Opening the Windows of Heaven in your own life (with video)

This will be an intensely personal post.  I hope it will help to change your life so you can draw closer to the Lord. It will be worth reading to the end. I want to share how coming face to face with my mortality helped me to see clearly what was most important in life, and what was not. Most importantly, I want to share how you can discover that as well.

About 10-12 years ago, I started spreading the gospel online.  I've been doing it since then, and about 7-8 years ago I gave up watching television and movies to try to do more. Because the more I did, the more I saw there was so much that needed to be done to hasten the Lord's work on this earth. And Family History started to become a big part of that.

What changed my life
A bit of history.  For a time in my life, many years ago, I didn't go to the temple.  Once I went back there, I went as often as I could.  My life literally changed when that happened, and miracles did happen in my life.  And Family History and indexing was a big part of that.

The Heavens Opened
As I took my ancestors names to the temple, I felt at times that the heavens were opened, and the blessings poured out like rain.  I have felt of the Love of the Lord, and the gratitude of my ancestors. They feel very real to me, and I have developed a love for them and the Lord. And it changed my life.

Things were going swimmingly.  I was trying as hard as I could to try to spread the gospel, and to engage in Family History and Temple work. And miracles happened.
  
Then the problems started
Then, about 2 and a half years ago, I started to get bouts of weakness.  It would last about 7-10 days, and I would be so weak I would just lay around or would just be able to sit in a chair. I had shortness of breath, and my muscles were weak.  After 7-10 days I would go back to normal functioning, and I could exercise regularly again, and so I let it go. But, a few months later, it came back again. 

After a couple of trips to the urgent care, and a trip to the ER, and many tests, the doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me.  And it went away for a few months more, and I just got used to having about a week every several months where I just got to rest a bunch.  

And then about a year and a half ago, things got worse. I did another test to see what was going on, and got nothing. And it got so bad I would have 7-10 bad days, and maybe 3-4 good days. 

I would use a good day to go to the temple, and another one to help with chores around the house, and to try to do activities with my family. But it always came back, and kept getting worse.  And most recently, I had what seemed to be a mini-stroke.

What is most important in Life is not the distractions
Why am I relating all this? Because before the pandemic, my health problems interfered with my ability to attend the temple, and do the work for my ancestors that I have done Family History for. 

As my health has gotten consistently worse, I have struggled with the question of "what if this doesn't get better?" And I have discovered what is most important in this life when pondering that. 

What will be most meaningful when life is done
I want all to hear this next part. I look back on the last 7-8 years as the most meaningful years of my life, and the reason why is because I have made the sacrifice to give up many things of the world and have engaged in the Lord's work.  Now I'm not perfect.  I'm not saying that, and I'm not better than anyone else.  I have so many faults and am trying to overcome those.  However, because I have engaged in his work, I have drawn closer to the Savior.  And Family History has been a big part of that. And that what is most meaningful to me. God, his work, and our families and relatives are what is most important.

I know the Savior lives, and is saddened when people don't come unto him.  He longs for us to come unto him and engage in his work, and feel of his love.  I know that there are many in the spirit world who haven't had their work done for them, and await for us here to do the work they can't do for themselves. 

With all the love I have in my heart, I plead with you to follow President Nelson's counsel, and make the sacrifice of time to engage in Family History and temple work on the Family Search website or the Mobile App.  It will change your life.  

It's easier than ever before to do
Even though it takes time to learn, it's easier now.  With the tools we have today, you can find many of your ancestors to take to the temple and do their temple work simply through using the app or logging in online to Family Search. 

"Aunt Edna" really didn't complete all your Family's work
I know some of you are thinking that your work is already done. Family History has evolved from when "Aunt Edna," or another genealogist in the family did all the work for the family. The work available to do has increased exponentially, and I explain this on another post.  You are needed in this great saving work.

Promises as we plead with the Lord for Guidance and help

And sometimes it is hard.  Sometimes you sit and can't find anything.  When that happens, get on your knees, and then reach out to a family history consultant, or call the Family History Library.  President Monson, President Nelson, and many apostles have said we will be blessed if we do.

They have promised the windows of heaven will open and blessings the likes of which you have never experienced will start to become a reality in your lives. I know I have experienced that in my own life. 

Your testimonies will be strengthened, your connection with the Savior will become closer than you ever thought or dreamed, and your lives will fill with a joy beyond compare. 

And like me, you probably will have hard times.  But the Lord will strengthen you during those. As someone in the handcart companies said about the hardships they faced, "It was worth it to become acquainted with the Lord."  It is even more so with learning to do Family History.

Your life matters to more than just you
Take some time today, and determine to make a sacrifice of time, as President Nelson asked, maybe some time on Sunday after the Come Follow Me gospel study to do Family History work. Maybe just take a half hour each week and open the app or website and get started.  It will make all the difference to someone else's eternity, and it will help you to realize your life matters to someone else.  And you will see that your life has a purpose. 

Start on the Family Tree Mobile App or on the Family Search website.  And discover how the dead are really alive, and how they are filled with joy when their ordinances are done.  Make the sacrifice of time, and you will experience that joy, along with the Love of the Lord. 

Your reward at the last day is worth more than any distraction

And at the last day, you will stand before the Savior, together with those relatives whose work you have done, and with the entire family of mankind who has come unto Christ, and you will rejoice with them, and weep tears of joy with them as you and they are able to enter into the Celestial Courts on high, to dwell with God and our Heavenly Family at the time when the Great Jehovah has said the work is done. 

And that will be worth more than any television show, any video game, or any movie to you.  Make the sacrifice today so you may have joy now and in the eternities. Start on the App or online.  Now here is a minute long video with youth who are engaging in Family History, and their faith promoting experiences. 

Update - When I started this post months ago, I was feeling horrible, and had for a long time, and even had concerns about my mortality. I started feeling better for a bit, however I recently had a what appeared to be a mini-stroke.  But despite all this, I have a great deal more hope for the future, and have the confirmation that I have a purpose here on this earth.  So I have more peace, despite the health problems.  And more importantly, each of us has a meaning and purpose here.  And I sincerely hope that all who hear me may engage in this work, and find the same healing I have found.  The healing of the soul.  Thanks for reading.

Picture courtesy LDS Temple Pics