I Am Humbled...

Sharing an email that was sent to me, I just couldn't keep it to myself. This is not a statement released by the church, but someones own experience in the Temple.

I am grateful to be a member of this church. I know it is true, I know that President Monson is a true prophet of God. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that He loves me. I know there is power in believing in righteousness. I took the photo above in December of 2005. It was a clear night, no mist, no fog, and no one really close by, as I took the photo I did not see the mist you see. But if you look closely you will see what appears to be an outline of an Angel. I believe there are Angels at the Temples and I believe that the following account attest to that. I bear you that this is my testimony that these things are true.
In the name of Jesus Christ Amen

My dear family, brothers and sisters, friends and leaders:

My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His tender mercies and mighty miracles in our behalf. I just have to share this with you.

As most of you know, I am a Temple ordinance worker and work the morning shift in the LA Temple every Saturday. Today, I had the privilege of translating sister Martz - the new assistant Matron's - message during our devotional. She started like this "The prophet Joseph Smith said that no unhallowed hand would Date: Saturday, November 15, 2008, 6:16 PM (from sister Arnazzi)
be able to stop this Work from progressing. These past few weeks when mobs have combined and armies have gathered against the Saints, the Lord has protected His house." She went on to say that those, like her, who were inside the Temple when mobs were surrounding it, did not realize how scary and terrifying this looked on TV to the rest of us, because inside the House of the Lord all was calm and there was peace abundant.

After Proposition 8 passed, the Temple began receiving threatening calls and mail from those opposing it. They were warned that more than 5000 people would come to the Temple and burn it to the ground, and stop its work. The first Thursday when the mob came, the new LA Temple President called the Salt Lake City Temple Offices for instructions. He was instructed to call the local police and to insure the safety of those attending the Temple by closing the gates. The assistant Matron said today, that it was a tender mercy from the Lord that the mob chose that Thursday to come since they had only one person coming to receive his own endowment that day, which he received in time to leave before trouble started.

The LAPD and the FBI responded quickly to the Temple Presidency's summons and patrolled the grounds and kept the mob from entering the same. Most of them had never been there before and expressed their surprise at how beautiful and peaceful all around was. They were invited to come back during the Christmas season to see the lights and they promised they would.

On Thursday, November 13th, Sister Campbell, a secretary in the Temple, was opening the mail and upon opening a large manila envelope found inside a smaller one. When she opened this one, a white powder flew all around her desk. She thought this could be related to the demonstrators and feared the worst - ANTRAX. She contacted the President, who in turn called the Salt Lake City Temple office again for instructions. The FBI, the LAPD, and even the SWAT teams were once again in the grounds to investigate, and the Temple once again had to close from around 11:30 AM to 5PM. They closed the gates and were instructed to keep all the people there wherever they were found at the time. Those in the parking lot had to remain in the parking lot. Those entering the Temple had to remain in the first floor and those already upstairs were taken to the Celestial Room.

Then, the miracles began to happen: A brother serving as a recorder that day is a Microbiologist by profession and used to deal with hazardous substances every day. He was the first to say the white powder in the envelope was only talc, and put every one at ease.

Then the sister coordinator upstairs was impressed to call upstairs to the sealing area, and said "They said we can't go down but no one said we can't go up, and I have many people in the Celestial room with their ceremonial clothes on ready to work. Could they do some sealings?" As it happened, there were four sealers present that day and they ran four sealing sessions non stop while the Temple was closed. Downstairs, someone else thought to invite those in the Lobby to do some initiatories, which they promptly did for all those hours too, brothers and sisters alike. Among those waiting in the parking lot there was a large group of young men and women with their leaders who had come to do Baptisms for the dead, and who waited patiently all those hours and decided when the Temple was reopened to go ahead and fulfill their assignment instead of driving back home. The Temple reopened in time for the 5:30 PM session. The next day when recording the ordinances, they discovered that they had performed 2000 sacred ordinances on Thursday, only one less than the day before when three stakes had been visiting the Temple. Once again the assistant matron reminded us of the words of the prophet Joseph Smith, "No unhallowed hand can stop the Work from progressing..."

But, this is not all, a prophecy was fulfilled also. When the new LA Temple President was set apart by President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency, he received a blessing and these words were pronounced: "The time has come for the LA Temple to come out of obscurity and become an Ensign for Righteousness to the world under your presidency." The pictures of the Temple have been shown on TV, newspapers and the internet, not only in this country but worldwide. People of other faiths have called and sent letters to the Temple thanking the Church for defending marriage and protecting the family, and commenting how impressed they are by how beautiful and majestic the Temple looks. One minister of an African American church, who by his own admission had harbored ill feelings against the Mormons before said "I am impressed by your integrity and Christ like behavior, and even if I am not ready to consider you my brothers and sisters in Christ, we can be first cousins!"

I asked the assistant matron if I could share her comments and she said to go ahead. I can only add my own testimony that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the power and authority of God on earth. God Lives and Jesus, His only Begotten Son and our Savior is coming soon to redeem His people. I am grateful to know this and I pray we stand firm, steadfast and immobile while the prophecies of the signs before His Coming are fulfilled. "Be not afraid, only believe." He has said, and also "What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." I testify that this is true and testify it in the Holy Name of Whom I strive to serve, even Jesus Christ.

