Fast and Testimony Meeting

So I just had to write a few thoughts.....This past week was Fast and Testimony and it was also 4Th of July! This was a great day for our little family for some many reasons!

So here are a few:
~ We have the ability to believe what we CHOOSE!
~ We are able to have our FREEDOM
~ We are able to celebrate with Great friends
~ JOE HAS COME BACK TO THE CHURCH
~ Joe shared his testimony at CHURCH!! (yes you read that correctly JOE bore his testimony)

I want to share my thoughts on the last two for now...Just a little background, Joe has struggled most of our married life to be active in the church. He has tried to be active, however, Satan was able to will the battle inside to allow him to try to find happiness elsewhere. We moved to Northern California three years ago this month. Joe received a job and our little family need a change of pace. Luckily, we do have some family around the area which made the transition easier. So with this move came many, many struggles in our lives and it also has brought SO MANY BLESSINGS!! We have been blessed with one of the BEST wards in the world! When we moved up here I told myself that no matter what I was going to be ACTIVE in the church no matter what! I will say that has truly blessed my life, as well as my families!

So as we started our new life here in California, Joe wanted to come back, however, it had been so long that it wasn't easy. Joe was able to allow himself to get to know a few members from our Ward. I would just keep telling him that he would LOVE the people if he allowed himself too! However, one great lesson that I have learned in my life, is that the more I pushed him to do something the more I pushed him AWAY! So I had a great Bishop advise me to step back and allow the blessing to bring him back. Well I stop pushing and just continued on my path of being active in the ward...no MATTER WHAT. I will say that it is has not been a cake walk, not always HAPPY times, but with the right spirit it has been VERY good!!

So as I continued to go back to church and work hard in my church callings, Joe began to allow things from the church into his life. I will say that our Bishop has played a big part, not because Joe had to go see him, but because he never made Joe feel less of a person because he wasn't active in the church. Our family has had the opportunity to form a great friendship with our Bishop and his family, this has brought great joy in our lives. Our Bishop never gave up on Joe and Joe has great RESPECT for him.

This past week Joe got up and shared his testimony with our ward. It has been about 9 1/2 years for me to hear this sweet message from my eternal companion. Joe has totally changed into the man that I married 10 years ago! Joe said that he didn't even know who was the prophet of the church because he had been so focused on staying away from the church. He was grateful that he was able to change his life around and come back. I will say that this was one of the PROUDEST moments of my life! Joe shared that he was grateful for the ward and the friends that he had made and they allowed him to come back to the church. I couldn't believe that he did it! Again, very PROUD moment.

I just wanted to share that I know that in life we will be torn in different directions and we will be tempted to go a stray, however, the LORD never gives up on any of his children. The Lord only wants us to be together forever and to choose the right. This is such a simple thought, however, the path we chose isn't the easiest. I will leave with my testimony that this is true church and that we do have prophets that living today. I know that our Church leaders are called of God and they lead us with direct inspiration. I'm eternally grateful for our dear friend and Bishop, who never gave up on our little Family!! He has played some many roles into our family coming into the church. I am grateful for the eternal love our Savior gives us on a daily basis. I am gratefully for the gift of eternal marriage and the plan of salvation. I'm so blessed to be able to be with my family for eternity, and I know that is a special gift from our Heavenly Father! I will leave with again, I'm grateful for the choice we have been given here on this earth and for our Freedom in this Country!

Thank you for love and support from all our Friends and Families! I hope that you can all remember your blessing and count them one by one! Love ya all!!