Monday, February 17, 2014

Provo Temple: House of the Lord

I have just finished my last day of volunteer work at Provo Temple.  Just one of our many bittersweet goodbyes in Provo before we begin our road trip to our first duty station.  I LOVE the temple!  It is my absolute favorite place to spend time.  It is the house of the Lord.  If you haven't been to an LDS temple before, it's a very unique experience.  Stepping onto temple grounds is like stepping out of this world.  The cares of the world fall silent and forgotten within the temple gates, and a peaceful spirit is nearly tangible.  It is a place of peace, tranquility, joy, learning and healing.  The sacred spirit of the temple provides comfort and an eternal perspective for me even on my hardest days.
A February Morning at the Provo, Utah LDS Temple
The temple is so important to Rob and I.  While I lived in Oregon the nearest LDS temple was in Portland, a two-hour drive away.  Between travel, meals and time spent at the temple, it was an all-day experience, so I only made it to the temple twice a year with the youth in my ward.  It was such a special occasion I looked forward to throughout the year.  When I moved to Provo, Utah for college, there were suddenly 12 temples within a two hour drive of my home!  The Provo, Utah temple is only 6 minutes from home, and the Provo City Center LDS Temple is being built only 2 minutes away!  Wow!  I'm in heaven!  At first I would walk or carpool to the temple as often as I could, and now that Rob and I have a car we go together every week.  We started "collecting" temples just for fun and we have done work in 9 out of the 15 currently operating temples in Utah so far.  When Rob left for training, I continued to attend the temple weekly, and it's one of the things that most helped me "endure well" while he was gone.
The Amazing Provo City Center LDS Temple on Stilts
There were a couple weeks during Rob's absence when I started to lose momentum and I slipped into a very deep, lonely sadness.  Tears came out of nowhere, I lost my appetite, and I could not find peace.  Out of embarrassment I shut myself in, rarely left the house and ignored the door bell, emails, texts and phone calls.  Due to isolation, my somber mood and my lack of appetite, I became very sick and weak.  I did everything in my power to reach out to God for help and healing.  Still, I felt so alone in my trial.  The days I attended the temple were full of peace.  I could feel God's love for me and I knew again that everything would be okay.  The rest of the week, though was just as hard to bear as before.  When I finally found the courage to act on a promise given in a recent LDS General Conference talk, things started to turn around for me.
"Tiny Roses" Just Outside the CTB on BYU Campus
In the April, 2012 LDS General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk titled, "The Why of Priesthood Service."  During the talk, he shared the promise, "God is faithful.  Through the Holy Spirit, He will speak to our minds and hearts concerning the path we should follow during each segment of our lives."  During my dark hour, these words echoed in my heart and mind until I visited a sacred, quiet spot in the Mount Timpanogos, Utah LDS Temple and prayed to my Father in Heaven that I might be able to know my purpose in this season of my life.  The impression I received was very clear.  I need to spend more time in the temple.  I should ask my bishop for the opportunity to work in the temple.

I started working as a volunteer in the Provo, Utah LDS Temple in early September 2013.  I wish I would have thought to start earlier! These last 5 months of service have been so blessed!  The more time I spend in the temple, the closer I feel to my Father in Heaven, and the stronger I become even against my greatest trials.  I've met some amazing people through my service, and learned so much.  With a little help from the temple workers and patrons, I caught the genealogy bug and have since spent hours finding and serving my ancestors.  I have found greater purpose in my existence and true joy in service.  My hardships seem so small when I'm focused on serving God's children.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Just in Time for Valentine's Day!

MY AIRMAN HAS COME HOME!!!

Eight months ago Rob swore into Air Force Active Duty and shipped off to Basic Training.  We kept in touch through letters and the occasional supervised 15-minute phone calls.  We were reunited briefly for graduation, and then Rob transferred to Tech School.  We then enjoyed texts every morning, a phone call every night and seeing each other's faces every weekend through Skype.  Now he has graduated and is an official Air Force Medic!  He's home!  We've returned to the familiar luxury of talking for hours, holding hands, and just getting to live under the same roof!  We made it!  We did it!  We're back together again!
Picking Rob up at the Airport!
What a strange feeling!  Now that Rob is home, it feels like we were never apart.  Like we haven't been living in two different states, and never felt pain or loneliness.  As tough as the separation was at times, his homecoming swept those feelings away like they never happened!  However, I definitely cannot deny that the last 8 months has changed me.  I'm a newer, stronger, more capable and independent version of myself!  I feel like we've reached the end of a chapter.  I feel accomplished.  I feel like I can turn around and say, "Look at what we did!  We have come so far!"  It's an amazing feeling!  Life keeps moving though, and we're already headed into "what comes next."  The next three weeks are going to be packed full of activity and adventure!

