OH MY GOODNESS!!I am having this insane, curve of tears happiness! One of the sweetest and best people I know is getting married on Friday, and I feel like like leaving on Thursday, I am getting there too late! she is awesome my cousin and I wish her the best happily ever after life can possibly give her! I can't wait to tell you all about it!
Here are a few pictures,
and facts,
Lauren and I went to Greece together
Lauren Alex and I, who I would consider the three musketeers of the Sheppard cousins, are all getting married in less than 4 months apart. Can you say fun married couple trips? I can!
I love those two girls and honestly couldn't express my happiness for them!
then the real treasures
happy{almost} ever after Lauren. I wish you and TJ the best life has to offer! Couldn't be more proud of you for getting married in the temple, and finding someone as kind hearted as you are!
Its been a long while, haha and it never ceases to amaze me how much happens in such little time.
Okay break down and photos!
I finally finished the awful of awful semesters, on the 16th of December. I moved out of my old apartment, with along with the move came relief and joy. Then Kade and I hit the road, for the first week we would spend together, in over 4 months. One solid week! Doesn't get much better! We had a blast hanging out with his family and friends. But most of all we loved not being separated or hayley doing homework and kade just waiting for her to be done. That and it was our first christmas together!
then I travelled home to the glorious California for Christmas with my own family. It was such a breathe of relief to be home. I honestly cried when I saw the ocean flying in that day. Haha the lady next to me just looked at me funny. Little does she know what sunshine and the sense of being home can do for a girl.
once home I got a few precious days to hang out with my family before I started to work.
Kade came two days early last night, and my goodness it was better than expected. I have had surgery finals, stress, and plenty of other things on my plate and he has been in Boise. The whole time. I can't tell you how happy I am to have him here to help and be with me. I am really really homesick too, not a day goes by that I don't miss my family, bad especially during Christmas. I broke down in tears a couple times already but I know I will be home soon and can't wait to hang out with them and celebrate being with them and the birth of our Savior. So I am off to study and be with Kade all day just they way I like it:)
love the music
the spirit
the happiness
the lights
the joy
the giving
the receiving
the CHRIST part of Christmas
the first presidency's message
and the EGGNOG!!!!!
happy christmas!
p.s. if we were married? first christmas card~!
In all three years of being here in Rexburg, I have never had any of my little brothers come see me. I actually entertained Connor this weekend and we had a blast! I am so grateful for Connor and think he is super awesome and loved watching him explore and experience a little bit of college. here are a few pictures!
Okay, people if you were ever questioning how much you love temples,
Look up the BYU-I devotional from yesterday,
Brother Thomas E. Coburn spoke, and the spirit was so strong! I truly loved every minute of it! It was so great to hear of all the work the church is doing to promote the temples and build them.
Here are a few facts.
80% percent of the church members are with in 200 miles of a temple.
135 active temples
12 under construction
13 announced
Hayley Sheppard is planning on saving enough money to attend the Rome temple open house
Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God.
He is also a great man.
The prophet has announced a new temple almost every month and a half since becoming prophet.
The best part, I did not know this until yesterday,
there is a general temple patron fund you candonate to to help families go to the temple to receive theirsaving ordinances.
Am I just really slow to find out about this?
Either way it doesn't matter, let's get people to the temple! What a great and hopeful mission to
have in life to simply help others get to the temple! There are so many of us that are so privileged to have
many temples with in hours, minutes, a walk across the street from us, I encourage everyone to up
your temple attendance. Show your gratefulness, exercise your faith and go.
How to donate?
On your tithing slip, under {other} simply write "General Temple Patron Fund"( you'll have to write small)
Let us remember all of our brothers sisters around the world, and help them to better understand who
they are and where they come from!
I am a child of God! So are you!
p.s. watch the whole thing its great!
I am sure you have guessed, but I have a testimony of the temple. I know the things that happen here are ordained by God. That families can be sealed together for all eternity through the restored priesthood of God. I know the saving ordinances performed here are not only for those of this life, but those that have passed on before us and we can continue to bring them unto to the truth by attending the temple, and acting as proxies for them. I know without the restoration of the Gospel we would not have temples and I am grateful for the saints before me, for their testimonies and sacrifices to bring the church into the latter-days. I know Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, and with out him we could not return to live with our heavenly father again. I know that God lives and loves us and cares about us all individually. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he restored the Church today. I know the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. I know Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and receives revelation for his church Daily. I love the gospel and all it has to offer.
if you want to learn more about about my church and why it is so great go to this websiteor this one.
Until next time, Hayley
p.p.s If you love the church as much as I do, please share your testimony with those around you, post this somewhere else, and add your testimony to it!
I am home and gonna start on my projects here soon, will be uploading pictures about those, but for now here are a few shots that pretty much show what a goofballs me and my little brothers can be!!
