Recently our beautiful temples have been all over the news as sites for protest and anger. Because I'm a Young Women Leader, I get to go do fun stuff like baptisms in the temple and Adam gets to tag along as a Priesthood holder. I had such a beautiful experience this last time amid the news casts of protests and vandalism to the house of the Lord that I needed to share it.
President Earl at the Las Vegas Temple spoke with the Youth before the Baptism began. He was a retired high school teacher who knew a contentious young woman who seemed to have it in for her Latter day Saint peers. She'd often ridicule and taunt the Mormons and even had a few talks with her teacher (President Earl) about those silly Mormons. One day the young woman approached him and informed him that she'd been through the St. George Temple (I guess it was being remodeled and they were rededicating it). She told him that she wrote in the guest book. He felt appalled and embarrassed that she would write anything. He was about to tell her that she didn't have to do that when instead he asked her what she wrote. She told him she wrote:
President Earl at the Las Vegas Temple spoke with the Youth before the Baptism began. He was a retired high school teacher who knew a contentious young woman who seemed to have it in for her Latter day Saint peers. She'd often ridicule and taunt the Mormons and even had a few talks with her teacher (President Earl) about those silly Mormons. One day the young woman approached him and informed him that she'd been through the St. George Temple (I guess it was being remodeled and they were rededicating it). She told him that she wrote in the guest book. He felt appalled and embarrassed that she would write anything. He was about to tell her that she didn't have to do that when instead he asked her what she wrote. She told him she wrote:
If I were God, I'd want to live here too.
What a profound statement for someone who had been so irreverent about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. She went on to say that there were elderly people on the second floor that stood greeting the people with beautiful faces. She thought they looked like angels. He also told a story about another young woman he was acquainted with who was about to be married. She asked her minister to change the vows to say: For Time and All Eternity. Her minister told her that he wouldn't change it to say that and that she'd have to go talk to the Mormons about that.
What a profound statement for someone who had been so irreverent about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. She went on to say that there were elderly people on the second floor that stood greeting the people with beautiful faces. She thought they looked like angels. He also told a story about another young woman he was acquainted with who was about to be married. She asked her minister to change the vows to say: For Time and All Eternity. Her minister told her that he wouldn't change it to say that and that she'd have to go talk to the Mormons about that.
I love the temple so much. I love being their with my husband, my parents, my brother, my extended family, my friends. Here are the temples that mean the most to me in my life:
Of course the Bountiful Temple is first on my list because it was here that my best friend asked me to be his eternal companion. And I said yes...and then I did! My mom told me when I was just over 8 years old sitting in the bridal room of the Bountiful Temple before it was dedicated, that if I chose the right and did my best I would be able to be married in the temple. I watched it be built from my bedroom window, I remember seeing the light in the night from my room and though all temples are wonderful...the Bountiful Temple was the light in the darkness that lit the desire within me to marry my prince one day.
This temple is my second favorite ;) I will always remember this temple is my sanctuary in Sin City, an oasis in the desert. Adam and I went to the Las Vegas Temple for the first time just two days after moving here. For those of you who know Vegas we went ALL the way down Bonanza from Rainbow in 116 degree weather without air conditioning. For those of you who don't know Vegas- It sucked. We should have taken the freeway but we didn't know how. The celestial room is the most beautiful that I've ever seen and I hope that everyone gets a chance to go there when they come to visit their favorite Me and Adam ;).
The Jordan River Temple is where my parents were sealed, where our family began. I haven't spent much time here but one time Jenny from Legers (yeah you know Jenny...) told me she liked to go to the Jordan River Temple grounds because their was a special feeling but that she never smoked when she was their cause us Mormons don't like that.
The London England Temple, where my grandparents were sealed to their two children (I believe Archie was there...) and were one of the first (if not THE first) to be sealed as a family there.
San Diego Temple was the first Temple Adam ever went to (and I believe his parents were sealed here...I could be wrong and probably am...) We saw his cousin sealed here and it was just beautiful here.
The Fresno Temple, where Adam grew up and served in his formative years. We also got to come here while we were dating and do temple names. They brought random names for me to do so the kids could do the family names but their was a mix up and I did the family names so his mom said we had to get married ;)
The Sydney Australia Temple, where Adam was a missionary. Self explanatory ;)
Last but certainly not least, the Salt Lake Temple, where miracles occurred for and in the completion of it. I went here with my brother Sean and it was a wonderful experience...one of the most incredible experiences. There is something to be said for having many family members in the temple with you- especially your one and only baby brother. 
5 comments:
What a beautiful posting. I have been in several of these Temples. I was in the Las Vegas Temple when it was being prepared for Dedication. I was on a work assignment. I had the opportunity to teach the staff how to use the telephone system. As Granpa and I walked around the Temple before leaving we saw a man on scaffolding WAY UP in the Celestial Room touching up with paint or gold leaf, I commented to Granpa "who is going to see that WAY UP there? Then of course we knew, he wasn't touching it up for you and me. :o). Sounds like we need to go back to Las Vegas Temple. Perhaps I should blog about the Temples I have been to. It would be a long blog. (my work assignments)
Granma forgot to let you know, just for the sake of posterity, that Lesley was only a few weeks old when they were sealed in the London Temple. So no, Archie wasn't there... at least, not in body ;-)
Jenny. I remember Jenny. God bless her. She may not have a testimony of the Gospel, but she definitely has a reverence and respect for it and those of us who do.
I love the temple too. I am going with Sean to the Ogden temple tomorrow. It will be his first time in the Ogden temple. We can't wait to go back with you and Adam when you are here at Christmas.
I was exactly 2 months old to the day when our family was sealed in the London Temple on Sept. 10, 1958. Jenny, bless her heart frequently called the temple to put names on the prayer roll. I think there's a bit of faith in there somewhere.
Temples are awesome. They are also one of the topics that I can go on and on about, to the poor unsuspecting person who brings it up. I try not to.
Not a bad one in the lot.
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