Easter 2016

I love Easter Sunday. I can't decide if I like Easter or Christmas better.  Perhaps Easter. It is just filled with such hope and light. I love the Spring - the promise of the new day and good things to come. I love that Easter always falls on a Sunday - so that we can truly focus on the Savior.
The doctrine of the resurrection teaches me so much of hope, faith, mercy, love and it motivates me to do and be better. It is the promise and comfort that we will see our loved ones again. I think of grandma (Agatha), Kyle's mom, Joel, my dad. And most of all I think of the knowledge that this precious family I have will be together forever.  I love the gospel, I love the Savior.

Below are the handsome boys - I can't help but think of them as missionaries as I see them all together like this.

Typical of these boys when they get together : )






What the Easter Bunny brought them - chocolate bunnies : )




Jess made this cute dessert for the kids - Keawe sure lit up when he saw it.

Provo City Center Temple

We went through the open house of the Provo City Center Temple today. It was so wonderful. I have actually already been through three times before, including a super VIP tour with the area authority, Elder Lund who was the area authority assigned over its construction.  He explained things and showed us so much, including opening doors to the outside of the temple so we could orient ourselves.  I went though with Uwe and Ainana. That was pretty special.  And then I ushered and stood in the temple for almost 5 hours (in one spot).  But today was special in a different way. Today, I took my kids with my sweet husband.  And together we walked into the Celestial room together.  As we approached the room, I felt the Spirit so strongly as I anticipated what was ahead. I was behind everyone so I could clearly see them all together and in front of me.  It was such a beautiful moment that I cherished.  Elder Holland, in an introductory video we watched before the temple spoke of how when he thinks of Heaven, he could not imagine it truly being heaven without his family. And that is exactly how I felt today and always feel.  What a beautiful day.  I love to see the temple and to be in the temple with my family.
As we were driving home I asked the kids what their favorite part was. Most of them said the baptistry. I told them of my thoughts and said that the most happiest day I look forward to is when our whole family will again in the temple together.  Oh what a blessed day that will be.


Here are a few more pictures from the day:


When Kekoa was just a newborn baby, Kyle spoke from the pulpit in Stake Conference. I remember it all so well from changing Kekoa's diaper right before Kyle spoke to Kyle talking about me in his talk.