Temple Day!

Last Wednesday Andrew and I celebrated Temple Day.  What is Temple Day you might ask? Well, the whole day was focused on the temple, and let me tell you- it was an AMAZING day!

We woke up and got dressed into nice clothes to wear and then took off for the day.  Both of our days were pretty typical, but both of us found ourselves thinking of the temple throughout the day.  Everytime I looked down and noticed my skirt, I thought, "Yup- It's Temple Day!"  Andrew payed close attention to it as well and found special moments throughout the day to think of the temple.

I came and picked him up from our house and then we headed up to the Bountiful Temple... Now let me tell you a little bit about how Andrew and I normally go to the temple:

Our hearts are in the right place, but we can't seem to make it there in time.  I can't tell you how many times we have gone rushing in, hurry and rent clothes (and secretly we are really annoyed at the cute little old lady on the other side of the counter who just walks a little too slow when we are in such a big hurry), we grab our clothes, depart ways, rush into the dressing room, throw on our temple clothes in what seems to be record time, get the name of the person we will be performing our temple ordinances for, run to the chapel and either

A) see the group already leaving and I have to wait for Andy, or

B) we have just barely missed the whole group and then we sit in mad silence in the chapel until the next session! We always calm down and enjoy the session, but it isn't the way to start such a beautiful evening!

Since we had been planning on Temple Day for a couple days we didn't plan anything that night- Wednesday night was 100% dedicated to the temple- so when we made our way up to the temple, we didn't care what session we were going to go to- We would get there when we get there and just take our time!

When we walked into the temple, the front desk had a sign on it that said volunteers were needed for sealings that evening- Andrew pointed it out, I remembered that we had 4 family names that needed to be sealed to their parents, so we made our way into the temple to do my first ever sealings! We took our time to rent clothes, took our time as we got dressed, and took our time as we went upstairs to the Sealing Office.  We were immediately ushered into a room where sealings were taking place and I was overwhelmed with the Spirit. 

One woman had brought a family name of a daughter that needed to be sealed to her parents.  The moment that ordinance took place the Spirit overflowed my whole body and I just started to tear up.  The woman who was standing in for her great ancestor got teary-eyed and it testified to me that what we were doing was God's work.  Andy was able to stand in for my ancestors and that was so great to see him do work for my side of the family.  I enjoyed every minute in that sealing room- the Sealer kept pausing and telling us to realize what was being said- and kept reminding us how beautiful and uncomprehensible all of it is!

We had two sheets of daughters that needed to be sealed to their parents and we were about to end before we did those.  Then the Sealer asked if we all had time and we all said yes.  Then the Sealer went on to tell us a story of him and the Temple President in the Bountiful Temple.  Apparently awhile ago the Sealer was doing a late session and as he was walking out, the Temple President was walking around the temple making sure everything was shut down for the evening.  They said Hi and paused in front of one of the sealing rooms.  The President then told the Sealer about how he was walking past that room earlier and he heard the voice of a girl/woman say, "Well I guess not today, hopefully Tomorrow."  Once the Sealer said this the spirit testified to me that we needed to do the work for those girls on that page that night- It was great to feel apart of something so much greater than myself. 

I want to bear my testimony to all of you of Temple work.  I know that it is God's work and we all need to sacrifice to make it there often and on time.  I know with all of my heart that the temple strengthens marriages and as we go as couples, God blesses us ten fold in all that we need help in.  It helps us see our spouses as they really are and we gain a stronger appreciation for our spouses as well as for God.  I encourage all of you girls to go to the temple with your husbands.  Make it a priority and set time aside for it. The temple is real.  Eternity for us and for others is at stake.

Love you all!

Elise