On Sunday we decided that we would periodically start taking pictures with our kids with the progress of the Gilbert Temple behind them. We heard the idea from someone else, thought it was neat, and decided it wasn't too late to start. I wasn't going to post them, yet, but then yesterday my husband decided we should go to the little visitor's center for family night. Well, in standard LDS culture, since Monday night is dubbed for families only, and not church activities, and because we're encouraged to regularly hold "Family Home Evening" on that night or another night if your circumstances need...you can imagine how busy that little trailer out-looking the new Gilbert Temple was last night. : ) We still had a nice experience and the workers there were still nice to look out for us and make sure our questions were answered. We went to the little lookout walkway and looked around, and as we were getting ready to leave Tyson said, "I don't want to go, yet! I want to learn more about this place." Mitch was surprised and double checked that's what he said, and I got a little lump in my throat and a tugging at my heart, so we walked back in the trailer and found something else we could teach them "about this place".
The temple worker got us all set up in our own little corner and showed our boys some more things on the pictures and answered some more questions. He treated our boys with patience and love. As more people came, our little ones were kind of loud, so we decided it was really time to go, and the only way we could convince Tyson that it was okay he hadn't learned everything about the temple, yet, was by letting him know this was not the last time we would be there and that we would come back again. I love the Spirit of the Temple. I love that even though the building isn't finished, that the grounds are already sacred and thought provoking, and that my children can feel the power of what the temple symbolizes for us and our family.
Tyson saw the bricks shaped like the temple, and all on his own, he posed as the Angel Moroni, and told me to take a picture. : ) And of course, Emmett wants to do everything his big brother does, so we got one of him, too.
I love my husband for taking us to the temple for family night. I love my children for enriching my life in ways I could have never imagined. I love that we get to watch a temple being built in my home town. It's so special to me, and I love the Lord for giving us this gift. I love that families can be together forever because of the ordinances available in holy temples. I always want to have the power of the temple in my life.
What a cool thing...love the idea keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteSo awesome! I got a little lump reading this. The temple is such a wonderful place and children are so close to the Spirit they can just feel it.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I still haven't taken my kids there!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on 7 years, I think you 2 are the cutest couple!
And PS- do I see your sister Jodi snuggling it up with a boy in one of the below pictures?? Dating someone?? He's a cutie! ;)
I've taken pictures of the temple too, just with my cell phone on the way home from work, but the pictures are good enough. I drive by it EVERY DAY and I get more and more excited about how far it has come along. Can you believe I live 2 MILES from this beautiful house of the Lord?! AMAZING! So blessed and so grateful. Cute pictures of your boys :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea...can't believe I didn't think of something like this with my grandees. Hope you put more pictures so we can watch the progress. You are in for a real treat when you get ready to dedicate it. You mostly likely will be involved, they need many hundreds of volunteers. You have a very precious family and you are fabulous parents.
ReplyDeleteGod bless. Love you dearly, Aunti K.