First memories

When I look into my past, to try to identify where my testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel began, I see myself as a young child, walking into Jr. Sunday School with my arms folded. I hear the pianist playing songs that I know about nature and beauty and the love of my Heavenly Father.

Skies are fair above us;
Leaves are on the trees.
Flower buds are nodding,
Swayed by gentle breeze.
Loving hearts are happy
While we work and play.
God is in the heaven;
Joyous is our day.

In sky and land and river wide,
The work of God I see;
Oh, may my heart be full of thanks
For all he gives to me.

I feel a quiet peaceful feeling that wraps me as in arms of love, and I am grateful to be there.

On another occasion, I see myself sitting next to my Father in an afternoon session of Stake Conference that I chose to attend, even though my brothers and mom had decided that one session was enough for them and had opted to stay home. I remember feeling special to be there with my Dad alone, but also, I remember feeling a warm peaceful happiness in my spirit--that witnessed to me that my Heavenly Father was also pleased that I had chosen to be there. I would have been about 5 years old at that time.

I remember loving parents and teachers, grandparents, siblings, and friends providing security and love to me through out my childhood. I remember loving the beauty of nature. I remember attending church weekly, and listening to conferences. I watched my parents and grandparents serve in their callings, as they taught and lead in ward and stake positions. They willingly gave much of their time and talent in serving the Lord.

I grew up knowing what I wanted in my life. I wanted what my parents and grandparents had, a happy marriage, a home, gardens, children, gospel knowledge, opportunities to serve God in wards and stakes, loving ties to friends, neighbors and relatives built by shared experiences, enriched through playing and working together, and founded on love towards others. These are the building blocks of my youth that undergirded my life and forever affected my views of success and the aspirations for my future life and which lit my testimony of the gospel of love, and inspired faith in my Heavenly Father.