Be faithful and safe is my humble prayer.

Your sister in Christ, Patricia H. Arnazzi

(Please share this appropriately)

Sky is 8!

Hard to believe that 8 years have gone by. Sky is such an amazing little boy. We love him so much. Here are a few of my favorite photos of Sky, enjoy...

My life of late...

You know ever since we moved in with Lee's parents a couple of years ago I have been ill. We moved in here to help Lee's family, and I feel Like a burden. I have felt pretty useless...
I first started with just a cold and the flu and since it was winter I didn't think much of it. But it kept hanging on, or I never really felt good. When I finally got to the doctor he said I had a viral infection and I was just going to have to ride it out. Well then I was hit with some other stuff, won't go into details here. But after a while my doctor ran some tests and said I was immune to Epstein Bar virus, but the thing about that he said was under stress those systems would present. Well, geez, I think for anybody who knows our family knows that we are a pretty stressful bunch. Soooo, I have been doing my best not to stress, easier said then done. And to top it off I have had to deal with pain from an old injury to my hip that causes me constant pain. I am begining to think our ward thinks I am inactive, I miss church so much. I have been dealing with the pain and going the past month, but it hurts, it hurts when I walk, it hurts when I sit, it hurts when I climb stairs, it hurts to go shopping,it even hurts to drive.

So for the past two years it has been one thing or another, and it is really frustrating to not feel in control of my body. And it has been really difficult to not give in to depression, really hard.
I think about Lee being in pain for years, and I mean years, since as long as we have been married. I am humbled by that knowledge. I am also very lucky to have a husband who is patient with me and my moods. Beacause I can get pretty cranky when I am in pain, and sometimes it can go on for days...agghh...

I am trying to endure, but it would be nice to have some releif, maybe if I knew why I was going through this right now I would be more understanding as it is I am just getting by.
I want to say to my family and friends, "I am sorry if I have been short with you, or if I haven't been by to visit, or if I have just plain forgotten about you, I am sorry. Know I love you and miss you all...

Trying to smile when I want to cry...really I am...

Remembering Tyler...

I know that this time of year is hard on my daughter. I can only imagine how difficult it is for Tyler's family. There is nothing I can do to ease my daughters pain. The love of her life is gone, and I know how much she misses him. I know how much they loved each other. I was able to take some beautiful photos of them, and I could see it in their eyes, the way they looked at each other as if I wasn't even there, I felt like I was spying on them. I hope you enjoy these photos, I will post more tomorrow.

We love you Tyler

Our Navy Man

We are so proud of him. And to all those who are serving this great and beautiful land we live in, we thank you...

Sharing an Experience Close to My Heart

Conversation about Mens Roles

I too have felt that the world has degraded the status of man to that of a bumbling baboon for quite some time now.

We are portrayed as boys with nothing more than more expensive toys and tossed aside as simple minded with only one thing on our minds.

Could it be that we are less simple and more single mined. We tend to focus on the task at hand whatever it may be. This is part of our psyche to help us get through the tough times of battle or the hum drum of everyday labors to support those we love.

I know this can be a touchy subject so I will not say too much. I just would ask anybody who may read this post to contemplate what is said, for there is truth in it based on a clear understanding of how un-simple the male of the species really is. We really are conscientious in our duties, especially to our families. We speak to languages, both the spoken word and the language of action, and it is that action which is most often un-noticed.

Wives, please watch your husband a little closer. Unless he is a truly selfish person, (And there are some out there.) just about everything a man does is done for the people he cares about. When we go fishing or hunting, we are honing skills intended to feed and sustain, the list can go on and on.

Now, to be fair, yes, there are men out there who have given the rest of us a bad name. All we ask is that we be judged individually on our own merits. We are not going to always feel a need to explain ourselves for in all honesty; we find it hard at times to justify our sense of duty. Please, be patient with the silent part of us and speak softly and you will get the answers you are looking for without the excuses we tend to give when put on the spot.


I apologize if anything I have said may have offended anybody. I have been married 16 years and I Love my Wife dearly. I would without hesitation give my life to keep her safe. I honor her Womanhood and the uniqueness that is her as I honor all good Women.


It is only when we can comprehend the true purpose of each, both male and female can we all begin to experience the harmony that God intends.


