Battening Down & Digging In

With the ice and snow storm forecast to begin here at any moment, I'm snugged in here at home until the weather abates, perhaps even until I have to return to my prison job on Monday morning.
There's plenty of food in my cupboards, lots of books to read, and even satellite tv to watch (probably some of those sentimental movies on the "Hallmark" network, although I also did videotape "It's a Wonderful Life" while I was out and about last night and I'm looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed).
As I sit here and compose this missive, I have been thinking about my birthday next month and how I was diagnosed to die almost 30 years ago (and a goodly number of other times, both before and thereafter).
The marvelous work and a wonder of the power of my Patriarchal Blessing (in 1969) and numerous blessings since then, administered by humble fellow Priesthood brethren, continues to be a supernal mystery to me.
Anyone who knows me can vigorously attest that there are many much more worthy of all in which I have been blessed (which blessings are far more profound than the extension of my life here and now).
Even though my Patriarchal Blessing spells out some broad outlines of why I still linger here, the yet to be understood and applied details of those particulars still befuddle me.
And so life continues to go on, one small step at a time, as I continue seek to find my way, but ever grateful to God for all He has and continues to provide for me.
(1 Corinthians 13:12)

Well Worth the Wait

On a good day, the drive from my home in West Virginia to the D.C. Temple takes me about an hour and ten minutes.
Recently, the snow, ice, and traffic snarls extended that Temple transit to over two and one half hours.
Arriving frustrated and annoyed, my disposition was surly and not at all appropriate for me to be in the House of the Lord.
Even so, my mood thereafter quickly changed.
It happened while doing vicarious marriages and family sealings for those who had not had this privilege during their lifetimes.
A Swiss husband and wife from Zurich had anxiously waited to be reunited since the 1600's.
As I knelt in proxy and their marriage was sealed for Time and All Eternity, their gratitude and joy was palpable and pervasive to all of us engaged in that sacred service.
For me, my experiences during that wondrous day in the Temple was well worth the wait.
For those Swiss sweethearts, it was infinitely more so.