Just a few exciting things I'm looking forward to in the VERY near future:
-12 days of RAP (Recruiter's Assistance Program)
-Valentine's Day!!!
-Getting together one last time with as many of our Provo, UT friends as possible!
-PCSing (Permanent Change of Station) to our first duty station!
-Blogging about all of the above!

Yes, "sappy" is my middle name, but I'm so grateful for the internet, social media and blogging!  As we're beginning our Air Force career and getting ready for our first big move, I feel so blessed to get to stay connected with our amazing friends and family along the way!  It's my way of bringing all of you along on our adventures!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

The True Purpose of The Blog

My heart has wings!  The blog has only been up a week or so, and so far only two posts (one post, one page), now three.  However, it seems God has supplemented our efforts.  The blog is already achieving its purpose!  You see, the true purpose of the blog is to reach, influence, help and heal as many people as possible.  After only two articles, we've already been getting quite a bit of feedback.  Our hearts are full of gratitude!  Thanks for your comments and questions!  We appreciate your thoughts, and we are more than happy to answer your questions and/or concerns!

Yes, it's true, the blog was created to aid me in writing my first book.  However, I don't think I've shared the reasons behind wanting to write this book... yet.  Years ago, through prayer and study, I discovered my calling in life.  I discovered a desire to follow in my Savior's footsteps.  Like Him I hope to be a leader and teacher.  I want to heal broken hearts, strengthen feeble knees, lift up hands that are weak and weary from the cares of the world, and be a powerful influence for good in the lives of many.  These dreams and desires have stayed with me ever since.  I have a great desire to fulfill this work; the work of my Savior.  My heart truly yearns to be an influence for good, and bless the lives of many!  It is one of my greatest desires!  I can't emphasize this enough!  I'm reminded of a favorite hymn:

Savior, may I learn to love thee,
Walk the path that thou hast shown,
Pause to help and lift another,
Finding strength beyond my own.
Savior, may I learn to love thee.
Lord, I would follow thee.
... ...
I would be my brother's keeper;
I would learn the healer's art.
To the wounded and the weary
I would show a gentle heart.
I would be my brother's keeper.
Lord, I would follow thee.

Yes, I love to write.  It's a love I believe God has given to me as a gift.  And as I use this gift, he continues to bless me through it.  Talents and gifts are given to us from God to bless others.  So, from this gift has grown the desire to reach the hearts of others through my writing.  And that is why I want to write a book.  That's why I started this blog.

I hope that through my experiences, I might be able to bless others.  I hope my experience with hardship and true joy will be relateable and helpful.  I hope my experiences in the Air Force will give me the opportunity to strengthen and bless other families.  Especially those with members in the line of duty, who risk their lives everyday for our safety and freedoms.  Not only those in the Armed Forces, but Fire, Police, and everyday heroes and their families alike.  I hope my expertise and interests will enlighten and enrich the lives of others.  And most of all, I hope my testimony of Jesus Christ will touch the lives of many and bring them healing, joy and love; the same healing, joy and love I have been blessed with through my Savior's infinite Atonement.
Robert Lemme: Fire Fighter & Airman
I have been surprised at the response Rob and I have already received from our "Meet the Lemmes" page.  Though the blog is brand-new, and there are only a few posts, and our viewership is still relatively small, we have received an exciting response!  Though most were not in the form of "comments" like I expected, people have mentioned the blog to us in person and over other social media.  Some have asked us questions about our beliefs and standards they read about on the blog, and some have thanked us for the courage we have shown in making our testimony public.  Both responses have sincerely warmed my heart!  The blog is fulfilling it's purpose.  It's reaching people and making an impression.  Thank you for reading!  Thank you for responding!  We hope you enjoy the content, and we look forward to your comments!  We would love to see our posts evolve from monologues to discussions!  Thanks in advance for your comments and questions!  The blog wouldn't be the same without YOU!