the adventures of a girl named nicole: December 2014

My Lord, My Savior

Nothing else matters when I think of thee.

All fears, insecurities will suddenly flee.

They sacrifice for us was done.

The battle against Satan will be won.

Everything I can do seems so miniscule

But I am more than that, I am a jewel.

Something little can do so much.

Do your best and each life you can touch.

July 2014

Logan

Ogden openhouse

Jordan River

Jordan River with KB

Nauvoo, Illinois

Nauvoo

Salt Lake City

Brigham City

TEMPLES

The blessings of a temple

the design not so simple

questions in your heart

ask, and answers will start

to enter your mind

and you will soon find

the Lord cares for you

has a plan for you to do.

Love of God inside the walls

he'll help you through life's halls

it's ups and downs

it's smiles and frowns

God can always be there

just open your heart and share

Oquirrh

So for my 2014 New Years Resolutions I decided that I wanted to make the temple a bigger part of my life and a priority. I was living in Cedar City, UT at the time and so the closest temple was the St. George temple 45 minutes away. I decided that with my crazy schedule with school and everything that I could make time for the temple at least once a month. I thought about it like this, it's only 12 times the whole year, I can do this! I'm pretty sure that I went at least once, if not more each month while I was in Cedar City.
In May, I moved back home for good. I decided that I wanted to do my student teaching in South Jordan and live at home. I realized that now I was near 4 temples and it was Summer time. I no longer had any excuses for not going to the temple even more than once a month. I decided that I would go to the temple each week. My friend Kristine Broome helped me accomplish this goal. We wanted to do lifting workouts together and decided that we would lift 4 times a week, with a break in the middle on Wednesday mornings to go to the temple. What a great friend and amazing example she is!! So, this is where it started! I think that I missed maybe a couple of weeks during the summer because of traveling and such.

Jordan River with Nani

Before my student teaching started in August I decided that the only way I was going to "get through" and complete it was if I put the Lord first. I decided that one way I would put the Lord first was to go to the temple each week, continuing my new Summer tradition. I can proudly say that I did NOT miss a week the whole time I was student teaching. I did not always get up in the mornings to work out, but I ALWAYS got up to go to the temple. The workers on Wednesday mornings at the Jordan River Temple now know who I am and it is now a habit in my life. I cannot tell you how much of a blessing it has been in my life. It gave me something to look forward to right in the middle of my busy week. It helped me refocus my mind and efforts. It gave me strength and power to do hard things and overcome weaknesses or temptations. I LOVE THE TEMPLE with all my heart! I have had many prayers answered, revelation through scriptures and thoughts, as I have spent time in the temple.

St. George with Maria Lee

D&C 97

15 And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it;

16 Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.

17 But if it be defiled I will not come unto it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into unholy temples.

St. George with the Hansen girls

I believe that as we spend time in the temple we are helping our own personal temples. Our bodies are temples and we feed our spirits and temples each time we make time for the Lord and attend the temple. We will have his presence with us as we attend the temple and people who we come in contact with will be able to see God through us.

I am grateful that Heavenly Father helped me keep my promise of attending the temple each week, this year. I have learned so much, drawn closer to my Savior, received answers, been strengthened, and developed a strong testimony of the temple. I will continue this habit throughout the new year! What a blessing this gospel is in my life!!