Brad took a day off last week and we did two sessions. Brad's dad came with us for one of the sessions and Conner did a baptismal session. Our stake youth did over 140 baptismal names last week all on one day. Pretty amazing!
As I sat in the Celestial Room after my second session I sat and pondered the temple. I remember clearly the day the Columbia River temple was announced and the excitement our whole family felt. We were practically jumping up and down with the rest of the congregation watching General Conference in our stake center. As soon as we found out where the temple was going to be built we decided to have a picnic there beforehand. Our entire family laid out a blanket and ate McDonald's. It was a great day of celebration.
A few months later was the groundbreaking which we missed but we drove over every week or so thereafter to view the progress of the temple. We found an excellent place to park the car on the street above the temple It was a fantastic view. As they were doing the foundation of the temple we were all invited to put our names on a small temple rock to be placed under the foundation of the temple. We were so excited to be a part of the temple and eagerly wrote our names and submitted them to be placed as part of the temple foundation. We felt we were committing ourselves to supporting the great work of the temple and the gospel. (In later years when we built our home we did the same thing with rocks and with our family - including those names of people not present. We wanted to symbolize our love and support for our family, just as we did for the temple.)
We continued to watch the temple building and were amazed at how quickly the construction went. On the day that Angel Moroni was to be placed on the top of our temple (yes, we thought of it as our temple) we cancelled our events for the day and went and parked our car above the temple. It was a drizzly day but we watched as they unpacked the statue and as the crane hoisted it to the top of the temple. We watched as the workmen stood on scaffolding to attach Angel Moroni. There was quite a crowd below us watching, but we had the best seats in the house, and no crowds.
After that much of our watching dissipated as the construction work was mostly inside the temple. We still continued to come by but not quite as often as there wasn't much to see. We were still very excited though. One evening I received a phone call from our bishop looking for someone to help put together the chandelier in one of the sealing rooms. Boy did I jump fast. I was there in a heartbeat. I stood on a ladder (dressed in church clothes) as those below followed the instructions and handed me the proper crystals to hang in each location. We wore special white gloves which I still treasure. The results were stunning. I have always loved this room ever since and peek in whenever I go by. Three of my daughters were married for time and all eternity in "my room."
A few days later the chandelier for the Celestial Room was going to be put together and Brad had the opportunity to help with that. He didn't have to climb a ladder, they lowered it down to those doing the installation. Brad still thinks of this chandelier as his. Our friends had the opportunity to put together one of the sconces in the Celestial Room and whenever I walk by I think of the Yarbrough's.
In the mean time, Michael graduated from high school and went off to BYU. What a tragedy - he would be missing out on the Open House of our family's temple. That was not to be. We bought him an airplane ticket for the last weekend of the Open House and he was able to participate in that event with our family. A quick trip, but he made it nonetheless. A few weeks later was the dedication of our temple. We flew Michael home for this as well. This is our temple, he can't miss out.
On the morning of the dedication, November 18, 2001, our family went to the placing of the cornerstone on the temple ground. One of Michael's friend's, Zach Nelson, was in the youth choir that sang that morning. Even though the morning was a little chilly, it was still beautiful. And President Hinckley waved his cane at us. The mortar was put into place and we all went home to return a few hours later for the temple dedication.
For the temple dedication we were privileged to have seats in "my sealing room." It was one of the most spiritual times in our family's life. All the waiting and watching the temple being built was worth it. We bought special handkerchiefs for the Hosanna Shout which I still hold dear.
All this and more I thought about as I sat in the temple last week. How much I love my family. How grateful I am that we are sealed together for time and all eternity. How much I love the gospel and the blessings I have received as I have studied and learned and served and experienced. I wouldn't give it up for the world. It means everything to me.
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