I love to see the temple

Tonight we took the girls to the Oquirrh Mountain temple open house. I wasn't feeling so hot, so I tried to worm my way out of it, but the kids would have none of that. It was written on Grace's calendar and she was going. (She also insisted on wearing a white dress in case we might get a good picture of her for her baptism book.)

I'm glad we made the effort to go. It was a fun family outing. As we pulled up to the temple and got out, Grace looked out over the valley and up and the temple and said "oh yeah, this is definitely where I'm going to get married." Talk about melt my heart--and my headache--I made it through the next hour and didn't even notice my head. It's back now of course, but it was a nice little blessing, so I could enjoy being at the temple with my family and not be distracted by my ever pounding brain.

The girls had a lot more questions than they did when we went to the Draper Open house. Grace kept asking if we were going to see the two mirror room (sealing room). When we went through Draper I tried to get them to have a moment in the sealing room. Show them their eternal reflections in the mirrors. Talk about how we are an eternal family. You know, have a moment, but it wasn't happening. By that point, they were done and they just wanted a cookie. I don't know what was different this time, but we had a moment.

In the sealing room, a couple talks for just a couple of brief minutes to bear their testimonies of the temple. The woman recited a line from the second verse of "I Love to See the Temple." It says:

For the temple is a holy place where we are sealed together,
As a child of God, I've learned this truth,
A family is forever.

I could feel Grace cuddle up tight next to me and lay her head on my shoulder. Ever so quietly she whispered "I love you, mom." I could just feel a sweet spirit wash over me and I know she felt it too. When the couple was finished, they let us sit for a few minutes in the room. I leaned over quietly to Grace and told her how much I loved her. What it meant that we are an eternal family. How proud Heavenly Father is that she has chosen to be baptized and that because she is getting baptized, someday she'll get to come back to the temple. That when she comes back, I'll come with her and we'll learn about Heavenly Father together.

You know, I don't worry about my kids. I mean, I worry they'll get hurt or sick. I worry that they'll drive me to the brink of insanity, but I don't worry about things that really matter. I'm doing my best. I'm doing the best I can to teach them about the gospel and to give them experiences where their little testimonies can grow. I'm trying to teach them to pray and feel the spirit, to know the Lord and to know that He knows them. I have a testimony and I'm trying to show them that. When they grow up and think about me, I want them to remember my testimony.

I am the poster child for imperfection, but I'm trying my best and I know the Lord knows it. I know the Lord keeps His promises. I know He'll bless me and my girls, because I'm trying my best. He will help my children. Guide them back to Him. So I just keep on doing my best, praying mightily and trusting God.

We wrapped up the day with a visit to the "cookie room" as Brynn calls it and got to ride on a golf cart back to our car. We got home and were changing out of our dresses and Grace said "Boy mom, that was fun."

Can't ask for more than that.