Ok so what a week of tender miracles. (wow I know I say that
a lot haha but it's the truth!)
So this week all of the members in the ward organized a
caravana (caravan) to head to Fortaleza (3 hours
away) to visit the new temple that took 10 years to build - anddd was a
whopping 5 HOURS CLOSER than what used to be the nearest temple in Recife!! (Fortaleza is at the top, Mossoro where Anne
lives is around #304. And Recife where
the next closest temple is around #408 on the bottom right.)
See pictures inside and outside of Brazil’s 7th temple - the
Fortaleza temple….
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| Fortaleza, Brazil temple |
It was a tender mercy because Francione, a filha dela E o
namorado dela foram pra visitar and Francione absolutely died of
felicidade. (Francione, her daughter and her
daughter’s boyfriend went and she absolutely died of happiness.)
The temple is a place that when you enter, you automatically
feel different. You enter and you feel with every fiber of your being that it's
the house of the Lord because of how strong the spirit is - WAYYY more than any
normal church building you find. Like Heavenly Father always asked His people
to create and visit temples in the past, they are places that still have HUGE
significance for the members of the church. And because God just loves us more
than anything in the world, these temples are where He has given us the ability
to be married not just for this life but for eternity, allowing us to live with
our families forever.
It's always my favorite part to be able to teach people
about…eternal families. I remember one contact on the street we made with this
man holding his 2 year old crinançinha and we asked him the question - "If
you could really have and live with your family forever, even AFTER this short
earthly life, what would that mean to you?" And he just gets serious,
looks so lovingly and caringly at his little daughter and goes… "wow.. can
you imagine? It would mean the world to
me." And it's just like one of those things I always took for granted and
thought everyone already knew about, this wonderful promise Heavenly Father
gives us.
We always set it as our goal to share with the people we
teach, and it just completely changes the way they think and approach the
gospel.
God really is perfect in that way, creating the world and
our spirits, putting us in a family that never is entirely perfect but who we
still somehow love no matter what...
But because temples are so holy, they usually aren't open
for the public to be able to enter any normal day, so it was pretty amazing for
everyone to be able to visit and get to see the rooms where people are married as
well as the baptismal font. Needless to say Francione ADOROU (LOVED IT) and got super excited because, when they
saw the baptism font Gabriel (namorado da (the boyfried of) Ana Clara), who
ALWAYS is completely joking about getting baptized goes "heyyy seria legal
tomar banho naquela piscina" (“hey it would be
nice to bathe in that pool”) and I think Francione's heart just about exploded
in excitement.
#NoteToSelf:NUNCABRINCASOBREBATISMOCOMfrancione
#elanâoconsegueaguentar (#NoteToSelf:I am going to
give you a chance to learn how to live with them forever.)
Just sending out a shoutout and saying how much I love my
family and how grateful I am that God has given me the ability to live with
them forever.
LOVE YA GENTE
<3 Sister Staheli
look up more pics of other temples if you want! There's one
in almost every state in the US and there are tons being constructed every year
in the US as well as countries around the world! #youlldie
Here is a picture of
the Denver temple where my parents were married.
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| Denver, Colorado temple |
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| Frankfurt, Germany temple |
Temple where my mom served in Frankfurt Germany
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| Seoul, Korea temple |
Temple where my dad served in Seoul Korea
Brennan served in Romania and the Rome temple would have
been one of the closer temples to him.
Here is an 11 minute video giving a tour of the Rome Temple.
Two Apostles Lead a Virtual Tour of the Rome Italy Temple
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| Rome, Italy temple |
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| Los Angeles, California temple |
Jonathan served in California and his temple was in Los Angeles where my grandparents were married
