Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 132:13

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 132:13
"And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God."

This is the ultimate "you can't take it with you". Everything of this world will burn. In the last few days I've heard multiple times, from various people, the thought of basically what is the real world. In reference to going to the temple and then leaving the "real world" behind you. Or leaving the temple to go back into the "real world". This perspective was wrong. What is "real" is all that is taking place in the temple. The outside world is temporary, not lasting, not eternal. It's almost like being in make believe. I've pondered on how others have been trying to describe this. It really is a paradigm shift.

“Time in the temple puts everything into an eternal frame,” she said. “What we experience inside the temple is real and really important.”
(Wendy Nelson, "Syracuse temple dedication" 8 Jun 2025; Church News "President Nelson dedicates Syracuse Utah Temple, 'a sacred place of revelation')

Day 3721

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 6:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 6:5
"For it we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"

This was a new thought to ponder on. Paul is speaking about the symbolism of Christ burial and resurrection in baptism. We are buried unto the death of our sins, and rise to the resurrection after. So after baptism we should walk in the likeness of the Savior. As Paul called it "walk in a newness of life." It reminded me of sometimes while in the temple I often stop and say to myself. "This is real". This isn't going through any motions, these promises and blessings are real and there is real meaning to everything I do.

While I take the sacrament I again remind myself of how real this ordinance is and the power of the gift of the spirit to always be with me, that it is real. I wish I could find the words to describe what I mean by having to stop and tell myself this is real. I know it stems from my near-death experience. When afterward I would walk around the house with both feet still planted on either side of the veil. I would say over and over to myself "I almost died". Then what would follow is this overwhelming thought about how real this life and the next life really is. Sometimes I just get so wrapped up in living that I forget how real the other side is. It's like I have to wake myself up to where I really am. 

Now I have one more thing to think about, and that is my baptism when I was only eight years old. It was real, and has meaning and purpose and wasn't just an act. I think it would be a very good thing to ponder on what it represented during the sacrament. For there is so much meaning there.   

Day 1625