Temples are a Beacon

When I was 12 years old I remember vividly going on my first temple trip to the Dallas Texas Temple. My parents and I made the 8+ hour road trip one weekend and stayed at a nearby hotel, while waking up early to do baptisms for those that had passed on. It was a beautiful experience. The next time I went was on a Greyhound bus with other youth between 12 and 18 years old. We drove overnight and it was a yucky, long trip. At 5 in the morning as we pulled into the temple parking lot I was incredibly nauseous and unsure if I could do any baptisms. But as I entered the temple, there was a peace I loved. My worries and the terrible drive melted away by the peace and Spirit that I felt in the Lord's House. 

Luckily, a couple of years later the St. Louis Missouri Temple was built and dedicated and our long drive was shortened to 6 hours. After Jonathan and I were married and living in Topeka, we were able to go to the Winter Quarters Temple in a short 2 1/2 hours.  

Fast forward a few more years and I remember driving a quick 10 minutes (10 minutes!!!!) to do work at the Jordan River Temple--the same temple where I was sealed to my parents 25 years before and where I received my own endowment. I could not contain my emotions and tears of gratitude as I walked up to the temple doors. This is where I lived now! Ten minutes away from a temple. It was an incredible experience for me after the years of driving so far. A year later, the Oquirrh Mountain Temple was dedicated and we became even more grateful to have a temple in our community and a short two minutes away from us. Jonathan having gone through the same experiences as me, we sometimes laugh with joy at the thought of us being by a temple that is only two minutes away. 

So when we heard President Monson announce the building of the Kansas City Missouri Temple, our hearts were so happy for our friends and family to have the blessings of the temple that much closer to them. What a beautiful thing!! And when the temple open house dates were announced I knew I wanted our family to be there. It was so neat to feel of everyone's excitement and gratitude in the KC area. How much sweeter it is for them after waiting so long for a temple to be closer. 

We were able to attend the open house with my parents, sister, grandparents, aunts and cousins. It was special to share with them a little more about our beliefs and the special and eternal purpose the temple holds for families. Again, I could not contain my emotion as Jonathan and I walked with our children through the temple doors and showed them what was inside, and especially when we were in a similar room to the one where Jonathan and I were sealed for time and all eternity to each other and to these precious children. What a gift. 

I know that they felt the Spirit telling them what a special and divine place this was on earth. I see that every time Evan and Madelyn sing "I Love to See the Temple" as we pass a temple, or as they exclaim each time we go back home "There's the temple!" I hope that excitement never dulls and that soon, like many of the youth in our stake, they will go and do baptisms after school or on a free Saturday afternoon. They may not have to sacrifice hours of travel, but I hope they will make the sacrifice of a willing and obedient heart to make going to the temple a priority in their lives--to know that inside the temple are the blessings of eternity waiting for themselves and those on the other side.