as he expects us to do. He has set us the example in obedience to law. I know that to say this would have been heresy a few decades ago. But we have the divine word for it: ‘I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.’ ( Doc. and Cov. 82:10 .) He operates by law and not by arbitrariness or caprice.” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1930, p. 96.) I go to the temple to serve, to find peace, often to pray and contemplate life's situations and I belive that I go to the temple so that my children and now grandchildren will draw closer to the Lord and unseen angels will watch over them. "When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families." - Richard H. Winkel. The temple is a place of beauty that leads our thoughts and actions heavenword. It will be that way for all the people in Winnipeg ... this I BELEIVE! My name is Sharon Lillie Hewlett, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am a Mormon, I was born and raised in Winnipeg, and my spiritual roots are from there also.

A Giant in My Neighborhood ...

I am a pretty simple person. It doesn't take a lot to impress me, but I have a giant of a person in my neighborhood and he has impressed me for as long as we have lived here and even before that, and his life's assignments have just taken a new direction, or have they? Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi is my neighbor, not large in stature, but huge in spirit, and he is my examplar. I think he would say he is quite simple also. He knows what he believes and he lives it. He is true to who he is and to what he believes. This past General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints he was released from full time status as a member of the First Quorum of Seventy in the Church and placed on emeritus status. Today he sat in church with his wife for the first time in forty-seven years, not because they do not love each other, not because he doesn't go to church, but because they love the Savior and he has served in leadership postions in the church for all those years, and she has sat with her children or alone ... Elder Kikuchi's father was killed by Americans during the war. He has said that he hated Americans, so was not receptive when, at the age of fifteen, two American missionaries knocked on his door. As they left one of the missionaries told him that he had a message about a boy near his age, who, wanting to know the truth talked with God. Elder Kikuchi gave them ten minutes ... and he has served ever since. For three and a half years he served a full time mission in his country for our church. Two months after coming home he married his sweetheart and two months later he was called as a Bishop (similar to a pastor or preacher) for his congregation (Branch) and that is why they have not sat together in forty-seven years. They have served together in different ways. She has supported him in his work both out of the church and in the church. Together they have raised four children. She is a sweet lady and they are both humble, loving, compassionate, and in every way true servants of the Lord. At the age of thirty-six he was asked to give up his secular work and was called as a fulltime authority to the First Quorum of Seventy, a leadership quorum in the church. The first talk he gave in a LDS General Conference was titled, "Why Me, O Lord? "http://www.blogger.com/ As I listened to Elder Kikuchi bare a powerful testimony today in our church service (Sacrament Meeting) I was so moved, even quieted ... I don't know how to describe the feeling. Mesmerized sounds too worldly, speechless doesn't describe it, but peaceful and respectful may come close. In a religous venacular I would say the the Spirit spoke peace to my soul. I knew what he was saying was true. His words are powerful, but his spirit is even more so. He is a servant of God, who has given his all to move the gospel forward. I can honestly say that I love he and Sister Kikuchi and their family. I love them for what I know about them and what I don't know. I love them because of what they have given and the example they have set for our family, our neighborhood, our ward, and for the rest of the world. I will miss seeing him sit at the front in our church, but he will now sit with his wife, after forty-seven years. In that first talk he stated, "My dear brothers and sisters, I never expected to be called to such a heavy responsibility. I'm still asking myself and the Lord, "Why me O Lord? Why me O Lord?" Yet, my brothers and sisters, still within my soul I hear in the bosom of my heart, I will go where you want me to go dear Lord, overmountain or plain or sea." They have gone and done and gone and done over and over again! "Well done good and faithful servant(s), thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord (Matthew 25:23) ..." I have been reading some of Elder Kikuchi's talks. This is one I just read. What he said is true ... This I Believe ... You can too! http://lds.org/ensign/2000/05/heavenly-father-has-a-special-plan?lang=eng&query=*+(name%3a")

How much can you say in just three words?

For years I have loved the segment, "Your Life in Three Words," that ABC does on Saturday morning just before the 7 o'clock hour.

Good Morning America asked, "How much can you say in just three words? Can you express your thoughts, your feelings, your sadness or joy? Could your three words be a celebration of a special event, or a thought on everyday life?"

Viewer responses poured in and continue to pour in. I was just watching it ... an older lady riding in a hot air balloon, two kids entering kindergarten, a young college student just moving into his new dorm, a couple getting married, a woman waiting for an organ donation ... a hockey team, "Summer is Over!" (Being Canadian I understand how they feel, but I am not glad summer is over!) Every week regular people describing their lives in 3 words. I am a counselor in a high school. One year I wanted our students to describe their lives in 3 words. My coworkers were not inspired. They didn't get it. Yesterday while watching a documentary on Steve Jobs, the commentator said that we should be able to describe our mission in a tweet ... short, brief, but succinct and meaningful. I am inspired every time I watch the segment and it makes me SMILE! One year on one of many solo car treks to Canada, I decided that I would think of my testimony of Jesus Christ in 3 words. My children know I love to think and muse on these treks. When I stop I get out either my electronic device or, before gadgets, a pen and a pencil ( I suppose they are gadgets also) and write. Some times at a rest stop, sometime at a restaurant or a truck and biker stop, and sufffice it to say at other places and times. Her are some of my three word testimonies; "Did not doubt," "Mother's knew it," "Grateful for Atonement," "Jesus loves me," "Joseph Smith prayed," "Serve the Lord," Father, Son, Holy Ghost," He answers prayers," "Love my neighbor" ... just a few. I probably started the list about three years ago. I am glad I watched tv this morning early. It reminded me of my testimony, three words or more ... This I Believe! " http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Your3Words/ So, if you are going to comment, please ... in three words ... inspire me all over again!

He is My Savior and Redeemer ...

The news today cited a Texas Pastor who, called Mormonism a cult and stated that Mr. Romney (Mitt Romney) is not a Christian. REALLY ... are we not past this ... THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. The Articles of Faith, which is a declaration of what we believe states, "We Believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost." Not one, three distinct personages, two personages of flesh and one a personage of spirit ... the Godhead. We Believe in Jesus Christ, we worship Jesus Christ and the Father through Him. He is my Savior and Redeemer. Through his atonement all men will be resurrected. He died to save us all ... This I Believe! This is fear and political posturing. Neither wins votes and certainly not the praises of men or of God... " we believe in Christ ... and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ ... We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ and we ... look forward unto that life which is in Christ. For the right way is to believe in Christ ... Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore we must bow down before him with all (our) might, mind, and strength, and (our) whole soul." 2nd Nephi 25: 24-29. For a great talk, "We are Christians Because ..." go to http://lds.org/ensign/1984/01/we-are-christians-because?lang=eng&query=We+believe+Christ and a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, an apostle of the Lord, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBl4W_W2rWE&noredirect=1 A poem written by Richard L. Evans solidifies this position and my wish for myself, my family and humankind, "Oh give us once again the faith of a little child that we may come to know from the very center of our souls, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior, the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. God bless us with the joy and peace that comes from such a testimony." For more information about what I and members of the The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints believe go to http://mormon.org/jesus-christ/