Wednesday, March 2, 2016

"I love to see the temple, I'll go inside someday"

"I love to see the temple, I'll go inside someday."

My entire life, I have been taught about the temple and it's beauty and wonder. As I sat as a young child in primary, I sang about the temple with awe and could not wait to enter the doors and go inside. However, I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to be excited for. I didn't understand and could not comprehend the temple at such a young age. 

When I turned 12, I was able to get my very first temple recommend (for baptisms for the dead) and go to the temple for my very first time! I thought that this was what I'd waited my whole life for and was filled with excitement and overwhelmed with joy. Little did I know that baptisms for the dead was just the beginning of the incredible work done in the temple.

As I got older, I learned more and more about the temple and got more and more excited. I realized that although doing baptisms for the dead is so important, there were things in the temple that were so much more personal and important. No matter how old I got, the words "I love to see the temple, I'll go inside someday" still rang in my ears. With each year I grew, the excitement to receive the blessings of the temple also grew. 

When I entered into the Miamaid class in the Young Women's organization, a common topic became temple marriage. It was then that I made that my absolute goal. I was determined to live a life worthy of the man who would one day take me to the temple. As I worked toward my goal, I remembered that young child who sat in primary and stared in awe at the pictures of the beautiful temples. I remembered going to do baptisms for the dead for the first time and being amazed by the beauty inside and the spirit I felt there. Every day when I would think about my goal, the words "I love to see the temple, I'll go inside someday" still came to mind. My goal was clear and my stance was set- I would be married in the temple.

There were days when my goal seemed impossible to reach, when life challenges were straining or Satan's temptations were too strong; but no matter what happened in life, my goal didn't waiver- I would be married in the temple. I learned the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the true meaning of repentance. I learned the importance of keeping my baptismal covenants, keeping the commandments, and holding tightly to the iron rod. Life happened and Satan worked hard to break me, and even though at times I felt broken beyond repair... my goal did not change. I knew that no matter what I had to do, no matter how many trials I had to face, no matter how hard Satan worked to push me down, I would get back up and I would get married in the temple. 

"I love to see the temple, I'll go inside someday."

This past week has been the absolute best week of my life because "someday" came. On February 25th, 2016, after a lifetime of preparation, I went inside of the Lord's beautiful House and made eternal covenants. I can honestly say that I have never been more filled with the spirit and I have never felt closer to my Father in Heaven or to my family. As I sat next to my sweet mother in the temple, I held her hand the entire time. We smiled together, cried together, and even fist bumped a couple times. There is no one else I would have rather shared that experience with, I love her. It was such an incredible feeling to be able to look at my sweet soon to be husband with me in the temple and realize that after years and years of heart break and hard work, I had found a man who was worthy and able to take me through the temple. And two days later on February 27th, 2016, he did just that. As Kade and I kneeled across the alter in the Mount Timpanogos Temple sealing room, I felt overwhelmed with love, joy, and the spirit. I wish I could put into words the way I felt as I looked at this man that I was about to be sealed to for time and all eternity, it was truly the most amazing moment of my life. 

The temple is the most wonderful place and I am so thankful for the covenants I was able to make there. Now that I have entered the temple and received the blessings, I am anxious and excited to continually return to the temple to savor again the experience of being within the sacred walls of the holy house of God and have the wonders of life eternal open again. I cannot wait to once again have my heart, mind, and soul filled with the sweet spirit that is inside of the temple. I promise you all, living a temple worthy life is worth it. Keeping the commandments is worth it. Whatever you have to do to be worthy to enter the temple is worth it. I wouldn't trade my experiences in the temple for any other thing in this world. The joy, spirit, love, happiness, and wonder I felt left me completely speechless. 

Remain worthy, remain steadfast, and look forward because the blessings of the temple are waiting for YOU and they will change your life just like they have changed mine.