Open - For now!

I've been doing a lot of soul-searching these last few weeks, and as most people do, I'm trying to figure out and understand my/our purpose right now. We know that the Lord inspired us to move to Ohio for a reason, and I'm really trying to figure out what that reason is so we can be an instrument in the Lord's hands. So, I've decided to make our blog "open" again, to give us a better chance to share our testimonies and the gospel with others!
With that said, I've also been searching for ways to increase the Spirit in our home and in my heart. I've felt, and I know Tom has commented on this several times, that we wish we had the spirituality and felt the fire like we did when we were serving our missions. When you return home and "life" takes over, the missionary "fire" does slip away, and it's a really sad feeling. So, as I've been thinking about that, I was reading through some of the articles in this months Ensign, and there was one written to Returned Missionaries about keeping that "fire" alive! I was greatful for that yesterday! And this morning, I've been reading through "The Living Christ" - what a great testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ! (click on the title of this Post for a link to "The Living Christ")
I know, with all of my heart, that Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten of the Father, and that He lived, and gave His life, and LIVES AGAIN! Through His infinite atoning sacrifice, which He made for ALL OF US, we can be forgiven for and cleanse of our sins, and because He rose on the third day and overcame death, we too will live again, and have the opportunity to live forever with our Heavenly Father and our brother, Jesus Christ!
This knowledge and testimony that I have has been a great comfort to me in these last few days. A very dear friend of mine lost her husband the other day. They weren't able to have children, but in the last year they finally adopted 3 beautiful children. It really hit home to me and my family, because only 2 years and 19 days before this friend, Mark, died, my uncle John passed away. What's ironic about this whole thing is.... John and Mark were best friends growing up. And they both died very young - John, 33, and Mark 35 - and they both left behind a wife and 3 young children. We miss them both very much and our hearts ache for their dear sweet families, but... we know that death is not the end. We know that we will see them again; that these sweet children will be with their daddies again. I'm so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power and blessings of the Temple that make this all possible! Through the sealing power of the Priesthood of God, we can and will be with our families FOREVER!
I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored, in it's fulness, on the earth 180 years ago, begining with when God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, who was called and prepared to become the first Prophet of God in this dispensation and who helped to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ and the keys of the Priesthood on the earth. I know that the Prophet Joseph, through the power of the priesthood, translated to Book of Mormon, and I KNOW that the Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the Gospel! I'm grateful for the power and the spirit that I feel everytime I study the words of the Book of Mormon!
I'm know what we have a living Prophet on the earth today - Thomas Monson - and I know he was called of God to lead us and to teach us!
I'm grateful for the power of Prayer and for the opportuninty that we have to pray to our Heavenly Father and know that He is always there and listening and that He answers ALL of our prayers!
I love my family so much - Tom, my family, and Tom's family! I am one very blessed girl!!!
I love sharing my testimony, but I don't do it nearly enough. I believe and know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's church on the earth!
I'm grateful for the testimony that I have