What the Temple means to me

This is from a talk I gave in Sacrament meeting in 2015 in Solomon Ward, Mesa South Stake.

There is a special place

I enter in 

To help bring celestial life

To all women and men

The place is beautiful,

Divine and sacred

While there I am being

Spiritually fed

I knew I would go there since

I was a small child

To be ready we must be

Humble, meek and mild

Repentant and worthy

With a prayerful mind

Answers to questions,

Personal revelations to find

I have gratitude for the blessings

To able to enter therein

To feel close to our Father

While in there the veil is thin

February 7, 2010

As a child the Temple meant to me that when my mom and dad went to the temple they would be gone for-ev-er! I realized as an adult that they probably went to Matta’s after doing an endowment session together. I am thankful for being raised in a home where my parents not just could, but they would go to the temple. That is a powerful example of not just my parents going to the temple; it is also a great example of love. They would spend time together partaking of spiritual, emotional and physical blessings, by going to the temple and then a date afterwards.

The temple means so much to me. I have had many wonderful experiences there and thoughts and feelings about temple work and all the many blessings of temple attendance.

Boyd K. Packer said:  “The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the temples. Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service. We will be blessed in all of our affairs” I think that is a pretty impressive promise; to be blessed in all things.

He also states:  “Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.” 

On a Sunday when I was 11 years old I had a wonderful lesson in my Merry Miss Class by Nancy Norris about temple covenants and the sealing power and I came home from church and exclaimed to my mom, “Mom, I’m going to be married in the temple someday!” She replied to me, “Always stick with that goal.” 

Less than a decade later I was sealed in the temple to the father of my sweet daughters and my daughter I had previously was brought in and sealed to him and I. Together we were blessed with 4 more girls who were all born in the covenant. What a precious blessing to have five beautiful, amazing and talented daughters sealed to us. 

At age 13 I was able to do baptisms for the dead for the 1^st time. The young women were each given 45 names and one girl wasn’t able to do her names so another girl took them. I was glad since I thought 90 names would be tough. I had no idea that the 45 names I was given would go by so fast and the whole process was utterly amazing. I wished I had volunteered for those extra names. It is so amazing to think about the fact that by proxy 45 women who had previously died could have the baptism ordinance done for them. 

When I was just two months shy of my 20^th birthday on May 11, 1996 I was able to receive my endowments in the Mesa, Arizona Temple.

On LDS.org you can read:  One ordinance we receive in the temple is the endowment. The word endowment means “gift” or “bestowal.” As part of this ordinance, we are taught about the purpose of life, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father’s plan for His children.

Back to my temple experience; I love to think about that time in my life and thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ for making it possible for me to be worthy to receive a recommend. In preparation of attending the temple I worked hard to be spiritually ready. I increased my scripture study and prayer. I attended temple preparation classes taught by Wanda and Wilbur Woolf. Two of the sweetest people I've ever met.

It was sweet to have the Holy Ghost pretty strong in my life. I had some great experiences. One was I was able to write a poem about the Savior. I felt the spirit so strong that day and the words just came to me as if it was previously written in the preexistence. I had already written a couple poems about Jesus Christ, but this one is the best. Still today the words are so powerful that I am taken back that the words came from me. I owe a lot to the Holy Ghost for helping me write it for I love the Savior. When I think of temples I think of Him! By my efforts of humility and repentance and being converted to Christ I desired to enter the temple to make the covenants with the Lord, and to do the work to be worthy and prepared.

More from Elder Packer: “With great effort we urge every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience. Those who have been to the temple have been taught an ideal: Someday every living soul and every soul who has ever lived shall have the opportunity to hear the gospel and to accept or reject what the temple offers. 

The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple. They are beautiful. They are sacred. They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared. Curiosity is not a preparation. Deep interest itself is not a preparation. Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord.”

  

President Gordon B. Hinckley said:  "I make you a promise that if you will go to the House of the Lord, you will be blessed, life will be better for you... partake of all of the marvelous blessings that are yours to be received there. Now is the time to get your lives in order that you may be worthy to go to the House of the Lord. Get a temple recommend. Get it now. If every man and woman... would make that resolution and go to work to be worthy of a temple recommend, your lives would be blessed, your homes would be blessed, you would feel the spirit of the Lord in your homes."

I want to share a couple of experiences of why the temple means so much to me…

Years ago when my children were quite younger it was hard for this one particular school year for me to attend the temple, at least during the day when my daughters  were at school and I was a stay at home mom. One day I felt the need to attend the temple. It was really strong. Yet I was afraid to go. At the time I had two children seeing an urologist and one daughter seeing a neurologist and she with her asthma was sick a lot. There was other issues as well with my children that I won’t include. I had to many times drive to the elementary school to pick up the girls or assist in other ways. It was not too much of a  burden since I love my girls so much and the school was super close. I had to keep my phone on me and be ready all the time. This day that I wanted to do an endowment session I had to exercise my faith and I prayed several times that my kids would be fine. Even though I was hesitant to go and afraid I would get a missed call and a message from the school nurse, I remembered hearing many times that our families are blessed when we go to the temple. So I went. I had a great temple experience that day and guess what. No one called me while I was gone on my cell phone or home phone.

