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| Payson Utah Temple |
Those who are really familiar with the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints will know that there are two basic types buildings
for the Church. There are chapels and there are temples. For those of you not
familiar with the difference, I would say quickly, that a chapel is where
Sunday meetings and other social gatherings happen daily. All are welcome there
for any meeting. However, the temple is where members of the church, who are
following the teachings and principles of the gospel go to make covenants with
God. It is a place of peace, reflection and learning.
To say that I love to go to the temple is an understatement.
I like the chance to spend time in a quiet, beautiful building to reflect on my
life and how much I have been blessed with. Now, temples, once dedicated as
such, are only open to those with a ‘recommend’ (similar to an LDS version of
an ID). But every once in a while a new temple will be completed and for
several weeks before it is dedicated officially, the temple is open to the
general public to tour and see all of the rooms and learn what ordinances happen
there—like the ability to be married for time and all eternity, not just ‘till
death. These sacred ordinances are the pinnacle of worship for a Latter-day
Saint.
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| Provo Utah Temple (right next to my work) |
There are some iconic temples around the world that people have come to know and recognize, Sand Diego, Washington, DC, La'ie, Hawaii, and of course the temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. The newest temples completed are the Indianapolis, Indiana
and the Payson, Utah temples. Now we live in Utah again we made arrangements to
go to the Payson, Utah Temple open house. It is gorgeous inside. Dark wood banisters
and door frames juxtapose white and cream walls. Colorful stain glass windows
and rich colored furniture adorn the immaculate rooms. I like how each temple
has a theme that is carried out in the decorations, the lighting, and the
rooms. Payson’s theme was nature. Flowers, leaves and original nature landscape
paintings were central to the décor.
We were happy to make it into the temple (partially because
it was rainy and then snowy and we, of course, don’t have coats!). As we walked
through the tour we were amazed at how peaceful the place was even with the
hundreds of people trailing through. I had a mother with her four small
children behind me and I was touched to hear her explain to her children in
simplified detail so the children could understand her humble testimony of the
importance of temples for the family.
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Tau’aho of course was more interested in the rocks outside
then he was with anything else. People in line with us were joking (they must
not have known I was the dad of this cute little brown child) that he was a
future geologist because he would meticulously look at rock after rock and cast
them off until he found the perfect rock to his tastes. He had two of them in
his hands when we entered the temple and as we were passing the baptismal font
he decided to throw it in! Luckily it hit one of the poles to the railing (what
are the chances of that?) and bounced back onto the tile floor so I could grab
it! Life with a little Lucky Dragon!
We miss Istanbul for sure, but we are so happy that we are
here and close to temples. I find myself singing the children’s hymn, “I love
to see the temple…” in my head often.
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