Last week my dear Watson's brother came to town and we had a whole week of fun with everyone. Aquarium, Zoo, Hike, Easter Egg Hunt, etc. One of the things we did was go to the temple to do sealings (learn more here). All my dear Watson's siblings and their spouses, and his parents, were there. It was a cool experience.
We had the great privilege of having a man named Brother Mourik conduct our sealing session. The same Brother Mourik that President Monson talks about in this talk in 2011. Here's the story:
President Monson was dedicating the Frankfurt Germany temple and had an impression to announce Brother Mourik as the opening speaker. President Monson asked Elder Asay who was traveling with him if Brother Mourik was at the temple dedication that morning. Elder Asay gave President Monson a note saying Brother Mourik wasn't there and was instead planning to attend the afternoon session. President Monson got up to the pulpit and announced Brother Mourik as the first speaker anyways. Meanwhile Brother Mourik had received a strong impression that he needed to get to the temple right away. He didn't understand why, but he had another church leader drive him to the temple as fast as possible. When he arrived, the song had just ended and President Monson stood at the pulpit again to announce Brother Mourik as the first speaker.
Brother Mourik bore strong testimony to us during that temple session about many principles, including what he learned that particular day with President Monson about ALWAYS being obedient to promptings received. Another thing he talked to us about was that as a patriarch (since age 36) he knows that children are foreordained to come to Earth at a specific time, and we are selected to be their parents. Given my current state, that really touched me. I don't know why, but I hadn't really thought of it that way yet. I've mostly just been worried about how to handle all the stress and change, but in that moment I finally realized the great blessing and privilege Heavenly Father is awarding my dear Watson and I by sending us this baby boy.
It made me realize: I can't mess up...I've got to take seriously my responsibility to raise this child, and my other children, to know Jesus Christ and the way to return back to Him someday. But it also made me realize that I can expect the Lord's help along the way. He cares, He wants us to succeed as parents and He wants our children to return to Him. I can pray and fully expect He will help me know what to do along our parenting journey.
This is what's on my mind this Easter Morning. Because of Him in 3 short weeks (hopefully two...crossing our fingers) we get to be parents to one of His children, sent to Earth at this time and sent to us specifically to be his parents. And the best part? We'll be together as a family for eternity (read more about eternal families here).
Happy Easter.
