Sunday, August 31, 2014

A God of Equal Rights; A God of Love

This week I was at the Provo Temple with a friend attended a sealing 
session. The session happened to be officiated by a hilarious and
talkative sealer who took the time to pause and taught us the promise
blessings of the sealing ordinances and personal applications. 

He paused and indicated something
I’ve never noticed from the blessing of children being sealed to
parents. Due to the sacred nature of the ordinance, the best I can do
is summing up how the prayer specifically indicated identical
blessings for those who are sealed to their parents later on in life are
the same comparing to  those those who are born into the covenant. 

“He’s a loving Heavenly Father; a God of equal rights and a God of
love.” Said the wise sealer.

I WAS IN AWE...…

Coming from an interfaith family, I used to feel like the black sheep.
My circumstance has made a huge difference in my life than my
peers such as not being able to get baptized at the age of 8, my
father’s objection to attend BYU or serve a mission, the need of other
priesthood bearers offering priesthood blessings, etc…. It’s really
hard on me as a kid. 

Two weeks ago, I got to share a related experience attending Church
in Heber City, Utah as the teacher struggled with the same sense of
inadequacy. I struggled through my first transfer on my
mission realizing I had a hard time bearing witness and teaching
eternal family because I wasn’t in one. I felt really ashamed standing
in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple and just had the most
inadequate feeling. I prayed frequently and studied fervently hoping I
could gain a testimony of eternal marriage before having my own.

It wasn’t necessary what I studied but the connections and
associations I was making that eventually connected the dots.
Gradually, I realized it didn’t matter what stages we were at in the
plan of salvation; what matter was that we were progressing, even
one step towards Christ. That I could bear witness of because I knew
and have felt the unconditionally love of God and the power of the
atonement. 

Instead of sharing my own family stories, I began to talk about my
aspiration and hope of one day obtaining the blessings of having an
eternal family of my own. 

That’s why I still feel strongly about this topic and often speak up in
any Church settings. It isn’t because I am radical or against temple
marriage but my “allergic reaction” towards judgmental and shaming
attitude towards our fellow children of God who perhaps progress at a
different pace or choose differently. 

I am grateful for my mother’s sacrifices and faithfulness even when
other members trying to take over her job being my mother just
because they’ve been married in the temple. Although we are not
sealed as a family, I know Heavenly Father loves us and knows our
circumstances perfectly to sort this out one day. Before that, I am
banking on my faith in Him trusting things will work out as He has my
best interest. That’s what faith is all about, right?

K.D. 




2 comments:

  1. Great insight and great post. I admire you for your continuing faith in things you have not experienced. I often find myself facing things I have not experienced and in which I am called upon to have faith. That is always challenging. Maybe not on the level that you were facing -- or have faced -- but in my lifetime nevertheless very real and a struggle. Perhaps it as the father who brought his son to the Savior, and as recorded in Mark, said, paraphrasing, yes, I have faith (that he can be healed), but help me with my unbelief. I have often found myself in that place. And the "unbelief" grows into stronger faith as we learn to cope with that which we do not know and understand but which we try to better understand and comprehend -- and even, perhaps in time, experience ourselves. Such it has been with me, at least. Love to read your posts.

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  2. Hi there! I am a fellow Mormon girl and am doing a project interviewing female Chinese members of the church. If you could fill out my online survey that would be amazing! Here's the link: https://sasupenn.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eLrQA71lwAHUpRH

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