Because I felt so strongly about this post I asked my wife of 16 years to read it too because I wanted to know her feelings and opinion on the matter.
When she read it and then read my initial response she proceeded to pull out her journal from a couple of years ago and shared with me the following entries, and then asked me to share it with all of you…

Excerpts from my wife Anita’s Journal dated April 2006:

At about 3:00 am this morning our daughter asked Lee for a blessing. She was feeling very depressed about the loss of her husband about a year before.
She later shared with me the experience she had before, during and after she received this blessing. She said that she had been feeling a dark and heavy presence when she called us asking for a priesthood blessing. As she waited for us to come down stairs she saw the outline of a man and an incredible fear that dissipated the moment Lee and I came down the stairs.
Then she described a powerful experience while receiving her blessing. She described images of seeing her departed husband standing next to Lee while he spoke and could feel the Savior’s love as if he were hugging her. She said she felt the presence of angels and finally felt safe. In the blessing it was also said that our family was being hit hard by the adversary because we are becoming who we are meant to be. And that the Lord was aware of those struggles and is with us, with her…
She expressed to me how grateful she was to have a priesthood holder in her life. Sharing her experience with me touched my heart and I finally saw my husband through my daughter’s eyes. I felt the spirit testifying to me the truthfulness of her experience and the depth of her gratitude. I saw my husband in a completely different “LIGHT”.
This was powerful for me because we had been seeing a marriage counselor up to this point to resolve a lot of issues. This experience helped me to finally see my husband not for his imperfections or his shortcomings, but for who he is capable of becoming. I was able to see him for who he really is a, son of God, a holder of his Priesthood.
As a divorcee with 6 children I couldn’t believe he married me let alone took me to the temple. For years I struggled with the pain my former husband put me through being unfaithful and abusive. I had also been through abusive situations with my step-father and so put a lot of those mistakes on Lee’s shoulders. I couldn’t believe he might be capable of being better than they were, I was so afraid of being hurt again.
I cried as I told him how sorry I was for holding onto things and being so disrespectful in the things I had said and done to him in the past. I felt I had hurt him in unforgivable ways. To my surprise he held me as I cried being sorry for pain I had caused him, kissing me and saying how much he loved me and expressed forgiveness and apologized as well for his own mistakes. He held me close letting me cry and for the first time in our 14 years of marriage I felt peace with my husband.
…End Journal excerpt.

My wife also asked me to include the following comments…

As a woman I ask myself, “Why is this a touchy subject?” Could it be we have embraced too much the worldly notions of feminism? Do we need to belittle or demean the men in our lives in order to feel better about ourselves?
It is a sad day indeed when we have to question respecting the God given roles of Men, Husbands and Fathers. We are all children of a Father in Heaven, a being whom each man is capable of becoming like. We can help them become the greatest of who they really are.
The scriptures say we cannot have a fullness of joy without that most important of relationships, that of husband and wife. There is no room to waiver in this we cannot truly serve as daughters of God if we continue to embrace these worldly views.
The scriptures ask, “Choose you this day whom ye will serve….as for me and my family we will serve the Lord…” For me the choice is easy.
...End Comments

In the 2 years since her journal entry, though we are both far from perfect by any means, we have both come to know a greater peace in our relationship and our lives together because we have both strived to encourage and enhance each others unique qualities.
“ Battle of the sexes”, it never needs to be a battle if we can come to understand the unique roles we all play, both male and female. This is, I believe a very important precept our Father in heaven wants us to learn as husbands and wives, fathers and mother and yes, brothers and sisters.

Update: I still feel this way. Why do we feel the need to belittle men, fathers, husbands? I am far from perfect and yes, my husband and I still have our weak moments when we argue. But it does not change how we feel about each other, it does not change my respect for him. I love my husband very much and he is one spiritual man, hasn't always been, but he has grown a lot and so have I. This life would not be worth it if we didn't grow, if we stayed the same. There is no need for division in a family, in a marriage.

I love to see the temple

When I think of protesters at Temple Square or any other temple for that matter I think of those families that went to the temple that day to be married, to have children sealed to them, etc...
I think they started their day out thinking how wonderful and beautiful it is going to be, and then to walk into someones political agenda. My heart breaks for them,their special day will forever be marred by someone else's ugliness and hatred for their beliefs. Tell me how that is fair?
When will our right to believe in God and live up to those standards be cheered? That is the question I ask?...

No! Snow!...

I am so not ready for winter and this snow. I am not ready for my feet to get so cold my husband doesn't want me cuddling with him. I am not ready to be scraping the ice and snow off my car.
No, not ready for snow...

The Family Proclamation

A Proclamation to the World
The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Ensign, Nov 1995, 102

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

I think back to when my beautiful daughter placed her lovely children for adoption, and that they were sealed to their parents in the Holy Temple of the Lord for time and all eternity. I think of those two beautiful children being raised by a mother and a father to bring them up in this amazing world we live. A world where we have a living prophet who councels us. A world where we have the truth before us as Latter day Saints. I am so blessed to know that Sky and Solee are growing up in this faith and that their parents are faithful members. I know how much they love them. I know how much Juanita loves them for that as well. I love this church, I love the prophet, and I am so grateful to live in this time knowing that the Savior is coming soon. What an amazing time to be here...

Oaklie Got a Haircut!

We love it when Oaklie get a haircut, she on the the other paw does not. The girl that cut her hair said she was so cute, and a little on the squirmy side, but not too bad. When she got home she just couldn't sit still, running and jumping everywhere. Like she thought we dropped her off and and weren't coming back for her. Poor baby...

I couldn't help but take some photos, so I hope you enjoy our little baby. Some were hard to take, because everytime I went to take a pic, she turned her head, or jumped up on me to get closer to the camera, or like my kids, run the other direction...lol