Sunday June 1st, 2008
Sunday we decided to take a day off from the theme parks and enjoy a relaxing Sabbath Day. It was a wonderful day! We visited the ward I attended while I did my internship in Florida, and what an incredible experience that was. The memories of that time in my life came flooding back as I walked into the chapel- it was a time of excitement, lonliness (my fiance, family, and friends were thousands of miles away), tribulation and spiritual growth for me. The gospel and many members of that ward were what got me through that time of my life. During my internship, sometimes I felt so surrounded by the "world"- I found out what most college age kids do compared to what I was used to at BYU. The drinking, swearing, negativism, and sex was hard to be around sometimes- but I truly feel that I was able to separate myself from it and it is the kind of thing that it either will strengthen or weaken a person. I feel like I was strengthened, but I also missed the feeling of safety and general spirit of service being at BYU or at home gave me. I clung to Sundays and those who had high morals. Luckily my roommates were all pretty good, but we still didn't have the closeness and spirit of service the Gospel brings, and what I had experienced at BYU. Because of my experience in my ward in Florida, I have such a testimony of service, and the impact someone can have on another. The love and service that was given over a dacade ago to me- a lonely 20 year old single girl who was only in that ward for 4 months- was so profound and has strengthened my testimony of the Gospel for the rest of my life. For this visit, I only saw a few faces that I had known, but the feeling in that church building was so incredible. I was able to see again the wonderful Sister- Sarah Smith- who gave me a ride from my apartment to church every Sunday. I know it was a sacrifice for her and I will always be grateful for her example- so it was incredible to see her again! I will forever be grateful to the Hunters Creek Ward in Orlando, Florida for the strength I received from them and the Gospel during that semester away.
On Sunday we also visited the Orlando Temple- beautiful, as always!
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