I know, I know. It took me until almost the last day of the year to get this one done.
Andrew and I woke up early to make the trip. Before we even left the driveway, Andrew checked to make sure he had his temple recommend. He did. But the problem was it had just expired. so he had to choose to either stay home or come along for the ride anyway. Luckily for me, he came along.
Andrew and I woke up early to make the trip. Before we even left the driveway, Andrew checked to make sure he had his temple recommend. He did. But the problem was it had just expired. so he had to choose to either stay home or come along for the ride anyway. Luckily for me, he came along.
We arrived at 9:35 AM. This is significant because a session had just begun at 9:30 and the next wasn't going to happen until 11:30. No way was I going to make Andrew sit in the car that long. So I instead of taking in an endowment, I did some initiatory work. This small temple only has one room for initiatories, and it was crowded. I felt bad that I hadn't checked the endowment times and then ended up there with others who had made appointments in advance. |
Afterwards, I changed into my whites and went to sit in the celestial room. It was the most peaceful time I have ever spent in a celestial room. Not a single soul was in the room; this had never happened to me in all the years I have been attending. And the room was so quiet. I couldn't even hear any furnace going, though I am sure it must have been. The silence made me think of Douglas and how much he would have loved to film in this room because of the lack of ambient noise.
On the way home, Andrew and I stopped for a snack in a Canadian convenience store before heading to the border. Crossing back into the United States at 11:00 AM was not a pleasant experience. We waited in the long line of cars for an hour and forty minutes before our turn to show our identification at the booth.
But he kept speaking, looking for the correct word to use so I would understand. When he hit upon the word 'recommend,' I immediately knew what he meant. The strangest part of it all was that he wanted to see my recommend. I couldn't refuse, and there would be no reason not to give it to him.
After a moment of inspecting the card, he queried about the signatures. I told him that yes indeed, two people needed to sign the recommend before I would be allowed entrance into the temple. His curiosity satisfied, he let us back into the USA.
I hope not to take so long in 2015 to visit one temple I have never been inside. Look out Boise, you're my next closest!
After a moment of inspecting the card, he queried about the signatures. I told him that yes indeed, two people needed to sign the recommend before I would be allowed entrance into the temple. His curiosity satisfied, he let us back into the USA.
I hope not to take so long in 2015 to visit one temple I have never been inside. Look out Boise, you're my next closest!