I Love To See The Temple

So, kids. Alison is going to the temple. On Wednesday. In, counting today, 3 days.

I was sitting and thinking about this experience yesterday during church. When did my own personal desire to go to the temple start? Was it from the moment I left the womb? ;) When? When was I first taught about the temple?

Well, I have AWESOME parents. The best. {Haha, get it?} They've always had pictures of the temple in our home and I was taught from a young age in Family Home Evening. So really, it was as early as I could comprehend the concept. In nursery, my leaders taught me about the temple. My mommy sang "I love to see the temple" to me every night. I sang about the temple in primary. I had a picture of my own of the temple. My mom showed me pictures of her and my Daddy outside the temple after they were sealed for time and all eternity {they looked so classy!}. There have been so many lessons in young women's and relief society about it.

One of the most important things I could ever say about the temple is that I always had a desire for myself to go. I never felt like I was being pressured into it or anything whatsoever in that sense. I had the burning desire within me from a very young age, and couldn't wait to go all on my own. I had the great blessing to have such a nourishing environment around the temple-so blessed. In the end, though, it was my own decision.

So the day came when I turned 12. My mind was exploding with happiness. I could actually go and do baptisms for the dead! What would it be like? My Daddy took me for my first time, and it was wonderful. Just wonderful. Yeah, everything was new, but it all made sense. I loved the pure, sacred feeling I felt within me as I did those ordinances for, really, my family on the other side. I'll never forget that first time. I hold it dear to my heart.

I've been back to the temple more times than I can count. Every experience has been absolutely beautiful and brought me great comfort and given me guidance when I needed it. The temple is where I can go to always feel the spirit. There's never a question if I'll feel it there. How amazing is that?

I made a goal with myself to try my hardest to go to every temple in Utah and do baptisms for the dead in all of them before I graduated from high school. I remember going in my room and writing down all the temples in Utah. There's actually more than most people think! The usual Fab 5 came to mind- Salt Lake, Timp, Logan, Manti, and St. George. But there are SOOOOO many more! [SIDENOTE: Including ones under construction, there are 16 TEMPLES in Utah alone.] I was astounded! I am so blessed to live so close to so many temples! I started on my quest with eagerness.

Being honest here, I didn't reach my goal. But I got close! The most important thing is that I gained such a strong testimony of temples, and had so much fun with the experiences that came along with travel and the people who were with me at each one. Also, what a cool thing- that so many temples need to be built to accommodate the faithful saints.

Overall, my experience of temples thus far has been splendid. Awe inspiring. I can't explain the feeling I feel every time I gaze upon the temple. From New York, to Idaho, to California, to St. George- I feel something that I can't find anywhere else. Forever.

My whole heart and soul is aching with happiness with my upcoming entrance into the temple to be endowed, and then days later, sealed for time and all eternity to my very best friend, Chad Edward.   I have such a testimony of the temple. I will sit and chat with anyone anytime about it and the blessings it brings. Call me up anytime. Being worthy to enter the temple has made me such a better person and have the greatest perspective in life. I get to have the knowledge and peace that forever? Is real. COMPLETELY 100% real. Do you realize the power that holds? Great power.

I can't wait to enter the temple and enter into sacred covenants with my Father in Heaven. And the greatest part is that my family will be able to be right by my side. The ones forever is all about.

I am so excited. That's a total understatement, but it'll have to do. This is the most important part about this whole wedding thing. Not the flowers or the centerpieces or the yummy reception food, but THE TEMPLE. Oh yes, the temple.

I'm so grateful for the wonderful examples I have all around me of temple marriage. {Get ready for a million photos!}

                     

All my grandparents, Mommy&Daddy, almost ALL my aunts and uncles and cousins have been married in the temple as well.

The power of forever is real. And I'm so privileged to be apart of it.

"I love to see the temple

I'm going there someday

To feel the holy spirit

To listen and to pray

For the temple is a House of God

A place of love and beauty

I'll prepare myself while I am young

This is my sacred duty"

"I love to see the temple

I'll go inside someday

I'll cov'nant with my Father

I'll promise to obey

For the temple is a holy place

Where we are sealed together

As a child of God I've learned this truth:

A family is forever"

Forever. :)

ABJ