temple blessings..

mick and i finally got the opportunity to go do a temple session yesterday afternoon. we met up with my mom and dad. it was a great time! i've pretty sick lately so i was nervous about sitting through a two hour session. but the lord blessed me! they asked mick and i to be the witness couple. this was only my 2nd time doing this so i was pretty excited about being asked to that. its hard to be nervous in the temple. for me at least. the peace there is so wonderful. being with my husband makes these temple trips even better than i ever imagined and being able to share it with my parents was amazing! it's been a long and hard journey for me to get to the temple. i am so very grateful for the atonement. i wish there were words to describe my gratitude to the Savior for what He did for ME!
yesterday was Pioneer day. mick and i decided that the best way to celebrate and honor those who layed this gospel foundation was by going to the temple. i was so sick all morning but i was determined to go anyways! i'm soooo glad i did!
today i thought a lot about the last pioneer trek i went on. it was one of the best experiences of my life! i cannot think about it and not tear up. that week was hard. physically. emotionally. but spiritually it was the best! i met and became so close to the people in my family. i never felt the spirit so strongly as i did that last day. they asked all us girls to walk ahead of the men and carts and line the trial (which was the hardest part of the whole trek). we sang songs like come come ye saints and such. then we could see the guys pulling the carts up by themselves. it was hard watching them work so hard and we couldn't help until we saw our own family. i remember seeing my family and running as fast as could to help them push. then all of a sudden there were all these people in white helping us push. my dad and mom were pushing next to me. that's when i started crying! it was amazing! our angels came to help us push the last bit of the way. when we saw the end of the trail our "Pa" yelled "Okay Collier Family lets pick it up!" and we ran! it was so exciting!

i love re-living that trek. it was worth every hard step. the days were always so hot. the food was pretty nasty. but it made me realize how much i love the gospel and i am so grateful for it in my life. i'm grateful for the pioneers who sacrificed so much for the gospel. i am a very blessed girl!

Collier Family: A Trail of Testimonies
(i'm the one in the red dress with braids)