I Love To Be In The Temple

Per usual I am so behind and playing catchup. Where to start??? 

In looking back it appears my last post was September 6th! My, oh my, so much has happened since then. 

My sabbatical ended in September and it was back to reality and work rather quickly. Luckily, I still get to escape to my happy place every Saturday. 

Starting in October, it was my turn to start working on the third floor of the temple. On the third floor are many rooms. A chapel where patrons wait before going to an endowment session, the endowment session rooms also known as instruction rooms, sealing rooms, and my favorite, the Celestial Room. These are great videos that tell you all about the temple and what work is performed there. If you only watch one, watch the first one. It talks about all the rooms and what they are used for. If you were to ever go to an open house of a Temple before it is dedicated you would likely be shown this video before you had the opportunity to walk through the Temple.

Link to Temple Open House Video

Link to Video What is a Temple

Overview of History of Temples Link to Video

Link to Talk The Holy Temple-a Beacon to the World

On my first shift on the 3rd floor I started out in the chapel. At one point after the patrons had moved to another room, I was left alone in the chapel waiting for the next group to enter. It was so peaceful and quiet. Usually when I come to this room as a patron, I have rarely left myself time to sit quietly and am still usually shaking reality out of my head as I have likely dressed very quickly before hurrying up the staircase for my appointed time. Sitting in the chapel alone was a completely new experience that was so peaceful as I listened to the hymns playing quietly by an organ in the background. 

My next assignment, if  you have watched the first video, was to assist in the instruction room. This was also a very special experience for me. And I felt so much joy as I was able to assist others in their temple work. This has become a new favorite assignment for me and created opportunities for me to feel the Spirit more strongly than in any other place in the temple. Because of the sacred nature of this work, I am not able to go into any more detail, but I am so grateful for these special opportunities that being a temple worker has given me.

My last assignment for the day was to be in the Celestial Room. My favorite room in the temple. Like the video says, it truly feels like you are in Heaven. The ceilings are so tall and all of the light colors are so calming. Usually when I spend time in the Celestial Room, always in the back of your mind is, how much longer can I stay before I need to leave and take care of the rest of the things of my day. As a worker in the temple, I didn't have to have those thoughts, because there was no where else I was supposed to be during that time. I was able to just sit and enjoy and whisper answers to any questions the patrons may have had. It was the perfect way to end my first shift on the third floor. 

My shifts this month have been spent rotating through those three positions. Usually in the Celestial Room there are always a few patrons there or even another temple worker there. On one occasion this last month I was the only worker there and all of the patrons had left. As I looked around relishing in the fact that I was completely by myself and could hear a pin drop, I am sure a giant smile swept across my face. 

In an instant, the thought came to my mind "Kara, you are not alone in this room, in fact it is completely full." Many times in the temple we are able to have personal revelation by the Holy Ghost because of the peaceful quiet atmosphere that is there and the absence of Satan's distractions. I know the thoughts were not my own, because one, I don't talk to myself in the third person, and two, I was just thinking how content I was to get to enjoy this peaceful place all to myself. Of course I knew the Holy Ghost was referring to the many spirits that were there who that day had also made promises with God by accepting temple work that had been done on their behalf. And while I could not physically see anyone else in the room with me, I knew I was not alone. It was definitely an experience I will not soon forget. 

Other times that I have sat in the Celestial Room, I have time to read and ponder on the scriptures. One Saturday, I opened up to the chapters in the New Testament of the Bible and was able to ponder on the parables the Savior taught. 

Last Saturday, I read about the many miracles the Savior performed while he was here on earth and the temptations he had to battle and overcome as part of his earthly experience. 

There is something about reading the very words our Savior spoke while in His house that make them come alive and give me a chance to get to know Him even better.

Because the temples are His houses, I know He visits them from time to time, even if He is not physically seen there. As I rode the elevator down to the basement, I thought to myself, I wonder if He has ever ridden this elevator. Then quickly dismissed the thought, because why would He need to. :) 

Earlier this month on a Tuesday, since Hen and I are heading to Hawaii in November, I decided to look up the Kona Temple to see if we could get an appointment while we were there and couldn't make an appointment. I decided to check our temple's website just to see if anything was available. Right now appointments are typically weeks and months out to make. There happened to be two available appointments for that night. So my Dad and I had a fun Daddy Daughter date going to dinner and then going to the temple for the evening. As we sat in the Celestial Room at the end of our temple work, I was overwhelmed by the Spirit and I couldn't hold back my tears, as a very sweet experience occurred for me. I won't be sharing it here, but it is one I don't think my Dad or I will ever forget. 

Tuesday nights Hen works in the temple and he was able to stop by to visit us in the Celestial Room for a moment before he went back to helping with Sealings. It is always so special to see him dressed up in his white suit.  And even though he drives me absolutely crazy sometimes, he is the only one I want to spend eternity with and seeing him in that suit always feel like a glimpse into our future.

Since I started working in the temple these last few months, I have noticed an increase in my own personal revelation. I also committed to reading part or all of a conference talk every night since the first week of October before or after my nightly reading of the Book of Mormon and I have noticed an increase in feeling the Spirit from day to day. So many answered prayers keep happening. One example was this last Saturday. My sister was supposed to drive by herself down to St. George with her kids but after driving out to Herriman and back in heavy rains, I felt the Holy Ghost tugging at my heart that she shouldn't go, that something bad was going to happen. I didn't know how to tell her not to go. So I prayed that if she wasn't supposed to go, she or someone would convince her not to go. I did send her a text telling her I didn't think it was the best idea. I am not sure if she read it or not, but within minutes I received a phone call from my mom that she had decided not go after all. Tears poured down my checks as I felt relief and gratitude for my answered prayers. I had even thought as far ahead as, "If she does drive down, I will put her name on the prayer roll, that they can travel in safety." And now you are wondering, Kara, why didn't you just tell her about your bad feeling. Here's why. It is hard to always know if it is your own thoughts or the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it is very clear, other times it is only clear after something has happened. So at the time I was second guessing the Holy Ghost and assuming it was my own desires. So many times after something like this happens, I always feel the Holy Ghost reminding me, "See, I am here, and you should trust me."

I only have one week left on the third floor before I will likely be moved to another floor to serve in November. I have truly cherished my time there and look forward to when I will be on that floor again. As I think back now having helped on every floor, there is something special about every position I have served in. Each comes with its own unique experiences, learning, and Spirit. 

I had always heard the phrase the "Spirit of the Temple", but I had never really felt it or understood it like I do now. There is no other place on this earth like Temples that have been dedicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If you are able to go in one some day, you too will know and understand how and why I can declare these things. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.