Happy Anniversary X 2!

October 27, 2014

     Each year Mr H and I celebrate two wedding anniversaries...

     We are Mormon, Mr H and I.  We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormon).  We believe that Families are Forever.  We believe that being married in a LDS temple (we call it being "sealed") by one who holds the authority under the restored priesthood means that we are not only married while we live on this earth, but the marriage is forever and always - it lasts through the eternities. It is different than a civil marriage ("'til death do you part"), whether performed by a JP or in a church, which we call being married "for time."

     Mr H and I met a little later in life than most couples.  I was 47, he 50.  He has been married before so getting permission to be sealed in the temple is a little more complicated.  (I won't address that here, but I will tell you that the LDS church takes marriage [and hence divorce] extremely seriously, for which I am very thankful.)

     We planned on being married in the temple from the get-go, but because of Mr H's previous marriage, after 19 months of long-distance dating (we were formally engaged after 15 months) and determining that it may take a long time to finally be able to be married in the temple, we would be civilly married (for time only). We had developed a friendship and a love for each other that we knew we wanted to spend our lives together.  We also had the faith that the day would come when we would be sealed for time and eternity.

So on October 30, 2004, 

surrounded by a few family and friends, 

Mr H and I were civilly married.  

{This is our "first" anniversary.}

Newly minted Mr & Mrs H!

       Forward not quite two years...  2006.  Through a series of miracles and blessings, we received permission to be sealed for time and all eternity in a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Because we live in Georgia ("by the grace of God," according to Mr H),we chose the Atlanta Temple.  

Atlanta Temple

Atlanta Temple Sealing Room

Interestingly enough (at least to me), the next available date was 

October 14, 2006.  

{This is our "second" - and infinitely more important - anniversary.}

Heavenly!  Sealed as husband and wife for all eternity.

     So each year we have two wedding anniversaries, both in October.  There is so much more to the story - definitely many miracles.  Suffice to say, having had both a civil wedding and a temple wedding, without question, kneeling across the alter from a person you love, joining hands, and covenanting with each other and Heavenly Father that you will remain faithful and will do all within your power to live worthy to be together forever...

THAT is what heaven is made of... and THAT is worth celebrating!

#lds #familiesareforever #templemarriage #faith #ldstemples