Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Whitney Whitney Blog Swap

Hey guys! It's blog swap time! This where I take over my friend Whitney's blog, and she takes over mine! After you finish this post, check out my post at The Life of a Mormon Teen!



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Hey everyone! I’m the other Whitney, the author of The Life of a Mormon Teen! Whitney and I are doing a little blog swap! Be sure to visit my blog for her post! 

Today the youth in my ward had a temple trip. Because the temple is two and half hours away, we only get to go twice a year, usually. The temple is my favorite place. Ever. Hands down. For real. I love how incredibly strong the Spirit is each time I go there. I love feeling how the veil is so much thinner. I love the serenity of people lovingly speaking softly so that the Holy Ghost may richly abide in that hallowed house. In short, I love everything about the temple. 

I remember a couple years ago I was at the temple with the youth and realized something really important- I realized that I was home. Home in the house of the Lord. I remember the significance sinking into my soul, deepening my understanding and love of the temple. I was in awe that for just a few hours, I could literally be in heaven on earth. I could be back in my Father’s presence, almost. I remember touching the walls, staring at the ceiling and chandeliers, and feeling that enveloping sense of peace as I repeated over and over in my head, “I am home. I am home. I’m at home”. It was beautiful.
My grandfather gave me some sound counsel which I shall never forget a few days before I embarked to the temple for the first time at age twelve. He said, “One of the first times your mom saw your dad was at a young single adult temple trip. That is the best place to find worthy young men with whom to spend your time, and eventually, one with whom you will spend eternity. Choose to date young men who you can go on temple trips with, because you know they live their lives worthy of the house of the Lord”.  Seriously. How wise is that? This advice has stuck with me, and will stay with me forever. I plan on telling my future kids this.
Setting the temple as our goal is so essential. Prophets counsel us to keep our eyes on the temple at almost every general conference. The temple ordinances are the keys to exaltation and eternal happiness. I have something really cool I want to tell you about that- a really cool way to visualize that goal. So, I was in the Nauvoo temple two years ago with the youth in my ward. We were finishing up and waiting on a few slow pokes, but the temple workers needed to move those of us who were finished from the chapel area of the temple to a different waiting spot because another group needed to the chapel.  We were moved to a little lounge-type place at the foot of a beautiful spiral staircase. I remember standing at the foot of those stairs wanting more desperately than anything to ascend them and discover what lay beyond the doors above. I recall yearning to learn of and make the covenants which I knew were taking place on the higher floors. I imagined wearing a beautiful white dress, and being led up the stairs by a handsome man in white, my future husband, whoever he may be. At that moment, I knew that I’d allow nothing to stop me from eventually ascending that magnificent spiral staircase. I would not justify any sin nor temptation which would impede my progress there. To me, the spiral staircase in the Nauvoo temple is a very visual and personal reminder of what I can have when I remain righteous and strive to follow my Savior.

Each of us is capable of being worthy of attending the temple. If you aren’t, become so! You will not find greater joy than that of attending the temple. It’ll be the best decision of your life.  I know it’s hard, sometimes, to stay on the straight and narrow, but it’s so worth it! It really is! You’ll have no idea of the joy you’ll find until you try!

So, I’ll see you there?
Whitney

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