Inauguration Recap

What an inspiring, momentous, and historic day in American history. Last year, around this time, I was introduced to Barack Obama by a classmate in my graduate program, Johanna Hogan. I wasn't really firm on my choice for the person I was most interested in at the time, but Johanna was so motivated by Obama and I became very interested at the time to want to know more. I'm glad I did. And this morning, with tears in my eyes, I was honored to behold the first African-American taking the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States of America. It felt like a holiday. It felt surreal at times, but entirely real and amazing and miraculous at others. I listened in awe at the beautiful quartet of world-renowed musicians including Yo-Yo Ma as they performed during the inauguration. Aretha Franklin's moving version of "My Country Tis of Thee" really got the waterworks going for me. President Obama's darling daughters looked totally at ease and absolutely beautiful in their warm, blue and pink winter coats.

Of course I had the entire ceremony on in my classroom and the students enjoyed every moment of it. We sang the national anthem at the close of the ceremony. The class drew pictures afterwards about the event and what they wanted to remember from the day. I know what I want to remember. I will remember a feeling of renewal. I will remember a feeling of pride, for the first time in a long time, of what it means to be an American. I was particularly moved when President Obama said that America is a friend to all the nations of the world. That is how I have always felt, but it has been difficult to feel that way due to this awful war we've been thrown into and the culture of fear that President Bush and his handlers sowed in our country for the past eight years.

I was also moved and will remember always the words of President Obama as directed to the leaders of Muslim countries, but I'll bet he was directing them at the outgoing president when he said that people will remember you for what you can build and not what you can destroy. I just feel like President Obama is all above rising above the fray and determined to take steps forward.

As it turns out, his message of "hope" is not just something trendy or cool to say. It's something that has great meaning. It has great meaning, especially, for members of the church. At the end of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Moroni writes a great deal about hope, and his testimony of hope. He wrote:

(40) And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

(41) And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

(42) Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

(43) And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

Lastly, I will remember this:

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God bless America!