Stake Temple Day

Two days ago, April 7th, was an exceptionally good day for me. We had a Lancaster Stake Day in the temple. I love Stake Temple Days because I get to see so many members of my Stake that I love and admire, which makes being in my "happy place", or the temple, even that much more exciting. For months I had looked forward to going so I could serve as a patron instead of a worker, especially after the very hectic day I had experienced as a shift coordinator just two days prior to this. What a relief it would be to not have to worry about the workings of a shift, but rather be able to focus on serving those on the other side of the veil.

Wanting to spend much of the day in the temple, we left our home at 11:00 a.m., made good time for L. A. traffic, and arrived at about 12:30 p.m. We took two single sisters down with us (Carol Whitaker & Angela Simmons). Alan and I planned to go on the 2:15 session, so having arrived so early, we, fortunately, had plenty of time for Alan to do baptisms and confirmations for some family names I had found and prepared before the session was to begin. I had one female name ready for initiatories, so I decided to spend time doing those ordinances until it would be time to go on the endowment session. I quickly found out that many other sisters had the same idea. It was pretty crowded. I was allowed to do the one name, though. 

It turns out that the day shift was very short-handed on ordinance workers, so I volunteered myself to help out for about an hour. This went against my desire to be there serving as a patron only, but I knew they needed help so I couldn't just look the other way. I'm so glad that I got that opportunity to serve because as the coordinator on my shift, I don't get the opportunity to perform any of the ordinances. I just oversee everyone else doing the work. This day, I got to perform several ordinances and it was a reminder to me of how much I love doing it and how much I miss doing them. It had been over a year since I had done any! Oh, what a joy it was to resume that work once again.

Directly after the endowment session, we had the privilege of going to a sealing room to witness my friend Carol Whitaker get sealed to her deceased husband. He has been dead for 6 years. There was a very special, sweet spirit in the room. I'm so glad I was able to be there. I love temple sealings! The sealing rooms are some of the most sacred rooms in the temple. After all, in those rooms, families are sealed together not just for this life, but for all eternity. Think about that. Eternity is forever. I am so grateful that I am sealed to my husband and my children. Family is everything to me. Through the temple sealing, we are bound together not only by love, but by the holy spirit of promise. There is no greater blessings for any family than this.

My eternal family