Flowers at Our Temple Square

A few days ago our family got the opportunity to do something that impacted me much more than I thought it would when I originally heard about it.  The two Bismarck wards have the responsibility of watching over the temple grounds, and every Spring all the ward members come out for a big service project to put all of the temple flowers in.  Of course our family wanted to be there to help, but I could not have anticipated the spirit that would be there as well.  It was the strangest feeling really, as we have planted flowers countless times.  Never; however, have we planted flowers for the House of the Lord, and His smile of approval reigned down on us, and everyone else there as well.  Everyone was so happy and helpful.  I think it's what you call---of one heart and of one mind.

The work went fast, and when it was all done, the best feeling came over us.  This was our temple.  Our little piece of heaven in a world gone astray.  Our little shelter from the storms that lie ahead.  We felt some ownership of it in that moment.  Albeit, it was joint ownership, but that seemed to make it all the better.  

The kids smiled as we started to walk back to the car.  Then, as we passed the temple doors and the kids saw the temple Presidency and Matron standing inside the doors waving to them, they simple grinned.  We could hardly pull Emma away from the door.  She couldn't believe how beautiful the women looked in their white temple dresses.  A light came alive in her eyes that I hope will never dim.  In that moment, I could tell all that she wanted was to enter that house and dress up in white like those lovely women.  It may have been ill motivated, but I hope that moment will never slip from her mind.  Oh how grateful I am for our little temple!  Four minutes from our rental house to the temple doors, and three from our new house.  Even better, our new house is on the opposite hill from the temple so that all of our back windows have a perfect temple view.  I am going to put an inscription from the Bismarck Temple dedication above some of these windows--"You are Never Lost When You Can See the Temple."  You are never lost when you can see the temple, and I'm glad ours is almost always in view!