Record ride and temple insights

I rode thirty miles between Thursday and today, so now I'm 1,978 miles from home. Should be able to make 2,000 miles on Father's Day.

Cindy and I drove to the temple in Nashville yesterday and did a session this morning, before she went to help our ward with baptisms. They did not need me so I went to the waiting room and read a bit. I was glad I did because one of the young women from the Bays Mountain Ward, who speaks English but most of her family speaks Spanish was finished first and sitting, waiting. I taught her in seminary and she is one of the truly pure in heart. She asked me with that cute Spanglish accent, "Brother Boyd, what do I tell my aunt..." and "Brother Boyd, what do I tell my friend..." We talked about their questions and I got the Holy Bible and La Santa Biblia and we read the appropriate scriptures in both languages, in particular Acts 7:55-56 and the very last verse of John, and also Genesis 1:26. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are separate beings, united in purpose and desires, but separate physically. Stephen saw them and they stoned him for saying it. Joseph Smith saw them and they shot him for saying it. Then in Genesis, God says that he made man "...in OUR image..." Who's He talking to? In OUR image and in OUR likeness. It's all over the scriptures. I had challenged the seminary students to read the Doctrine and Covenants over the summer. She is up to Section 104 already. God bless her.

Also, a relatively new member whose second time doing temple baptisms it was finished up and I got to go visit with him for a long time. I'm glad I was there to talk to these two.

Before the session started, I was sitting, waiting, and pondering. I said a prayer that the Lord would help me know WHAT to pray about. It was immediate and clear: "Pray to know what to do to prepare." "Prepare?" "Yes, prepare." So I did, and the answer was to read the Book of Mormon this summer and look for types of Christ in it and in the Old Testament. I've had enough answers to prayer like this that I only argue for a moment now, before I get to it. Also, I was commanded to look for the symbolism of Christ in the temple and Cindy and I had a good talk about that on the way home, about the symbolism in the font and baptistry, in the windows, the patterns, the creation of the world, the numbers purposely included in the ordinance and in the building itself.

This is true. It's his church and kingdom restored to earth by the authority of the Holy Priesthood which operated the tabernacle and the temples throughout history. Why should today be any different? We are as important to God as his ancient children were to him.

But after a long drive home it's good to settle down and try to get sleepy. I guess if I keep listening to the Carpenters I'll fall dead asleep at the keyboar........