I am so grateful for a gracious, loving, forgiving Heavenly Father. He truly does love us. He truly does care immensely for every one of His children. I know He is willing and open to revealing great and wonderful things to you in His time.
The other day, I was privileged to sit in the beautiful Bountiful Utah Temple. If you've never been to that temple - goodness, I hope you can someday. It is a beautiful place. All temples are.
I'll admit, life has been trying the past while. It is not uncommon for me to feel depressed or hurt. Not necessarily a good thing. But anyways, life has been pulling at my soul.
As I sat at that baptismal font, clad in white, thoughts began to come to me - inspiration - about my future eternal companion.
Handout Photo Credit: Aaron Radeke
Now that I am sixteen, I'll admit, it is not uncommon for me to think of him...a lot. Through God's mercy, I have been able at times to feel the sweet spirit of my future eternal companion, who I quite possibly don't know yet. He is such a marvelous son of God. I love to feel of his spirit and his strength. He is so strong. He is so good. I know he is an honorable man of God.
Well, on this particular day in the temple, God revealed even more. To my surprise, He told me of my relationship with this good young man in the pre-existence. We were lovers. We loved each other with our all long before birth. When we had to separate in order to come to earth, we wept. But yet we knew that it was the will of God and that this was the only way for our sweet love to extend for eternity.
This left me bewildered. My mouth just dropped and my eyes turned to the ceiling. This revelation was just...wow.
But that wasn't it. He then proceeded to tell me that our love will be a form of charity that looks past the frailties of one another. He said that this son would take me to the temple...and not just once. Eventually, we would both serve in the Lord's Holy House. And he would serve at one point as a temple president. We would enjoy serving missions together and a life of love.
That revelation kicked me back. For a while, I was actually depressed. I wondered how in the world such a godly man could love such a sinner as me. If he was so good, how could he love me - me, the girl who at times has to forge a smile and choke back the tears?
But that is the beauty of God. He is preparing us both. And I can just pray and work and hope that I am ready and worthy for that righteous son of God I will someday call my husband.
Dear sisters, start living worthy now. God has prepared such a future for you! It may be nothing like you imagined, but oh - it shall be sweet! It shall be His way. And in the end, we can all find our happily ever after. How beautiful it will be to kneel across from a worthy young man in God's house and be sealed to him forever.
Dear young men, start living worthy now. Honor that priesthood you hold. Honor it in the way you speak, act, and are. You have a huge impact on us young women. Please, make it an impact for good. Live worthy to someday hold a young lady's hands as you go through the temple, and to them proceed to hold those hands for the rest of eternity.
Make temple attendance a priority. Girls, commit now to find a son of God to marry who will not only take you to the temple once to be sealed for eternity, but to find one who will take you back regularly so he can have you for ever.
I love that godly man already whom I know I will someday marry for eternity. I don't know his name. I don't know his interests. I don't know his looks or his location. But I know that he knows who he is and who I am - children of God. I know he is living worthily. And I don't want to let him down and be anything less for him. He deserves the best.
Wherever you are, I pray for you.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-Julie Herdt
"There is no more beautiful sight than a couple, properly prepared, kneeling together at the altar of the temple." -Sister Elaine Dalton, "Guardians of Virtue"
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