'Heart Will Swell - All Is Well'

Merry making with the little children, some of our relatives and neighbors ushered the coming of the new year 2012. Our second eldest daughter, Genevieve Aura started this annual activities for the kids for 8 years now. All these children were fed by the foods prepared by her. Some were given candies, prizes for the games and gifts like toys, dolls, match boxes cars, among others. In like manner, everybody in the house was also busy. We still managed to sleep for a few hours and then we woke up past 8:00 in the following morning and hurriedly prepared for our Sunday services.

Come, come ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear; But with joy wend your way

These were the first line in our Church hymn for our opening song to begin our Sacrament meeting this Sunday. We're happy and full of joy as we jointly sang with the rest of the members of the Church. We contemplated on our spiritual duty to our fellowmen as we serve our God and be nourished with His words, not only from the scriptures, but also from the teachings and messages of our leaders in a general conferences.

Though hard to you this journey may appear; Grace shall be as your day

Yes, we're tired, exhausted and got the effect of "hang-over" from waiting and welcoming the new year's day through activities, parlor games for the children and watching fireworks along the streets. With such exhausting activities of staying late at night even till early morning of January 1, we're totally flat-tired. Waking up on the following day seems difficult especially for our small grandchildren, but yet we must go to Church. We know we'll be blessed by doing so.

'Tis better far for us to strive Our useless cares from us to drive

Because of our strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we didn't mind those frailties upon ourselves. We know and we do testify that as we do our best for our capacity to do, to share what we know about the Church and in return we may be blessed beyond measure.

Do this and joy Your hearts will swell-- All is well! All is well!

As we nurture ourselves of the words of God, of the counsels and messages of our general authorities, of our living prophet for today, President Thomas S. Monson.  And as I've mentioned beforehand, our happiness is beyond measure. We are ready to welcome trials in any form into our lives with an open arms. We know if we are obedient and faithful in keeping God's commandments, blessings keep on pouring that there's no enough rooms to keep those things to come. The windows of heaven are open so to speak.

We feel that there's a mighty change in our hearts. Thus, my family is spiritually prepared and uplifted. And we happily admit that:

All is well! All is well!

We're joyfully, joyfully Marching to our home! says the last line from our closing hymn, "We Are Enlisted"  as we complete our Sunday services for this day.