Armed with God's Power and with His Angels

I had such a wonderful time at the temple today. I have been stressing about my impending gospel doctrine lesson for weeks now and going to the temple let my mind take a bit of a vacation from all of my anxiety. Because of covid, more and more temple workers have been out sick and we were shorthanded. I was on the 2nd floor today and was moved around from place to place as I was needed to fill in for missing sisters. For two separate, half hours, I got to be at the recommend desk at the entrance. I saw a couple from our old ward in Woods Cross and a good friend and her husband from our current ward. They tell us not to get excited and make a scene when we see people we know, so I tried my best to hold my excitement in. It really is so rare that I see anyone at the Temple that I know.

 At one point in the evening, one of the sisters I have worked closely with since June told me that she loved me and that I was such a light. Then her and another sister were chatting about me just barely in ear shot and I could hear them saying how much they liked me and how cool I was. I was so grateful for their kind words. Most of my life I assume I am pretty unnoticed and that's ok, I have never been one that likes the spotlight, but it is nice to be noticed once in a while and always nice to feel loved. 

Then while I was working at the recommend desk I had answered some questions perfectly and even helped to train other sisters and brothers up there. I could hear the shift coordinator from the brothers practically singing my praises for all of my help and for knowing the correct answers to the patrons questions. 

While at the recommend desk, we switch off with chairs by the entrance/exit. There were two, half hours where I manned the chair by the exit. My job in that chair is to greet everyone that is exiting. I usually say "Thank you for coming", "Thank you for your service", or "Have a good night" as people are leaving. On several occasions I felt the Spirit so strongly. The temple was really busy today and I know a lot of service was performed by the individuals in attendance. When people attend and serve in the Temple they leave "armed with God's power and with His angels having "charge over" you". (Pres Nelson) (D&C 109:22). 

The number of Heavenly Spirits/Angels that passed by me, while unseen, were impossible not to feel of their presence. As a large group of patrons would exit, it literally felt like a wave of the Spirit washing over me. I could feel these Spirits gratitude and love for the those who had just performed these sacred ordinances for them.

I also noticed the pace of the workers who had ended their shifts. I pondered on the fact that all of us workers tend to leave a little slower than when we first walked in. Many workers are much much older than me with, I'm sure, a variety of health issues and ailments and yet they still come back, week after week, because they love the Lord and the work more than themselves. We may all be tired when we leave, but it is a good tired and a rewarding tired to know that we may have helped individuals on both sides of the veil that day. 

My heart felt so full of peace and joy as I sat in that chair. A couple times a few tears slipped from the corners of my eyes. I felt such a pure happiness and so much gratitude for the opportunity to get to have experienced those feelings and so much gratitude for getting to spend another day in the Lord's House.

After going home for the next several hours I continued to work on my lesson and then went to bed very tired.