Another is about the comfort and blessings to others when we attend the temple. A few years ago my friend Becky lost her son. I was so sad for her and kept praying for her. As a mother I could only imagine the agony she was feeling. The next day I woke up and knew that I must go to the temple and put her name on the prayer roll. I had a lot of plans that day, yet I knew this was more important than anything else. Via face book I leaned that several other friends of hers went to various temples in other cities and states to also add her name to the prayer roll in the temple they attended. It was so neat to contemplate how so much temple work was done in behalf of my friend. Three sweet blessings took place; 

First it blessed those who did the work, second it blessed those deceased individuals that had their work performed for them and third it blessed those whose names were entered on sheets of papers to have prayers said for them. 

I love the temples and thankful to be born in this day and age when we have so many temples. As the primary song says,” Families can be together forever, through Heavenly Father’s plan.” I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I know that because of the Atonement and the fact that I can repent of my sins I can be worthy to enter His Holy Temples. I know that Heavenly Father loves all His children. He keeps His promises. If I live faithfully to the Ordinances of the gospel then I can achieve Exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom. I have a testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost. Through that power we can gain knowledge and understanding that we can’t get on our own. I pray that those members of the church that are of age can work on the preparation to someday enter the temple. If you have that goal in mind, then think positive and seek for the highest within you.

I have felt my dad at the temple many times.  When my brothers went through.

 I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

St. Louis Missouri Temple

Jason and I enjoyed doing an endowment session in the St. Louis Temple on January 5, 2019. The temple is beautiful inside and out.

My love of my life, my Mr. Wonderful and eternal companion.

This shot was taken from the freeway.

Jason had to work in Carbondale, Illinois and I was able to tag along. We flew into St. Louis and had to drive two hours to our hotel. To attend the temple we had to drive two hours. It was a long drive but worth it.

How I met my husband

On a Tuesday I went to the Mesa Arizona Tempe to do a Sealing session with other singles from the valley. It was there that Jason and I met. We did proxy sealings together.

Afterwards I went to Pete's Fish and Chips where it was where the singles were to meet afterwards. I do not eat fish and wasn't thrilled it was the place picked. I went anyways. I thought I could get a salad but it wasn't an option on the menu. I ordered a root beer, french fries and coleslaw. I went to find a table thinking I was the only one there. I walked around the side of the building where they had more tables. I was happy to see Jason sitting there.

That night at Pete's Jason and I were the only ones who came after the Temple night. It was nice to sit with him and we had a good conversation together. I liked that he asked me all kinds of questions and seemed to care what I had to say. I did learn many things about his life and what he likes. He traveled a lot and loves to go deep sea diving.

We were surprised to find out we grew up so close together. We only lived a few streets from each other. He was in 7th ward while I was in the 9th Ward of Mesa South Stake. We went to Mesa Junior High and Mesa High School together.

We talked about the recent Easter Pageant that I was in. He knew one of the assistant directors who owns JesterZ Improv. It's a comedy club in Mesa, Arizona. We talked about our favorite restaurants and talked about Matta's Mexican Restaurant that we both ate at growing up.

Near the time we left he asked me on a date for that Friday night. To go to JesterZ Improv and eat at Matta's. I happily said yes. I gave him my phone number and he sent me a text the next day. We texted back and forth until our date Friday.

I am so thankful I went to the temple that night and then to Pete's Fish and Chips. I am so thankful to have met the man who swept me off my feet and I am writing this after being married for a little more than six months.

I especially love telling people that we met in the temple. What a dream come true. I wanted to meet a temple worthy man and I did! We had many dates going to either the Mesa Arizona Temple or Gilbert Arizona Temple and once in the Redlands California Temple. We'd go to the Temple and then to dinner.

A walk to the Temple

I snapped this picture with my phone last night when I walked to the Mesa Arizona Temple. It was a little humid last night, but I enjoyed my walk.

The day before I was in the temple doing ordinance work and felt very blessed. I love going to the temple. Afterward I ate lunch in the small cafeteria there. I have been going in that temple for almost two decades and never ate there before. I figure I go there to get spiritually fed, not to be fed a meal. It was nice though especially since I had to leave and attend a baptism right afterwards for a girl in my primary class.

I am thankful to live only a mile away. I have walked there since I was a small child. Always a welcoming place to be.

My testimony

I wrote this four and a half years ago and I came across it today on my computer and thought I should post it on this blog.

Thoughts for the day written on 11/15/09 
by Kristi Harmon 

~I am thankful to be who I am. I am thankful for the wonderful heritage that I have and all the wonderful blessings here on this earth. I am thankful for my loving Father in Heaven and his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and our beloved Redeemer. So many things are recorded in the scriptures, but as in Jacob he writes about the prophets of old and he himself can only record but a little.

