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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Temple Blessings

It is so awesome to see people receive the blessings of the temple with so little opportunity to go. Napa and Dipu were converts from my mission. Kami and I had the opportunity to teach Napa and her friend and watch them both be baptized. Thailand is not a high baptizing mission and the fact we even got to see it was amazing. The retention rate is also not very high and for Napa and Dipu to have stayed active as long as they have has been a miracle in my life. I never doubted them but things happen in life we can not control.

Dipu was a refugee from Nepal and I am do not know the whole story but that usually means if they go back to their country they will be killed. Dipu was a lucky one and was able to get the papers he needed to become a legal in Thailand. Napa and Dipu were married about a year after they were baptized. Since they were married they have been saving money to come to America and go to the temple. It may seem silly because they could have gone to Hong Kong but they wanted to share this special time with people they loved. Most of the people they have befriended have moved back to America. They attend the Asoke international ward and most of the members are Americans sent there by the embassy and only spend about three years there.

On October 5 Napa and Dipu received there endowments at the Oquirrh Mountain temple. It was so amazing but it was so small and intimate. They both were able to listen to the session in their languages. It defiantly strengthens my faith to know God loves his people so much he provides them with the means to keep the commandments. It was so neat to be able to meet with the sealer as well. His son had taught the temple prep class in Thailand for the couple and told his father about it. His father called and asked to be the sealer and found out when the endowment session was and came to that as well. How often does the sealer get to go through a session with the couple?
Today Napa and Dipu went to the SLC temple and were sealed for all time and eternity. They were so cute sitting on the little couch listening to the sealer. At the end the sealer told them they could kiss and it was funny because in Thailand people do not kiss in public. It is kind of taboo so Dipu gave her a kiss on the cheek and everyone giggled.

This was one of the best moments in my life! I was able to see people keep the promises they made at baptism and commit to spending the rest of their lives together. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.