Dear diary,

Last week I had an amazing experience. Sarah (my sister) received her endowments in the Mount Timpanogos Temple and I got to attend the session. The night before I decided that I would fast for my mom that she could have an experience of her mother the next day at the temple (my grandmother passed away when my mom was a little girl). I spent the day of fasting, praying, and focusing on that. I wore my church clothes all day and only listened to church music. I felt the Spirit the whole time. When the session began, I could feel the spirit telling me that my grandmother was close--if not already there--but to focus now on the session's instructions. At a particular point in the session, words were spoken that completely overwhelmed me with the Spirit. I knew that my grandmother was in the room with us. She was right there with us! I thought I could sense her sitting with my mother and Sarah. It was as though she were right there trying to hold my mother's hand. I've never felt so much joy and success in fasting and praying. I've never felt the spirit so strongly! It was absolutely remarkable. Later, my Aunt Paula commented that she could feel her there and that she hadn't felt her that strongly in a long time. I smiled and thanked my heavenly Father for the amazing experience.

I truly believe in the power of fasting and prayer and of the temple. I've never felt so close to the spirits of the heavenly spirit world than when I was in the temple. The veil was so thin and the spirit so strong. I know that we can receive answers to prayers through sincere fasting and praying. This is an amazing tool that God has given us to help us through this life. We must use it (but only sincerely and appropriately) as we would any other tool. It must be couple by true faith in Jesus Christ--faith that He lives and watches over us and wants us to be happy and have success in life. Have faith in Him and His atonement. That He came to earth and lived so that we could have an example to follow. And he died so that we would have a means to return to Heaven some day. Jesus Christ lives. I know this more now than ever before.

I also know that the spirits of the next world are so close at hand--particularly in the temple. Their bodies die, but their spirits are still reachable. If we truly need them, then they can be there for us. Nobody is ever completely gone---and one day we will see them again.