Sweet is the Peace

Exactly one week ago, I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful Washington, D.C. Temple one last time before leaving. As I approached the temple, I marveled at the beauty of its grounds; soaking up the sunshine, enjoying the colorful flowers and butterflies. With my friend Ben singing hymns in Italian in the background, I wondered if this moment was a taste of what Heaven might be like. I relished the experience and the peace that was there.


All things denote that there is a God . . .

To escape the almost unbearable heat outside, my friends and I wandered over to the Visitor's Center. It too had a welcoming, peaceful feeling inside. Right now, it has a special exhibit of photos from the Hubble Telescope in which pictures such as the one below are displayed, along with several scriptures concerning the creation. I can't imagine a better explanation than the fact that there is a loving God who created us and the universe we live in. I stared at these pictures in awe of everything that our Father in Heaven has created and the extraordinary vastness of it all. It is beyond all comprehension.


Not only in space can we see the magnificence of God's creations, but we can also see and enjoy them every day on this Earth. I find myself marveling over the wonders of this planet, particularly in nature. One of my most spiritual experiences in D.C. occurred when I took my favorite walk around the Tidal Basin. When you stop to admire the cherry trees, or the reflections in the water, or the movement of the clouds; when you stop and take a deep breath and feel the sunlight on your face, you can't help but feel the presence of God and His son Jesus Christ, and feel their love for you. My favorite primary song says, "I feel my Savior's love in all the world around me. His Spirit warms my soul through everything I see." These words perfectly describe the way I feel. I offered up a small prayer of thanks in my heart as I walked along the water that day.

That day, as always, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for my membership in His church. It is not just something I belong to, it is literally who I am. And because of it, I have been blessed beyond measure.

"O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed; Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee, How great thou art! How great thou art!"