~A few days ago I was picturing in my mind the Saviors life and all He did and I had the thought and feeling come over me that He most likely did so much more, yet there are no other records besides what we have in the scriptures. We know of His life through the prophets and apostles. We can feel of His life through the help of the Holy Ghost. We can prayerfully study the scriptures.

~We have such beautiful literature, true and wonderful. We have the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price and the Doctrine and Covenants. We also have the help of the Topical Guide and the Bible Dictionary. Each month we can enjoy the Ensign, The New Era and the Friend. Twice a year we have General Conference and can read it online on the church website even before it comes out in the May and November Ensigns. I can not forget to mention all the inspired literature from leaders of the church.

~The list can go on. There is so many ways to become more edified and our spiritual growth can increase ever so much. I always pray before I read my scriptures. I ask for the spirit to be with me and help me to understand and to also remember what I read. I do not only expect to understand the scriptures with prayer alone. I must also take the time to study what I am reading. Cross referencing is critical to comprehend and learn.

~It is amazing to me how the Holy Ghost is a guide and we can have the sweet promptings and personal revelation that we need in our own lives as we read the scriptures and the spoken word from our prophet today and other leaders of our church. So many times as I am reading the scriptures thoughts come to mind, answers to things I had been praying about.

~I feel impressed to mention that I thank my Father in Heaven in prayer for the desire to read my scriptures and prayer to have that desire continually. One sweet pleasure I have is before an endowment session in the temple I choose to get there early enough to read the scriptures before we are led to the session. Afterwards I love to sit in the Celestial room and continue to read. It is so great and the spirit is so strong.

~I love to be in the temple and I grow so much each time I am there. As a youth I thought it was the neatest thing to do Baptisms for the Dead. That was a choice and blessed experience. Two months before my twentieth birthday on May 11, 1996 I went through the temple for the first time. I had worked hard to be worthy. I knew I was worthy.

~I balled as I went through the veil. Family and friends were there. My young women leaders and one of my friends from my ward that I grew up with was there. Even one of my friends from my singles ward was in attendance also. VerRona and Erika wanted to know what was wrong. I said nothing was wrong. I felt so wonderful and great. I was so happy. I felt like I got my first glimpse of Heaven. I am crying now just writing about that and my memories. I have cried many times in the temple.

~I know it is important to be worthy to enter Gods Holy Temple. There is so much to learn and the Holy Ghost will help when we are worthy and ready. I love the fact I get to do for someone that has no chance to do it on earth. They are not here on the earth to partake of the everlasting covenants that we by proxy have the sweet blessing to serve them and do the work for them. Then and only then do they get to partake of those ordinances. What a great act of charity we do. God loves His children and set the way so all His children can have the opportunity to receive all that there is. We all can have the chance to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and our loved ones. Through temple work families are bound to each other.

~There are many ways to serve as member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our callings and positions can be such a wonderful learning and spiritual growing experiences. Some may seem hard or we may feel inadequate. I have felt that way at times. Yet there is hope if ever you are in doubt. If you live worthily and repent continually, pray always and study the scriptures and do what you can then it becomes easier. Then you are not doing it alone. We have God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Those three will help and they do help in countless ways.

~We can be so blessed when we serve and love others. We have been counseled to pray for those we serve and we will love them. It is true. Try it and see how great it can be.

Gilbert Arizona Temple Openhouse

On January 23rd we went to the Gilbert Temple Open house. There were so many people enjoying the same thing. A lot of ushers with friendly smiles.

My daughters really liked seeing the temple. I loved the beauty of the temple inside and out. The chandeliers were stunning. I kept wanting to look at them, but they were so bright, that I had to look away.

First we sat in the chapel in the meeting house next to the temple, which became filled to the brim. A sister missionary spoke for a couple minutes about the tour, then we all watched a video. After that we got up row by row. We were about in the middle.

Everyone had to wear booties to keep the floor clean. There were youth who put them on for us and afterwards to take them off.

This temple has a ton of stairs. Or maybe it seemed that way to me. Since I have spent the last 6 weeks recovering from an abdominal hysterectomy it was not easy. As soon as we were done I had to sit down. My legs hurt, especially in the thighs. After a few minutes we got up and took some pictures.

It was a great night!

Mesa Arizona Temple

Here are some pictures of this beautiful Temple...Mesa Arizona Temple

I always loved the pictures engraved on the outside of the temple. I am thankful for a digital camera to get a closer look.

Poem: THE TEMPLE

There is a special place
I enter in
To help bring celestial life
To all women and men
The place is beautiful,
Divine and sacred
While there I am being
Spiritually fed
I knew I would go there since
I was a small child
To be ready we must be
Humble, meek and mild
Repentant and worthy
With a prayerful mind
Answers to questions,
Personal revelations to find
I have gratitude for the blessings
To able to enter therein
To feel close to our Father
While in there the veil is thin


Written by Kristi Patterson
February 7, 2010