OHANA means Family

10/29/2015

One thing that has been a really big topic on my mind and heart has been the concept of FAMILY.
Many of you may or may not all ready know that I come from a family who is very close. Some may say that it is a little unhealthy, I say that we are just practicing for eternity... because you gotta love those who you are going to spend eternity with now before you get there right? :)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is well known for their Temples and their "obsession" with the family unit. I believe that the family unit is the most important thing on Earth, besides the gospel and all other principles. I love and appreciate my family so much, and I am so excited to be starting my own with Dillon. When Dillon and I were married in April of 2014 we went to the temple, where we were sealed for eternity. What that means is as long as we keep the covenants and promises we make to God in this life, not only will we be happy and probably have a great life (including all those amazing trials we are blessed with) we will have the opportunity to continue that happiness into the next life. There is no " 'til death do us part" and I am so grateful for that. Now that we are expecting our very first child (May of 2016), that baby and every baby we bring to this earth we will be able to love and hold and have in the next life.

We just sent my brother Tyler off to New York for two years. You may be thinking WOW! That's a LONG time!! (Believe me I know!! 2 weeks down 102 to go!) But while he is in New York, he will be teaching families, and reminding families of these wonderful blessings of the gospel, the blessings of the temple. Ultimately teaching those families about how they can be and eternal family.
If sacrificing my brother for 2 years to the people of New York, give other people this opportunity for love and peace. I will do it. (I have done it, I am just now accepting it publicly).

"Missionary: (n) A person who leaves their family for a short time to teach other families how they can be eternal."

I am SO proud of my brother, for setting an example to Josh and Zach, for being the first in our family to make that commitment and promise to God to serve and teach others of this gospel.

If you read my blog last year you may know that choosing not to serve a mission was probably one of the hardest things that I had ever done... but oh how grateful I am now for choosing this path. This is where I am meant to be and where God needs me to be.

Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has given this statement an extra meaning to me. We will be together for ETERNITY. NO ONE will be left behind or forgotten, whether its my grandparents, brothers, my own children, it is an eternal chain of forever forward, forever backwards. I am so grateful for this, because I love my family, especially my own family unit that is just starting to grow... :)