Thursday, September 6, 2007

I'll Bet No One Reads This...

So, I'm remembering to write a second post! How about that?

I've actually taken this blog a little more seriously than I originally thought I would, and for the last little while I've been trying to decide what I want to put on here. Since most of the people who read this are my old coworkers at Dentrix, I want to share some things that I never got a chance to do while I was there. I sincerely consider you friends, and it would be an absolute shame if the people I consider friends never knew what was most important in my life.

First of all, you should all know that my wife and kids are my life. I love Jamie more than I can even express, and I can't imagine what I would do without my kids. I've made a lot of jokes about being too young to have a family the size that I do, but I want you to know that I feel absolutely blessed to have such a wonderful family. I hope that each of you gets to experience a happy marriage and parenting great kids. I am so proud of my family.

My family is absolutely important to me, but I also want to share that my religion is just as vital as my family. I think that you all know that I got married after Jamie got pregnant when we were 18. What you may not know is that even though I wasn't living my beliefs, I never let go of them, and when we got married, the Atonement I always professed to believe became deeply personal to me, and I found out just how powerful it is. I know today with certainty that the Atonement is real and that Christ is our Savior. Not just my savior, but our savior. When Alma was talking about his conversion, he said that he had never felt pain more exquisite than when he realized his sins, yet on the other hand, he had never felt sweeter joy than when he felt forgiveness. There is no better description than this for the feeling of the Atonement working in your life. I know that Christ lives and that he is our redeemer, and I pray that you can feel the same way I do if you do not already.

I also know with my whole heart that the Priesthood has been restored and that it is the directing force in the LDS church. I have felt the difference in my home when I had the Priesthood and when I didn't, and I cannot deny the feeling here with it present. It is such an overwhelming relief to know that we have that power in my home and guiding this church, especially in a world of such darkness and despair.

I know that this is in a very different tone than you are used to hearing me use, and to some it may come across a little strange, but I hope that you will all realize that I am not great with words, and I hope that you will understand what I'm trying to do here. I want you to know that I have a testimony in my faith, and I am not ashamed to share it.

Thanks for reading...