“And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual;things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath:all things bear record of me.” Moses 6:63

This week has been a bit slower moving. Monday was prep day, Tuesday mostly service, Wednesday district meeting, Thursday exchanges in Utica, Friday weekly planning and today we went to the temple and did a second prep day.  Although I am going a bit crazy wanting to get teaching all my people again, I have learned so so much! One thing that I have been pondering is how everything connects to the Savior; everything “bears record” of Him. In our culture, we often separate the physical world from the spiritual world, but it is all one! God often reaches out to us in simple, subtle ways. The other night, we called Bill to schedule an appointment. At the end of the call I yelled, “Don’t forget to pray!” He chuckled and immediately responded, “Don’t forget to look at the stars!” It was simple and subtle, but it really impacted me. Every night at 10pm he goes out back and looks at the stars. It is a way for him to feel close to God and recognize his own nothingness without God. He is able to connect with heaven through enjoying Gods creations. I need to be more like Bill. See God all around me in the little things. Everyone feels close to God in such different ways and I love learning about people’s unique relationships with God. Of course we all have the same Father, child relationship, but there are different areas of depth in each of our relationships with our Heavenly Father! It’s a beautiful thing! Although, it is sometimes a sad thing for those who choose not to feel His warm presence in their lives.

On the way home from exchanges, we pulled over on the side of the road and leaned out the window to catch a glimpse of the stars. We saw the most incredible sky! The Milky Way was clear and bright! I felt my Heavenly Fathers embrace and my Saviors love! I felt the Spirit fill my soul. It was an unforgettable experience! I know that our Savior created this beautiful world, under the guidance of God, to bring us joy and help us feel close to Him spiritually although we are physically separated for a time. The stars are a witness that HE LIVES! That there is indeed a Creator! He’s got our back! I don’t have time to finish my thoughts, but I was able to have a very sacred experience this morning in the temple. We brought Neil to do baptisms and confirmations for his father and other relatives. I was able to do the same for his great aunt Laura! What an incredible experience that was! I know that families are forever!!!! The peace I feel in the temple is unlike anything I have experienced in the world! “Holiness to the Lord, The House of the Lord!”

My challenge for you this week is to look at the stars! Go marvel at the evidence of Gods love! Pour out your heart and thoughts to Him! I promise you, that as you do this, you will feel and know, without a doubt that the creator of the universe knows you personally and has a great love for you! And once you do… “Don’t forget to look at the stars.” Don’t forget how you felt. Don’t forget the Saviors love. Be aware of it continually and bask in the blessings!