Blessings of the Temple

It was fun to be able to go to Sara and Randy's wedding reception. The decorations were great, and it was fun to see some DC friends again so soon after moving here. I was with Sara in Bell Choir. She is also a lighthouse enthusiast, who likes to play board games. It will be great to have her as a friend in the area. As an added bonus, I was able to bring home some flowers. :-)

The Mesa, Arizona temple was dedicated in 1927 (so it's been around for a while!) Temples are sacred places, and serve a special purpose of performing ordinances that prepare us to live with our Father in Heaven. I have been fortunate to participate in several temple Open Houses. We were living in Germany when the Frankfort, Germany temple was dedicated. We then moved to Las Vegas, where we again were able to participate in the Open House and dedication. Since then I've been able to travel to go to a few other temple Open Houses in San Diego, Bountiful, Nauvoo, and Manhattan. Two new temples have been announced in the Phoenix area. From what I understand, the new temple in Gilbert seems to be progressing well. The temple announced in Northwest Phoenix has faced some opposition, from neighbors worried about the traffic. At Stake Conference last Sunday, our Stake President shared a special perspective. Over the last several years, youth from the Tempe West Stake have taken some of their spring break time to serve the Phoenix community. They went into rougher neighborhoods and picked up trash, worked on the landscaping, painting, or other projects in the community. Our stake president commended the youth for being at the right place at the right time, and doing what they were asked. He remembered one city council member who was particularly touched by the service of the youth, and grateful for the difference they made in his community. That same city council member, was the one who stood up and initiated the vote in favor of the new Phoenix temple. The vote passed. I was touched to hear how selfless service of youth and adults in this area lead to good community relations and helped the temple come to pass.