I'm going there someday....

I love to see the Temple I'm going there someday

to feel the Holy Spirit to listen and to pray

for the temple is a House of God 

a place of Love and beauty I'll prepare myself while I am young 

This is my sacred duty

April 7th we had the opportunity to visit the new LDS Temple in Kansas City, MO 

and take the girls through the open house.

The Temple was beautiful, and more so to experience it at dusk, lit up against the darkening night sky.

Even in all of the wonder and awe from being a part of such a peaceful and mesmerizing place - the thing to strike even greater awe inside of me is the reaction of my children and their experience.

April 15th - just over a week later - our ward held Testimony meeting.  During the earlier part of the service (songs, announcements, prayers, etc..) the girls were busily drawing in their journals - their minds obviously still on the Temple.

 
           Izzy's Entry in her Sunday Journal

         
As people began to take their turns at the pulpit - Izzy asked me if I was going to go up.  I had been thinking of it but I was not SUPER motivated to do it that day.  For Izzy's sake I said - sure.  I'll go if you go.

She took a few minutes to write down some thoughts she was having and clear her mind.  During which time Alex said she wanted to go up also.  I asked her if she knew what to do and say... she proceeded to tell me all of her thoughts...

"Well I know that the scriptures are true because when you read the scriptures it takes you on adventures about Jesus and then you just know that it's true...."  She was so excited and descriptive and I didn't know she felt that way!!!

When we reached the stand both girls were nervous.  Max was at the back of the chapel crying VERY loud.  I bore my testimony - uneventful. :)  Next came Izzy.

Izzy was so cute.  Izzy said, " Before I ever saw the KC temple I imagined it to be so beautiful, more than anything I had ever seen.  When I saw it I was surprised that it was not as beautiful as I imagined.  It was even MORE beautiful than I imagined...."  It was so cute to see her talk herself in circles.  She talked about how she was so glad that she got to go inside and see what it was like and to know that this temple can be her special temple.

Alex had about 5 seconds of anxiety, then she looked up and spoke clearly and loudly and said almost word for word her thoughts about the scriptures being an adventure and that she was really glad she got to go inside the temple too.

As we all began the walk back to our seats - we realized that we had company - Max had escaped from Daddy and had joined us on the stand.  :)

For the rest of the service so many children got up to bear their testimony about the beauty, power, spirit, and experience of going through the temple.  It was an amazing Testimony Meeting - and the girls felt really good inside that they were the catalyst for so many children feeling brave enough to get up and talk in front of the whole ward!!!

Later that week when Izzy was writing in her journal - she asked me to talk to her.

She said
"Mom, ever since we went to the Temple and I felt that good spirit there, I've been thinking that maybe you shouldn't say CRAP anymore, because when you say it I feel the spirit go away."

GEEEEEZZZ!!!!

So, now I am on the look out for nicer descriptive words :)

Our opportunity to tour the Kansas City temple has been the catalyst for much contemplation, conversation and so many learning experiences.  I am so grateful that we were able to be a part of it and I look forward to someday when Max is older finding a temple open house to take him to.


Definitions- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ward 
A Geographical designation of people similar to a parish.  Everyone with a specific area attends a specific ward - at a specific time.

For example:

• the Johnstown 3rd ward goes to church at 9am on Sundays.  Their activity is Tuesdays.  Everyone in the Johnstown ward lives south of Main street, North of Endoftown street, East of Faraway street and west of offyonder street.   
• While the Johnstown 4th Ward goes to church at 11am on Sundays.  Their activity night is Wednesday.  Everyone in the ward lives north of main street. 
• Youth groups, family activities and other functions all take place within a ward.  A ward is designed to be small.  Usually around 300-400 total people attending regularly.  When a ward grows bigger than this - boundaries are realigned and new wards are created or adjusted to maintain size.

Testimony Meeting
This is where the majority of our Sunday service is opened up to the congregation.  Anyone who feels so inclined can stand and bear testimony of their own experiences, strengths, struggles, hopes and beliefs as they relate to and about the gospel of Jesus Christ.