Day 8: I Love to See the Temple

{Find this print in my etsy shop here}

From the back windows of my home, if you search the horizon, you can see the temple way off far in the distance. At night you can see the glow of the spires. Truly, I love to see the temple. These beacons of light are a piece of heaven on earth and I delight every time I am honored to step inside temple doors. In the temple I always feel perfectly at home.

Lately I have felt stirrings in my heart to retreat to the temple more often. It has been our goal, as a couple since we were married, to attend once a month. For the most part, we have kept our goal, and it has proved such a blessing, but there was a special time in our married life when we were blessed to attend the temple weekly and it made such a difference.

I miss those days when we lived just down the street from the Rexburg temple. We would each pick a day during the week to rise at 5:00 in the morning to attend the temple at 6:00. Since we had little babies, we would switch off and go separately. Then once a month, we would get a babysitter and go together. There was a special feeling in our little cottage apartment during those two years we lived there and I believe it was because of the choice we made to increase our temple attendance.

Now I live 20 minutes from the temple, and while it seems so far, I remember in Portugal when we lived a country and 9 hours away from the temple. I am so blessed where I live, and in fact, so spoiled to live so close. I still have young children, and while this seems a valid excuse, the price to pay to attend the temple is so small in comparison to the blessings we receive.

To end, I would just like to quote from our beloved past apostle Elder Richard G. Scott:

"Because I love you, I am going to speak to you heart to heart, without mincing words. I have seen that many times individuals have made great sacrifices to go to a distant temple. But when a temple is built close by, within a short time, many do not visit it regularly. I have a suggestion: When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan. This pattern will guarantee that those who live in the shadow of a temple will be as blessed as are those who plan far ahead and make a long trip to the temple.

"Fourteen years ago I decided to attend the temple and complete an ordinance at least once a week. When I am traveling I make up the missed visits in order to achieve that objective. I have kept that resolve, and it has changed my life profoundly. I strive to participate in all the different ordinances available in the temple.

"I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?

-Elder Richard G. Scott 

Today I will be establishing a new goal of how frequently I will retreat to the temple to gain the peace, direction, and blessings that await. I can't afford not to.

May we never lose sight of the temple, and all of the glorious blessings that await us there.