Last Sunday's Spiritual Message: Our Daughter's Blessing

This morning was a marvelous blessing. We got all dressed and ready and headed over to church to get ready for me to give our daughter a blessing.

Blessed to:
Be a strength and a light to all of those around her in a world of darkness.
Be a leader/strength to her siblings.
Be a leader full of the spirit
Be grateful for the Atonement and sacrifice of the Savior who made her life possible.
Be a standard bearer.
Know the words and deeds which will lift her fellows in their times of need.
Be full of the spirit because she is a choice daughter of Heavenly Father.
Prepare herself for a worthy spouse and priesthood holder and to be a good parent herself.
Be righteous and humble parents [themselves].
Raise a righteous posterity in preparation for the coming of the Savior.
Have a keen mind and be sober; quick to observe like Mormon and listen to/be obedient to and assist her parents with her siblings.
Know that Heavenly Father is near her, especially in times of disaster and difficulty.
Seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Seek the knowledge of the world and magnify her callings.
Build up those around her.
Have health and strength
Have a knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s love.
Our daughter gave a BIG smile after! (Which was really the first smile I’ve seen her make!)

Present in the circle were at least the following: myself, my father-in-law, my wife's uncle, David Starego (a nice gentleman in the ward and from Texas), Jared Walker and David Roura (our home teachers), Rick Jeske (1st counselor in the bishopric and kind friend), Bishop Stephens.

This was a very special experience for me, our daughter being my first child. I was really glad my wife's family could make it and I'm sure my father, Gary, was there as well (on the other side of the veil).

(In case you were wondering, I'm not the guy in the picture, it was just the first one I found.)

Upon popular demand, here are some real pictures: