sunday visits to the temple

My favorite time to go to the temple is when it's closed. Why? Because I love spending time outside of the temple enjoying my beautiful surroundings. Obviously I love being inside doing work, as well. But there is just something that I love when I get to spend my time outside.

Ever since we've switched to 9:00 Church I've had gobs and GOBS of time on Sunday's - I'm not quite used to having so much free time. Rather than catching up on Netflix (I'll admit I've done that a few times), I decided to drive to the temple before heading home for dinner with the family.

I usually will walk around the temple or sit on the grass after the sun has set, when they've already turned off the bottom half lights of the temple. Little to no people will stop by that late. However, this time it was 2:00 in the afternoon and it seemed that everybody wanted to walk around the temple. 

I grabbed my book and sat down under a tree and felt a little annoyed at the amount of people that had the same idea as me. I tried to block them out as I read from my book by Brad Wilcox... but it wasn't working. 

Eventually I let out a sigh and shut my book. I sat up and looked around; more people had accumulated over time and I determined I wouldn't be getting in a good study while I was there.

Rather than leaving, I decided to stick around and take in my surroundings. Behind me were two girls, chatting about the day. To my right was a boy and a girl, reading from their scriptures. In front of me a mom and her daughter wearing a white dress were taking pictures. Later, a group of girls came to film a video on how Personal Progress has changed their life and a family came to take a picture sitting on the bench in front of the temple. Countless couples walked hand in hand, pausing every now and then to look at the flowers. Families set up blankets and enjoyed a late lunch. Others sat, like me, reading from scriptures or books.

It was amazing how many people I observed while sitting under my small tree. 

There were a few moments I caught myself smiling. I probably looked dumb, but I couldn't help but feel happy! I kept looking up to the temple and thinking how grateful I was for the knowledge I have that families can be together forever. 

I enjoyed having the stages of family life play out in front of me. I became excited for the future and the beautiful family I could have the opportunity to raise. It was then that I reminded myself that this was a goal of mine: to be worthy to marry and be sealed in the temple to a righteous young man - whenever and to whomever that may be.

I look forward to the day when I will be able to enter into the temple. The thought is exciting and brings so much joy and happiness to my heart. I know that our attendance to the temple will bring us great blessings. We will receive inspiration and revelation and all feelings of inadequacy, frustration, and stress can be relieved. 

I know that the temple is our ultimate goal, no matter how enticing the natural man and world may seem to be. 

The best things in life aren't easily achieved; they require hard work and dedication, patience and time. However, I know that it will all be worth it. I have faith that the Lord will bless us immensely for our hard work and good deeds. I know that if we will make the temple our ultimate goal and always keep it in sight that we will be blessed with more happiness than we can even begin to fathom.

If the temple isn't your current goal - make it so. Put it at the top. Because it's the most important of all. When going inside isn't an option, do what I do and sit outside. You will be blessed even if you're not inside - I promise you that. I know that because of the Atonement, the blessings we receive from the temple can flow into our lives gain if they currently can't. The Lord knows the desires of your heart.

I'm thankful that I was so sweetly reminded of my future goals as I sat in the temple grass. It's things like this that make the hard stuff seem worth it.