Hello Everyone!
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| Elder Hickson is the one on the left in the very front. |
This is a really special story told from the perspective of his current companion Elder Brown:
"Well this week was especially special because last week we got a text saying the temple president has requested that Elder Hickson and I go to the temple this past Saturday to do some temple work for them. We didn't question it at all because we were excited to go to the temple since it's the temple. Anyways we planned it out to go and the guy we talked to said it would be about 4 hours which is a lot longer than a session so we were a little confused but we went along with it...we went inside and the matron comes and says Elder Hickson the temple president needs to speak with you privately for a minute. So he leaves to talk with him. Come to find out he was getting sealed to his family that day and they had all come from Arizona to be sealed together as a surprise. Now pause the story and rewind back a while ago. Elder Hickson's mom was a member and married a nonmember guy. He didn't care if they went to church but he didn't want anything to do with it. After a long time and while elder Hickson was on his mission a year ago his dad got baptized in a lake right after a trek youth conference. Then two weeks ago his dad and his brother got their endowments taken out and they all came with his 6 year old sister too, to come be sealed as a family. I got to sit in and be a part of it with them and what an experience it was to be there. Other family traveled with Elder Hickson's family to watch the sealing and it was just great. Sunday Elder Hickson gave a talk on the Savior and how He helps and saves us and it was just so great. I tell you I was blown away and so spiritually enlightened by this experience. This is topping the charts for my mission. It really was tender and even though I don't remember too much of when I was sealed to my family it still made me think about me being there with my parents being sealed when I was 4-5. Unsure on the exact age but I had such peace and such a feeling of the Spirit in that moment listening to the words and hearing them again and being able to really understand them this time and take in the meaning. It reinforced for me my testimony of eternal families and made me think about how much I love my family. I'm almost to the down hill half but it doesn't mean less work or slacking, it means work harder, work prouder, work better. And do all of this through the Lord that will be your strength."
Now I cannot really think of anything more amazing than that. I love knowing Heavenly Father's plan for eternal families. I know that this plan is true and that God loves each and every one of our families. I am so grateful to have been born into a family sealed in the temple and blessed by all of those wonderful promises. I sadly take it for granted so often but I know my life would not have been the same without it. I would look forward to creating my own wonderful eternal family one day. I love my family and I love my Savior who makes all of this possible. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week!
Elder Basham
