Husband and Wife: Austin & Julia Frazier

Describing the experience Austin and I had in the holy temple of our God seems impossible almost. If it weren't for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ - my journal would hardly capture a glimpse. It is most sacred and sweet, beyond my limited capacity to express. Surely, it was the single most important decision I have and ever will make in this life time and in the eternities. Oh how grateful I am to know I have chosen correctly - for Father in Heaven has firmly and powerfully born witness to my soul that this was and is His will for us. I reverently and fervently praise God for His infinite mercy and generosity. 

Austin is my most precious gift from God - one that I will forever cherish and hold dear to my heart. More powerful and eternal than the legal marriage ceremony, the sealing covenant (performed only by His restored priesthood in His holy temples) is the crowning ordinance and gift made possible through Jesus's great Atonement. It is because of His sacrifice that Austin and I could kneel over the altar and be bound as husband and wife, not only for this life - but for eternity. It is because of His mercy that the precious priesthood power lost with the death of the apostles has been restored. Through Joseph Smith, the power to seal families together forever has made possible my eternal devotion and covenant to Austin.

8.16.14 2:00pm in the St. George Temple: 
The moment is immortalized in my mind, it is engraven on my soul. The incomprehensible feeling, the majestic beauty all around us, the sacred words of the sealing ordinance, and most of all - my precious Austin kneeling before me. 

On our way to St George that beautiful morning (having just gone out for an early morning ride with our biker buddies), Dad, Emma, and I listened to talk after talk. I felt the voice of the Lord impress upon my mind the need to listen to a talk by Sister Elaine S Dalton entitled, "Love Her Mother." It is a sweet sermon given to fathers, teaching them the greatest way to love and raise a daughter: that is, to love their mother.

Emma, as expected, was zonked out (her typical car ride pastime), but papa and I wept together as we listened to her words. The Holy Ghost filled me with an all-encompassing sense of gratitude to have had a father who loves my mother. Furthermore, I was overcome with gratitude to be marrying a man who would do the same for my children.

In the temple, President Muir (not only the Sealer of our ceremony, but the former counselor to my grandpa when he was temple president), was inspired to mention this talk as he offered us divine and God-given counsel. He looked to Austin and said "the greatest way to lead your children home to God is to love their mother."

In that moment, I looked at my papa from across the room. There were tears in his eyes and in my own - I was so grateful to be marrying Austin, a good and righteous man who - through the grace and merits of Jesus Christ - will cherish me as my dad has cherished my mom.

I love Austin. Being in his presence seems to ignite some pre-mortal fire deep within my soul, to be more like our Savior and to progress toward our heavenly home. God wants us to progress and rise to our divine and glorious potential, it is His whole purpose (Moses 1:39). In more ways than imaginable, I feel a divine and synergistic power to do so when I am with Austin. I love it and praise God for it.