Today the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Like Rachel said on my Facebook page, "shocker, you live in paradise", but it was 76 degrees this morning, crystal clear and just beautiful. I was not even sweating during the 3 hours of church meetings, nice breeze coming in the windows and the fans seemed to be effective at more than blocking out the sound of the speakers. Not once today, did I have to lay across the foot of my bed (directly under the ceiling fan) to cool off. Usually I do this at least once a day, sometimes it an excuse to cool off and sometimes it's just a good excuse to take a break.

Despite all the cool weather and feeling really good at church today, Sacrament Meeting (Fast and Testimony Meeting) was gruelling. There is always a good Spirit there but a few of the sisters just want to "preach that ole time religion", and they took up most of the time, and frankly I just started to "tune out". Tuning out at church always makes me feel bad, and I know it's my problem not someone else's but that basic "protestant~fire and brimstone type of preaching from my youth" makes me crazy. With one of the sisters it kind of carried over into Sunday School and Relief Society, by the time the meetings ended I was in one of my "just shoot me" moments and I couldn't get out of there fast enough. This is something that calls for a major change of attitude on my part and I know it. It also calls for a major teaching moment for some of the sisters but I really don't know how to do that and I'm not sure anyone else will. In my heart I know that this is people who are still learning about the Gospel and have simply brought what they know over from other religions. In my head, it makes me crazy. OK, so how do you resolve the heard and the heart. Yeah, yeah, I know PRAYER!

Today, while having a conversation with someone (outside of church) they were telling me about another mutual friend who has gotten on a band wagon about nobody needing "organized religion" and that it is all a lot of bunk! I couldn't help but wondering, didn't they ever hear that God's house is a house of order. Do they look around as see the complete organization that exists in nature and how everything is ordered? Do they really think that with all of this organization around us, God wants his teachings to be done in chaos. I know a lot of people don't really agree with my beliefs, but I know that everything we do in this life is to prepare us for all eternity. This life is but a speck in the grand picture and if we are not organized, we can't learn the things we need to know. Now neither I nor my religion(very well organized) believe that anyone will be marched off to heaven against their will and that organization means forcing people to believe a certain way, but it's through that organization that we have the opportunity to learn and to teach so that we can all get to where we want to be together. The LDS Church having a Lay Ministry gives everyone that opportunity(to learn and to teach) and the goal is that we all "get there"(there being Exalted Glory) together, for what would it be without our families and friends.

OK, how did I get here. I spend one paragraph complaining about people "preaching" and in the next, I'm up on a soap box. Well, I haven't posted this so I guess I could delete it, but since this blog is more for me than anyone else, I'll leave it, just so I can remember. After all preaching to ourselves, so that we can remember is not all bad, is it?

I didn't take the opportunity to bear my testimony in church today(it was difficult to get a word in edge wise, but if I had really made the effort, I probably could have), so if for nobody else by myself I will do it here: I know with all my heart that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Christ's true church on the earth today. I know that He, even Jesus Christ stands at the head of this church and directs all of it's efforts through our living prophet, President Thomas S, Monson. I know that the Book of Mormon is a true account of an ancient people who lived on the American continent, but who were descendants of Lehi, a Hebrew prophet who was told in a vision to flee from Jerusalem and his travels took him to a "promised land" even the American continent. I know that the Book of Mormon is true scripture and stands alongside the Bible(Old and New Testament) as another witness of Jesus Christ. I know that God is our Heavenly Father and that he lives and loves us and has a fervent desire that each and every one of us return to live with him again, just as we once did as Spirits in the Pre-existence(before we came to the earth). I know that the Priesthood has been restored to the earth and that every worthy male can hold and exercise that Priesthood. I know that this same Priesthood is the proper authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ and that through it and the sealing ordinances of the Temple we can be Eternal Families(being sealed to our loved ones for time and all eternity) and live together in the next life and for all Eternity. I know that Joseph Smith was the Prophet of the Restoration, meaning that through him all things that existed in Christ's Church when he was on the Earth have been restored. I know that Christ lives and that he is my Redeemer and that he loves me so much that he already paid the price of all of my sins, through his Atoning Sacrifice in Gethsemane and on the the cross at Calvary. I also know, that all I have to do to accept His sacrifice is to repent and sacrifice my sins by giving them up and returning to them no more. I write this testimony from my heart and in the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, I finally feel better. Must always Pray!