Temple Open House

We went to the temple open house on Friday morning with Ken's sister Julie and her family. It was so beautiful. The spirit is so strong there. I was emotional right from the start. On our way out of the temple, a woman in our group that I know from homeschooling leaned over and said, "I can't wait until it's dedicated. I just didn't feel the spirit that strong." I looked at her shocked and then decided that maybe I was confused and was instead having another one of my extra emotional hormone moments. A couple minutes later, Justyn came up to me and said, "Mom, that was amazing. I could feel the Holy Ghost so strong. I don't want to leave. I just want to stay here and think about Heavenly Father. I'm really sad that I can't go back inside again until I'm 19 and getting ready to serve my mission but at least I got to come and feel the spirit and now I'm going to work really hard to make sure I'm worthy to come back here as soon as I can." I love it when my children have life changing spiritual moments.

Zach got to work on Saturday putting the foot coverings on and off the feet of those entering and leaving the temple. He enjoyed serving others and being a part of that experience. Our Bishop took him through the temple again with him and his wife. Zach couldn't stop talking about the experience and all the things he saw and talked about with other people but his favorite thing about the whole day was the spirit he felt inside the temple, especially in the Celestial Room. He said he could stay in there forever. Ken has been doing security at the temple and he has really enjoyed that. I got to babysit for Ken's cousin so that she could do a double shift because some people didn't show up to work their shift. I was tired and grouchy and wishing I could be in the temple working instead of home with all these wild kids. Then I rethought it and decided that I, too, was doing my part. Mine was just more behind the scenes and that's okay also.

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Many years ago, I was a new mother and, as I held my firstborn child in my arms, I marveled at the thought that he had recently just left our Heavenly Father's presence. I suddenly felt very inadequate and wondered why I thought I would be qualified to take on the responsibility of teaching and guiding this child back to His presence. I had never served a mission, I didn't know about converting, and my own testimony seemed so small and simple. I was afraid I would be lucky to get myself back to Heaven let alone someone else.

I read a talk in the Ensign called "Our Precious Converts". I'm not sure who wrote it but I remember the message loud and clear as if I read it yesterday. I even remember where I was. We were driving back to Roseburg along a river after a weekend on the Oregon Coast. I can see the road in my head but I don't know which one. Anyways, it said that as parents, our most precious converts to the church would be our own children. We should treat their testimonies as we would any other investigator of our church, not by force but by choice. I remember thinking about the scripture, "If ye should labor all your days and bring save one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father." I looked at this little boy and thought, " 'One soul.' yes, I can do this."

Now I have 6 little investigators of the church and whatever they choose one day, is up to them. I just have to do my part to provide opportunities to teach them, and as these experiences happen, I get to watch as the Holy Ghost touches their hearts and testifies to them of the truthfulness of His gospel. It's not me at all. I just get to be an instrument in God's hands.

And as for my weak little testimony, well, Heavenly Father has a plan for me also. As I do my part for my children, my testimony also grows and, together, one step at a time, we are getting closer to our eternal goal.