Aviles Family

I left from being with the ladies in Park City and headed for the Provo Temple, where some friends of ours, the Aviles Family, were going to be sealed to each other and their children. It was a special day for not only for them, but for those of us who were blessed to share in the experience. This young family, new members of only one year, are just pure in their love for one another, and it was evident in the way they treated each other. The brother who performed the sealing was fluent in Spanish, the Aviles Family's native language, so most of the event was done in Spanish. Even though I could not understand all of the words spoken, I could feel them. I was literally brought to tears as their three beautiful daughters, Stephanie (age 8) and their twin girls Chanelle and Rashelle (around 18 months) were brought in to the room and this family knelt together around the alter and were blessed to be made an eternal family. I thought of my own family, which didn't help my crying at all, and how much they mean to me. The sealer made a comment that taught me a profound truth, "This isn't just the room where you are sealed to one another; this is the place where our Father in Heaven brings His children back home to Him." That comment has been racing through my head since I heard him say it. That's what we are all here for, to become the individuals that our loving Father knows us to be, and to make and keep sacred covenants that allow us to be brought back to our heavenly home.

This beautiful family just radiated the love and peace to be found in the gospel and the temple. Jared was talking with Hector, the husband afterward, and asked him if his experiences of that day were what he had expected they would be. Hector's response was something like this, "Oh, Brother Black, they were so much more. There's such a peace here." Jared and I felt that too. I have a feeling we'll be saying that when we hopefully are brought to our Heavenly Father and His Son, into Their eternal presence. It will be "so much more" than any of us can describe.