Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House
Chad and I volunteered at the Oquirrh Mountain temple open house last night. We were ushers, standing quietly in the temple, smiling and directing people the right way to walk on the tour.
At our usher training they made a big deal about being silent. There were guides, they give the tour, we just stand and smile and direct people to the right place. Chad and I joked before hand that there was no way we could stand next to each other for four hours and not talk. Well, joke was on us. I was the very first usher on the tour when you walk through the front door and Chad was the very last usher, on the third floor after you leave the sealing rooms, directing people how to get back downstairs. We couldn't have been farther away from one another if we tried.
It was a peaceful evening. There was a long enough break between groups that I could sit for a while, which was nice. I sat in a little waiting room for most of the time, but the I got a little bored, so I moved into the foyer and sat in the window to look out at the view.
I was also in charge of taking a count of visitors with the little clicker and once an hour someone from the historical records group would walk through and get my number and then watch me reset the counter to zero. It was all very official. By my mental count we moved about 400 people through the temple in the 4 hours I was there. That's not too many actually, but this was still pre-official open house, VIP and special invitation tours.
Before our shift started they took us on a tour of the temple. It is unbelievably beautiful. It is decorated in warm beiges, browns, creams and golds. There is a lot of woodwork and original art. The floors are granite and laid so perfectly you can't see the seams between the tiles. The celestial room is pretty small, compared to Jordan River, but really beautiful. There is a huge crystal chandelier, which is pretty impressive. The whole temple is light and bright with big windows everywhere. This is the first temple I've ever been in where the whole front, foyer, waiting rooms, offices are big clear glass windows. It is perched high up on that Daybreak bluff and the view is unbelieveable. You really feel like you are floating above the world. East facing windows take in a view of the valley from Salt Lake almost to Point of the Mountain. You can see all the cities on the valley floor, a breathtaking view of the mountains and perhaps best of all, you can see the other three temples in the valley--Salt Lake, Jordan River, and Draper.
I was sitting there doing my little job last night and since I had no book or scriptures to read, it gave me lots of time to pray and ponder. I've lived in a lot of places. I've been to church in a lot of places. I've been a member of a tiny branch and a huge ward. I've gone to church with my parents in a base chapel, where they hung a drape over the crucifix before sacrament meeting. When we lived in Tokyo we drove 3 hours (more because of the traffic, than the distance) to get to our meetings held in the annex building of the Tokyo temple. All of those experiences taught me that it doesn't really matter where you go to church, as long as when the members of the church gather they have the Spirit and learn about the Savior. When I'm out in the world, I'm always reminded that many members wait their whole lives for a chance to come to Salt Lake. To see all our beautiful buildings and temples, to go to conference in the Conference center, and to walk the grounds of Temple Square.
Last night I was thinking I can see three temples from my front porch. Three! I have a beautiful chapel across the street from my house and walk 2 mins to get to church. I try to be really aware of how lucky I am to live here. To have access to the kinds of resources I have. To be in such a good ward. I hope I'm teaching my girls how lucky they are, because not everyone has the opportunity to do the things they get to do. By the end of the summer, my two little children will have walked through two temples. Unheard of. I love the Lord and the gospel and am grateful for special opportunities like this that remind me of the Lord's blessings.
I had a little, very uneventful job last night. Sit, stand, smile, click but the experience of volunteering in the temple for an open house, I'm pretty sure that was a once in a lifetime chance.
If you live in Utah or will be in Utah between June 1st and August 1st try to take a tour of the new temple. The temple is open for all visitors, you don't have to be LDS (Mormon). It is really worth seeing. I'm conviced it is the best view of the Wasatch Mountain you can find. Tour reservations are available here.
At our usher training they made a big deal about being silent. There were guides, they give the tour, we just stand and smile and direct people to the right place. Chad and I joked before hand that there was no way we could stand next to each other for four hours and not talk. Well, joke was on us. I was the very first usher on the tour when you walk through the front door and Chad was the very last usher, on the third floor after you leave the sealing rooms, directing people how to get back downstairs. We couldn't have been farther away from one another if we tried.
It was a peaceful evening. There was a long enough break between groups that I could sit for a while, which was nice. I sat in a little waiting room for most of the time, but the I got a little bored, so I moved into the foyer and sat in the window to look out at the view.
I was also in charge of taking a count of visitors with the little clicker and once an hour someone from the historical records group would walk through and get my number and then watch me reset the counter to zero. It was all very official. By my mental count we moved about 400 people through the temple in the 4 hours I was there. That's not too many actually, but this was still pre-official open house, VIP and special invitation tours.
Before our shift started they took us on a tour of the temple. It is unbelievably beautiful. It is decorated in warm beiges, browns, creams and golds. There is a lot of woodwork and original art. The floors are granite and laid so perfectly you can't see the seams between the tiles. The celestial room is pretty small, compared to Jordan River, but really beautiful. There is a huge crystal chandelier, which is pretty impressive. The whole temple is light and bright with big windows everywhere. This is the first temple I've ever been in where the whole front, foyer, waiting rooms, offices are big clear glass windows. It is perched high up on that Daybreak bluff and the view is unbelieveable. You really feel like you are floating above the world. East facing windows take in a view of the valley from Salt Lake almost to Point of the Mountain. You can see all the cities on the valley floor, a breathtaking view of the mountains and perhaps best of all, you can see the other three temples in the valley--Salt Lake, Jordan River, and Draper.
I was sitting there doing my little job last night and since I had no book or scriptures to read, it gave me lots of time to pray and ponder. I've lived in a lot of places. I've been to church in a lot of places. I've been a member of a tiny branch and a huge ward. I've gone to church with my parents in a base chapel, where they hung a drape over the crucifix before sacrament meeting. When we lived in Tokyo we drove 3 hours (more because of the traffic, than the distance) to get to our meetings held in the annex building of the Tokyo temple. All of those experiences taught me that it doesn't really matter where you go to church, as long as when the members of the church gather they have the Spirit and learn about the Savior. When I'm out in the world, I'm always reminded that many members wait their whole lives for a chance to come to Salt Lake. To see all our beautiful buildings and temples, to go to conference in the Conference center, and to walk the grounds of Temple Square.
Last night I was thinking I can see three temples from my front porch. Three! I have a beautiful chapel across the street from my house and walk 2 mins to get to church. I try to be really aware of how lucky I am to live here. To have access to the kinds of resources I have. To be in such a good ward. I hope I'm teaching my girls how lucky they are, because not everyone has the opportunity to do the things they get to do. By the end of the summer, my two little children will have walked through two temples. Unheard of. I love the Lord and the gospel and am grateful for special opportunities like this that remind me of the Lord's blessings.
I had a little, very uneventful job last night. Sit, stand, smile, click but the experience of volunteering in the temple for an open house, I'm pretty sure that was a once in a lifetime chance.
If you live in Utah or will be in Utah between June 1st and August 1st try to take a tour of the new temple. The temple is open for all visitors, you don't have to be LDS (Mormon). It is really worth seeing. I'm conviced it is the best view of the Wasatch Mountain you can find. Tour reservations are available here.
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