feasting on the Sabbath...

I love the temple... Yesterday was a chance for hubby and I to again make a trip to the temple... Elder Bednar's talk from the Sunday afternoon session of conference 2 weeks ago was on my mind all day as we went about our busy but wonderful temple experience:

Within the sound of my voice are many young women, young men, and children. I plead with you to be worthy, to be steadfast, and to look forward with great anticipation to the day you will receive the ordinances and blessings of the temple.

Within the sound of my voice are individuals who should have but have not yet received the ordinances of the house of the Lord. Whatever the reason, however long the delay, I invite you to begin making the spiritual preparations so you can receive the blessings available only in the holy temple. Please cast away the things in your life that stand in the way. Please seek after the things that are of eternal consequence.

Within the sound of my voice are individuals who have received the ordinances of the temple and for various reasons have not returned to the house of the Lord in quite some time. Please repent, prepare, and do whatever needs to be done so you can again worship in the temple and more fully remember and honor your sacred covenants.

Within the sound of my voice are many individuals who hold current temple recommends and strive worthily to use them. I commend you for your faithfulness and devotion.

For me there is great comfort in the blessings of the temple... over the years it's been one of our favorite "date" places... yesterday was no exception...

I am reminded WHY we have 3 new temples being built in AZ... We NEED more temples... this time of year each year that starts the Saturday roll-call of what is often referred to as "wedding season"... from here until next fall every single Saturday is beyond crazy busy... (though generally all year long, Saturday's are busy..) Weekly there are from between 25-40 weddings/sealings every single Saturday depending on the time of the year it is...

All in all our day was great... but I am really looking forward to more temples in AZ... the new Phoenix temple which will be an hour closer to us will be a much smaller one, and like Snowflake we will make an appointment to attend, after it is built... that is always a calmer experience, I have discovered... Even stake and ward temple excursions are handled differently I am told... and yesterday I was reminded why we try when at all possible to go during the week when hubby is off instead of Saturdays when it seems like everyone else in AZ goes to the temple... LOL... But no matter what the circumstances... I am grateful for the opportunity to attend and for the blessings of the temple in my own life and the lives of my children...

I love the temple...