The Temple, A Prophet and Gerber Daisy's

This past week has provided many amazing inspirational opportunities for me. Friday night we were able to attend the temple with Rachel and Trent. It has been a few months, and it just made me realize that even though we have a baby now, we really need to make more time to attend the temple. I had a very spiritual experience and a very real and true answer to prayer on something I had been pondering and fasting about. I am grateful for the opportunity to have a temple so close so that I am able to have a haven from the world, to be so close to God and be able to focus fully on the Gospel and keeping an eternal perspective.

I had also read an article in the Ensign this month about getting answers to prayers out of General Conference, and so I as well had that thought in my mind as I watched conference, and received many answers and confirmations from this conference. It was such an awesome experience to be able to sustain the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and know with a firm confirmation from the Spirit, through my own sustaining vote, and through the testimonies of the Lord's apostles, that he is a true prophet, called of God.

Lastly, I wanted to share my own personal adaptation of inspiration, that I pulled from a small, seemingly insignificant experience I had, that proved to be very symbolic and inspirational to me. Early last week, a woman in my ward had brought me a beautiful orange/reddish gerber daisy plant and left it on my door step. There were five flowers; one in full bloom, one that was beginning to bloom, and three buds. I was excited about it, and put it in the center of my island in my kitchen. However, my week got busy, and I kind of forgot about it. Bills and papers crowded around it on the island, and by the weekend, it had not been touched since the day I received it. And honestly, I didn't even think twice about it. I'm definitely not someone with a green thumb. I have not really tried, to be honest. I planted a strawberry plant in the backyard last year, half expecting it to grow on its own, with the occassional watering from the sprinklers. Needless to say, I haven't seen one berry from the plant. Another example of this, is when Marc brings me flowers, I usually put them on the counter in the vase, and enjoy them on the counter, until they wilt and die. I hardly ever put more water in them, let alone the little packet of "flower food" provided. I guess, again, I just knew cut flowers died, and didn't put much thought into prolonging their life and beauty.

So, anyway, back to the Gerber Daisy's...Saturday came, and I was cleaning the house. I came to my plant on the counter, and noticed that the one flower that was in full bloom upon arriving to my house, was completely wilted and bent over. I grabbed the stem and it flopped around, as flimsy as could be. The other flowers had not made any progress in coming out of their buds, and looked just as wilted. For a moment I thought, "Great...I ruined this one too. Oh well." But, I decided I should water them and see if that made a difference. With my little knowledge of plants, I figured it would make some difference, but I didn't know what, and I thought for sure I had lost the big flower. I continued on cleaning my house, and about an hour later, as I passed the daisy's, I was astonished to find the big flower standing straight up, the second one now fully emerged from the bud, and the stems hard and strong. I pinched the stem of the bigger flower to see if I could flop it from side to side, as I had earlier, and it was strong enough that the pressure would have snapped it. I don't even know if it makes "gardening" sense for it to work that fast, but it taught me an amazing lesson about small efforts in cultivating things in our lives. I immediately related it to a number of things; my testimony, my marriage, my friendships...anything that you feel like could be lacking in an area, and even wilting and dying. It gave me the inspiration to take a second look, and make even the smallest effort and gesture to cultivate and nourish those areas in my life where I am neglecting to put forth the effort necessary to keep it alive. It always seems easier to give up, and say, "It's too late...it's dead or ruined". But, to me, this experience has shown me that it's not too late, and if I give up so easily and so quickly, then I'm going to miss out on some of the most beautiful things and experiences in life, that Heavenly Father has meant for me to have...like Gerber Daisy's.