Very Exciting 100th Post

I guess we timed it just right. My 100th post is about our very special weekend. This weekend Mark, Coytt, Dalon and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Las Vegas Nevada Temple. It was such an amazing day. It has been such a long hard road for us full of trials and hardships, many we created ourselves. Through a lot of hard work, prayer, scripture reading and many many wonderful friends and family for support we finnaly did it! It was such an amazingly wonderful day. We had lot's of family there and could feel the love of those who were unable to make it. I even had a few surprises. My behive leader and friend Fran Brower and her husband drove all the way from the valley just to be there. Also some of my friends from when I was in the Spanish branch 6 years ago decided to do a session that day and ended up being in our endowment session. It was so amazing to share this day with so many people that I love. We left for Vegas Friday afternoon and went straight to Grandma Romine's house. Our Session was at 9:30am so we had to be to the temple at 8:00am. We didn't sleep much and I am not sure if it was becuase we were excited or becuase Dalon slept inbetween us and wouldn't hold still. We got to the temple and were nervous and excited. We didn't know what to expect, we just knew we were happy to be there. We met with someone in records and showed them our temple reccomends and waited for our escorts. Then we split up and I went with my mom and our escort and Mark went with my dad and his.

I won't describe much of what we did in the temple because of the sacredness of it, but what I will describe is the way it felt and the beauty of the temple. Immediately upon walking in you could feel the Spirit so strong. There was no way we could doubt that what we were doing was right. It was so beautiful and peaceful inside. The chandeliers and flowers and the most beautiful patterns on the chairs and furniture. It was all absolutely perfect.

As I sit here and reflect on my feelings of the day I feel such warmth and peace and I know without a doubt in my mind or heart that the ordinances performed in the Temple are sacred and true and key to our returning to our Heavenly Father and Elder Brother Jesus Christ. The first part of the day was very special to me. I can not explain the peace I felt as I received those special blessings and the gift of forgiveness. Our Heavenly Father is such a kind, loving, and forgiving Father and for that I am grateful. He has not left us here on this earth to guess at what we must do to return to live with him. He has given us a perfect road map and instructions and has blessed us with the health, strength, spirit, and body to accomplish this task. As I listened to each blessing I felt closer and closer to my Father. I felt his love for me individually and knew without a doubt that I truly am a daughter of my Heavenly Father.

After the first ordinances I was taken back to the brides room by the escort and I was able to put on my garments for the first time. All I could think was "Wow, if I knew these things were this comfortable I would have done this a long time ago!" I know they are sacred and will protect me and be a constant reminder of the convenants made that day, but boy they are comfy! We then went to a chapel where we waited for everyone. Here is where I want to thank those of you who traveled to be with us on this special day. It brings tears to my eyes as I see each of you dressed in white smiling and sharing this special moment with us. Thank you so much for being there. Jonni, Chris, Jake and Mallory it was wonderful to see you there and to share this with you thanks for taking a day to travel from Utah to be there. Josh and Meagan you have been such good examples for us and we thank you for the love, support and encouragement. Uncle John and Aunt Lorie you know how special you are to me and for you to be there and to be the witness couple was such a special experience for me. Arely y Mi Ama Gracias para todo te quiero con todo mi corazon! Aunt Daneece it was so special to have you there and Uncle Antonio the grounds were so beautiful it was as if you were there with us. Grandma and Grandpa Rothlisberger it was so wonderful to have you there with me and to see three generations making covenants together. Kent and Shawn it was so special to have you there to share this moment with us thank you for coming and letting our family crash your house. Nick and Maria you two mean so much to us, you are such dear friends and we are ever grateful for your friendship, Nick I know Mark was grateful to have you there and Maria thank you for being there and capturing this day for us in pictures. If there is anyone I have forgotten please don't be offended I am still a little tired and overwhelmed with it all.

I want to take this next paragraph and express my love for my Grandma and Granpa Romine. Grandma, I know you have prayed many hours in that very temple over my name and waited so long for me to come around. You have been such an example to me of strength, love and forgiveness. I love you and am so thankful that you were there to share this special day with us. Granpa, you know you are the number one man in my life :) I hold such a special place in my heart for you and it meant so much to me to walk into the sealing room and see you there. Thank you for always supporting me and having faith in me that I could do this.

The most special part of the day was sitting next to my mom and taking out my endowments and seeing Mark next to my dad as he took out his. Mom you are such an amazing woman. As I sat next to you and held your hand through every step I just wanted to turn and hug you and tell you how much I love you and how sorry I am for making you wait this long. A big part of my peace and testimony of the importance of these ordinances comes from you and your love. Your example and your prayers. Mom I love you and having you by my side throughout the day made this one of the most special moments of my life. Thank you. Dad thank you so much for your love and support it was so special seeing you there next to Mark helping him along the way. You have set such a wonderful example for him of what a father, husband, and honorable priesthood holder should be and I am so lucky to have such an amazing father. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful dad!

I can not express in words the feelings I had during and after the endowment session. All I can say is that our Heavenly Father loves us so much. I now see why the temple is so important. To sit in that room and make convanents in front of my husband, family and Father in Heaven was such an amazing feeling. It makes me want to be a better person everyday and strive to all that is neccessary to return to Him. I see now why marriage is key to our eternal spiritual growth and happiness. And more importantly why a temple marriage is key to our returning to our Father in Heaven. I can't wait to return and learn more about Him and myself and to grow closer to Him. We are so blessed to have the gospel on this earth today and to have the knowledge that we are His children and that he loves us and that in the Temple we can perform ordinances that will bring us back to Him to live with him again.

The final part of the day was the sealing. Our sealer was amazing and such a wonderful man. He started crying right at the begining as he told us that he could feel the love in that room. As he was instructing us I looked around the room at each of the people there with us that day. It was a room filled with love and support, tears of joy and peace. As Mark and I kneeled across the altar and made promises to one another I felt joy like none before. Then as they brought the boys in dressed in all white Mark and I could hold the tears back no more. The boys were so good and to know that they are ours for eternity if we keep the covenants we made during our endowments and sealing is such a powerful, wonderful, and unbelievable feeling. I am so grateful for my two little boys and their special spirits. I love them both so much. After everyone left the sealing room and it was just our little family Brother Rogers our sealer pulled us aside and had us look in the mirrors as a family. As we looked and saw our family go on for eternity we held each other and cried with joy and excitement. We are now an eternal family and will be together forever.

I want to thank all those who helped with the celebration dinner it was more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. Also thanks to those who helped with our boys while we were in our session Aunt Mandi and AUnt Kacey your the best! We love all of you so much and were so happy to share this special day with so many of our loved ones. I know that the gospel is true and that Joseph Smith restored the true church to this earth. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and that he has put temples on this earth for us to learn about Him and grow closer to Him. I know that we can return to him one day if we keep those sacred covenants we made on
November 22, 2008 in the Las Vegas Temple. I am grateful for repentance and the sacrifice our Savior and Brother Jesus Christ made for us so that I could repent and that we could be sealed for time and all eternity as a family.

Love,

Monette