Temples are special places in our religion.

Places where you go when you need help remembering what life is all about (for me, at least). And where you have the opportunity to make special covenants with God.

Oh, and they’re pretty special places where you can get married too:)

Anyway, one of the oldest temples is close to us here in the desert. It was the seventh temple ever built.

It’s the temple where many of Dave’s siblings were married, and I love the architecture.

Anyway, it recently got a little (actually quite big) makeover to update things and to take special care.

And when they do that with a temple, they have an “open house” when it’s ready to re-open.

I LOVE that they do this because it gives everyone a chance to go through it and see what temples are all about. No temple recommend required, thousands of people from all walks of life come to take a look and see what these “crazy Mormons” are like. Ha!

Even though this isn’t the temple we normally go to, I got to volunteer at the open house. I also got to visit with my parents when they were in town. Dave’s sister and brother-in-law had a big role in the whole open house organization and they did such a great job. So fun to hear all the details from them. And most of Dave’s family had the opportunity to volunteer there as well. BUT, near the end of the open house period (It lasts a couple months), the girls and Dave still hadn’t been.

So, we packed up and headed over one sunny Fall afternoon.

This next picture is from when I went before, but it gives a better idea of what the front looks like:

Isn’t it so pretty?

(That shade structure was just to help with the sun when hundreds of people were waiting in line to go in.)

And before you go in, you put on those little white booties down below:

(Just during the open house to keep it nice with the crowds of people who came through.)

I loved being with these people in that sacred place, having the opportunity to explain some things to those girls of mine.

Love the reflection in the water:

We visited the new visitor’s center, and I LOVED that my friend Rose Datoc Dall‘s art is filling up the walls there:

My claim to fame is that I took art classes from her when I was her neighbor when we lived in Virginia. Ha! But really, she is SO GOOD!

Love this little family of mine and that special day to be at the temple together.

Home through a gorgeous sunset.

Other posts about temples:

Max’s first temple experience

Elle’s first temple experience

Grace’s first temple experience

Max’s wedding

Elle’s sealing

Twenty-six years ago

LDS Temples

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4 Comments

  1. I have Rose’s painting “Loaves and Fishes” hanging just inside my front door. I get to look at it all day as I walk around my house, and it makes me happy every day. She is an amazingly gifted artist.

  2. I remember going to the Preston UK open house it was magically and I found so much peace within the house of the lord.

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