An Anchor to my Soul

We were fortunate to have our first experiences in the shadow of the temple while still newlyweds. Mark and I were called as the Nursery leaders. Our married student ward met in the church building that was literally only separated from the temple by some playing fields and the parking lot. Every week we would lovingly bring these tender children to the window and point out the noticeable differences from the week before. We wanted our young class members to become as excited as we were about the construction of the Rexburg, Idaho temple. We knew they were old enough to understand the significance of what was happening.

As the temple grew bigger, so did my belly. We welcomed our first little one into our home. She was only about 8 months old, but we brought that baby with us to the temple open house. I will never forget her wonder as she gazed all around the Celestial room with wide eyes. About the time of the dedication, I began carrying our next little one. I was also given one of my most treasured opportunities outside of being a wife and mom---one which has shaped me profoundly. I was called as a temple organist. It was my great privilege to go to the temple every week and help provide music for the temple patrons waiting in the chapel. With my husband's support, I would also stay and do Initiatory each week. I'm not so sure that I would have fallen into a weekly temple attendance schedule without such an invitation. There was so much going on in our lives, especially with our young and growing family, that it probably wouldn't have been on the forefront of my mind.

The temple music coordinator was a saint and worked with me for years. Whenever I was pregnant, I would call her to give her a heads up. If the pregnancy held then I would let her know when I was too pregnant to keep playing and she would fill my spot. I would call her again when my newborn was old enough to stay with Mark and she would rotate me back in again. As we moved to Brigham City, I continued to serve weekly here too until we truly needed me to slip onto a sub list with family commitments. Although I no longer play the organ every week, I still go to the temple most weeks.

Attending the temple like this and in this time and season of my life opened my eyes to see that there are so many ways to worship in the temple. With pregnancy and then nursing new babies for literally years straight of my life, I couldn't usually attend Endowment sessions; however, I could go and do Initiatory or even Sealings. Although my children aren't as young as they used to be, they are still young. I am still busy. There are so many ways that I could potentially be spending my time. However, because of these precious experiences at an impressionable age in my mothering career, I have learned that regular temple attendance can be an anchor to my soul. The temple has become one of only a few constants in my ever-changing and chaotic life.

I am going to be very bold for a moment, but please let me also explain with compassion. As I look around the temple, I don't feel like I see many young mothers. Maybe it is just the time of day that I attend the temple. Maybe you really are there and I just don't bump into you. I want you to understand that I don't say that to sound judge-y. I just know how desperately I needed the temple as a mom of extremely little ones (and how desperately I still need it!). I know it's hard to go to the temple as a mom of young children. For me to be in the temple, it means other things must be left undone. For me to be in the temple, it means someone else must be caring for my young children. I get it and I want to make sure you understand that it isn't my intent to make anybody feel guilty or feel like they must be "failing" as a wife, mom, or person because they don't go to the temple as often as somebody else with different life circumstances or details is able to go! :)

But will you listen to me?

Especially with our Prophet's foresight in offering the challenge to us women... can you take steps of faith forward and go to the temple more earnestly than ever before?

Maybe your regular isn't weekly. Discover what your regular is.

Maybe you honestly don't have the time or the logistics (such as pregnancy or nursing babies or distance from the temple or whatever it may be) to do an Endowment Session. That's fine! What can you do? For locals, if you contact me, I will let you in on my "secret" times when the temple is regularly more slow...but I will only tell a few of you because if we get too many of you coming during "my" times it will probably mean that I will have to wait longer. :)

Seriously consider asking your ministering sisters if you need help with little ones in order to attend. Trade off with a spouse (we did that for years). Swap babysitting with another couple. Get creative...

...and pray! God understands the obstacles you face in order to come to the temple more regularly so ask Him! He knows how to get you there!

Come to the temple! Especially young moms!!!

I don't have all of the answers or profess to understand everything that happens in our beautiful temples, but after almost a decade and a half of regular temple attendance I can promise you that God will bless you for your efforts. God will bless you young mothers with the wisdom to raise your children in this sin sick world. He will help you to feel and to know His love for you. He will teach you about His great plan of happiness and show you the steps that you---personally---must take as you continue on the covenant path back into His presence. The temple will change you. As you write the temple experiences on your heart, you will be able to rise up and face your challenges with confidence knowing that you have an anchor to your soul. God has covenanted with you personally and He will not abandon you, especially in your times of need.

Please don't forget this aspect of President Nelson's challenge! <3 Come to the temple whether you feel young or old...married or single...parents or not! Do all you can to study and learn more about it than ever before. I am here to cheer you on and do all within my power to encourage you and support you. I love you!