June 2023, Week 1

 *Today at church was Fast and Testimony Meeting. We had a steady stream of awesome people share their testimonies of Christ.  I had been thinking that I might share something, but I didn't make it happen, as there were not really any lulls in the meeting.  I know you don't have to have a plan about what to speak on, or a memorable story or anything beyond a simple witness of faith in our Savior, but thinking of speaking without a plan kind of disables me, so I usually try to think of something to say before testifying.  I didn't get to share it with my congregation, but here's what I was thinking about...

In a long-ago Sacrament Meeting, probably when I was still in Primary, a speaker told of a code he and his wife used while holding hands.  One of them would squeeze the other three times, which meant, "I love you!"  The other would respond with four squeezes, which meant, "I love you, too!"  Then the first would squeeze twice, meaning, "How much?" and the other would respond with a tight, long squeeze.  My siblings and I liked that, and we would do it to each other now and then, and then I taught it to Ben when we were married, though we usually shorten it to just the final long tight squeeze.  

The day before, I had been driving home from a campout our family went on in Tool, TX, which is pretty rural.  The weather had been perfect and the fields were so full of wildflowers, and it was just so beautiful.  Late at night I was thinking about church today, and what I may say if I got the chance, and I thought I'd like to testify of how much I love my Heavenly Father.  Then I thought of the hand squeezing code, and thought I could feel Heavenly Father say, "I love you, too!"  And I thought, "How much?"  And he gave me the memory of driving through the wildflowers, with my sweet family together, and my heart felt like it was being squeezed long and tight.  Then I thought of Him saying, "I love you!"  And I replied, "I love You, too!"  And He asked, "How much?"  And I thought of how I could show my love for Him, and thinking that I try to show that by keeping the commandments and serving His children.  I'm so grateful for Him and His love.

It was a delight!