For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, temples are the most sacred buildings on earth.
Today the 144th temple in this age was dedicated – the Phoenix temple. We were able to attend the open house two weeks ago with Iddo. Before we left I prayed that she, at her young age, would be able to recognize the spirit that exists in the temple and feel the difference inside the building. And she did.
Normally I pay attention to the details of the temple, how it’s decorated, the repeating motifs, how it ties in with the surrounding culture and environment. I noticed when we toured the Gilbert Arizona temple earlier this year all the stylized agave designs throughout the temple. However I didn’t notice any of that with the Phoenix temple (apparently it is an aloe motif there). Instead I noticed that on at least 90% of the walls there was a painting of Christ. Because Iddo made it a point to point all of them out, repeatedly, throughout the entire tour. She noticed there’s something different about the temple.
Brett and I started attending the temple together monthly about a year before we got married. And we have yet to miss a month, even with a newborn (we went three days before she was born that month, just barely getting it in). It has not been easy, driving 2 hours in each direction often meant stopping half-way to nurse her in those early months. But it has been worth it. I hope she never remembers a time when we have not gone to the temple. Until this last week the only times we have ever left her with anyone else was when we were attending the temple. Temples, and our family, mean that much to us. And the two are intimately related.
If you want to learn more about LDS temples, these two articles are excellent starting places:
– Why Latter-day Saints Build Temples
– Temples – LDS Members Worship and Participate in Sacred Ceremonies
I am an educator and PhD. I quilt, belly dance, run, read, and try to grow things. I am a Mormon. I am infertile. I am a daughter, sister, aunt, grand-daughter, friend, wife, and mom.
Brett L. Dennis
Mama g
Giggles
AmandaStretch
We love to go to the temple too. :heart:
Melt my heart, I LOVE that picture of her!!! So beautiful :heart: :heart: :heart:
We also love the temple. We enjoy working there also. Peyton is an ordinance worker two days a week and since I can’t stand I volunteer in the office.
I’m glad we made attending the temple part of our anniversary celebration. :brett:
We’ve made it to the temple nearly monthly since we first started dating (very few months we’ve missed for unforeseeable circumstances), and I’m glad it’s part of our lives. It wasn’t odd to suggest going to the Nauvoo temple during our vacation last summer, since it’s so important to both of us. I’m hoping to do some work in either Phoenix, Gilbert, or both when we’re in AZ in a few weeks! Blake’s grandpa helped with the construction of the Mesa temple (among others), and did a session there last summer.
I need to attend more. With my new job, the most convenient temples are actually Salt Lake, Oquirrh Mountain, and Jordan River. When I’m not so busy, I should go to one of them on my way home.