I’m going to the Manti temple today and I’m excited. It was the place where forty-two years ago this month we were married. My grandfather was also president of the Manti temple for eleven years and so between those two things, going to the Manti temple feels like going home.I have two favorite definitions of a temple. The first is that it is a place set aside by a prophet for observation. What a blessing to be able to step out of the busy, hectic, chaotic world and have a quiet, reverent place to think about heavenly things. But even better than thinking about them a temple is a place where I feel heavenly things.
The second definition of a temple that I love is that a temple is a place where one gets one’s bearings on the universe. It is so easy in this age of bombarding information to get your head so full of negative things that your thinking is warped and your attitudes poisoned. And since actions proceed from attitudes, that can tarnish a life. Going to the temple helps me keep an eternal perspective and to remember that God is in charge. He created this world. He will lead and guide me through it.
I always come out of the temple feeling the Savior’s words in every fiber of my being: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). What a gift temples are!
What a great post. I went through a session at all the Utah temples that had been built just prior to my mission. It was a great experience for me. One of the things I remember about the Manti temple is the kindness and individual attention they showed to me there. My mom and I were driving down on the Saturday before I entered the MTC. We were running just a little bit late and knew we weren't going to quite make it before the last session started. We called ahead, explaining my desire to go through all the Utah temples before my mission, and asked if they would hold the session for us--and they did! (We were only a couple of minutes late.) I'll always remember that. :)
ReplyDeleteWendi, That's how it was when we got married. I was the only bride that day and they bent over backward to make it so special for me. I loved it.
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