It's True

I just had such a great discussion with one of my students. Her dad works for PBS and is a pretty big time journalist. We were discussing weekend plans and she told me she worked and went to church. I responded and told her I went to my 3 hours of church then to church at the National Cathedral. We started discussing the LDS faith. She took a class at Georgetown over the summer and said that her teacher really supported the LDS religion and had been into a temple (not really sure how that worked since she isn't Mormon...). My student and her family have been watching the television series Big Love. I explained to her that I did not appreciate them making a mockery of something that was so sacred to me. I am sad that the people of the world now know some of our most sacred ceremonies even more than I do, but I know that all things which are "virtuous, lovely, or of good report" will continue to prevail and all other things will have no lasting impact. This is explained in a message from the official LDS Church website in a statement to the public in reference to the Church in the media.

I know our Father in Heaven loves us and wants us to be happy. Because of this, we have been placed in families. The only way to completely return to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, is through the family unit. The temple allows individuals to be sealed together for eternity. I love this Plan. While I do not know the meaning of all things, I have a personal witness that the work which takes place inside the temple is eternally binding and will one day allow me to live with those I love most--my parents, brother, husband, children, and relatives--forever. I will do whatever it takes to deserve the blessings my Heavenly Father is waiting to bestow upon me.

I wish the students I teach could understand what I know. I wish I could tell them. I am appreciative of their examples. (I say all this as I am sitting in the middle of the media center constantly being interrupted by, "Miss. Anderson...can I turn in my poster now?" and "Miss. Anderson which of these tattoos do you like best? I designed them for my friend.") When I debated coming to DC, I was really unsettled with many things. My old roommates thought I was falling apart. However, I received a blessing and I was told that I would come to be an example to those I am around. I feel that I have learned much, much more from the examples of my roommates and students, then I could possibly give. Examples of love, forgiveness, and appreciation. I am learning to love everyone because I see so many do this daily.