I hadn't been to the temple in a while, so I decided to go today. It seemed that problem after problem popped up. I injured my hand again, I forgot to check the gas gauge and ran out of gas part way there, traffic was much heavier than normal, and I forgot my recommend. But I finally ended up in a session, and it was definitely the bright point of the week. My heart was touched, and it was a very spiritual experience. Obviously someone didn't want me to go, but I'm very glad that I did.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Last time I went to the Temple I got there just fine. Two other people did too. It is just the other dozen or so who intended to go that had problems. I am so happy when I hear about people attending the Temple in spite of difficulty, because so often people let the stumbling blocks win.
I just have to say...I've never really experienced the 'someone trying to stop me from attending the temple' phenomenon, except once. The night before my wedding day, I woke up at 3 a.m. with a violent flu. My grandfather and dad gave me a blessing, I piled on the makeup, and went anyway. I made it through the sealing and outside before I had to visit the bushes mid-picture taking. Fortunately, no one took any pictures during the 'break.'
I guess the final conclusion is that if that didn't stop me, none of the silly little stuff like flat tires or whatnot is worth it.
Oh how I wish I could go on an impromptu temple trip! We live three hours from the Denver temple. It will not only take lots of planning, but pretty much a complete day to get there. I could kick myself for all the months of my life that I've lived mere minutes away from a temple and not gone.
On a happier note, before we moved this summer, we lived in St. Louis. Our stake president there challenged the entire stake to go to the temple once a week for eight weeks in a row. We did it and what a blessing that was in our lives. We finished the week before we moved, so it couldn't have come at a better time.
Melissa, what direction are you from the Denver temple? I'm about 3 1/2 to 4 hours N of the Denver temple.
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"Look back on our struggle for freedom, trace our present day's strength to its source, and you'll find that man's pathway to glory is strewn with the bones of a horse."
- Anonymous
I'm trying something tomorrow I haven't ever done before... go in the morning on a work day before heading into the office, and without Mrs. Cat Herder (except when the Young Men's Presidency has asked if I can come on Youth baptismal assignments which are in the evening). We have a special Stake Day at the temple tomorrow, and unfortunately our schedules aren't working to where we both can attend, and I hate going without her.
At the smaller temples, you typically can't just show up. We have to call ahead and "reserve" here. In our temple district, there isn't anything like the good old days when Mrs. Cat Herder and I lived in the D.C. temple district which was large enough to easily accomodate all the "casual impromptu" visits that are sooo much more fun logistically...
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
Why is this? My husband hates going without me as well, and I don't understand it. For heaven's sake, you don't even get to sit together until the end (or do you? was it you who said you did?)
I personally have a better experience when I go to the temple alone. If there is no one there that I know, that's one less thing to distract me from what I'm supposed to be thinking about. If I want to stay in the C-room for an hour, there is no one waiting for me.
Yes, Melissa, that's the closest one for us. Poor li'l Wyoming doesn't have the population to have our own temple!
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"Look back on our struggle for freedom, trace our present day's strength to its source, and you'll find that man's pathway to glory is strewn with the bones of a horse."
- Anonymous
I have to report that I did not make it to the temple yesterday. Nevertheless, I would appreciate if any of you are in the vicinity of one today, would you mind putting my oldest son's name on the prayer roll? He is having problems with his heart rate and blood pressure and has been under observation in the ICU at Detroit Children's Hospital since yesterday afternoon. E-mail me for his name.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
I know. It doesn't "feel" the same to me though... I know, that sounds weird (kind of like the feeling some of us have about it being odd to go to the temple without your spouse) . I guess it just doesn't feel like that personal touch thing (particularly when you have relatives that end up calling nearly every temple for "good" measure at the drop of a hat).
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
Talitha, you'll have to wait until next June for me to join you.
-- Edited by Spotted Horse at 14:38, 2006-09-14
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"Look back on our struggle for freedom, trace our present day's strength to its source, and you'll find that man's pathway to glory is strewn with the bones of a horse."
- Anonymous
Spotted, even as a new member of less than a year, you can still go to the temple (of course with the proper recommend) to be a proxy for baptisms and confirmations for the dead. Talk with you Bishop about the possibility! It is a wonderful experience, and though I can't speak for them, I'm sure Talitha and Melissa would be thrilled to work with you in the baptistry.
I've had the privilege many times of serving as a member of the team of MP holders in the baptistry with the youth and new members, and it is the same wonderful Spirit felt as elsewhere in the temple!
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
After three miscarriages, I started going to the temple every week, by myself. Every week I put my wife's name "and Baby" on the prayer roll. I suppose it is a ritual within a ritual for me. I found if I sacrificed early Saturday mornings to the Lord, that the whole family ran better. The kids are actually excited that we go to the temple, there's a strange peace that wasn't there before, and a power that is hard to explain other than that I go. Since I have gone, I've also been able to do a lot of names my mother and father have been doing geneaology for... and there've been a lot of uplifting stories shared among the active members of my family. I feel closer to my parents and a lot of my guilt and feelings of unworthiness because of youthful indiscretions which seemed to never go away during so many times in my life when I've tried my best to "repent" and set things right, now just sorta feel right. The adversary does pretty much anything and everything to keep us out of Holy Places, including bringing crud into our homes. I am grateful to have the Temple so close...
We're one month away from my wife's due date.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
Why is this? My husband hates going without me as well, and I don't understand it. For heaven's sake, you don't even get to sit together until the end (or do you? was it you who said you did?)
I personally have a better experience when I go to the temple alone. If there is no one there that I know, that's one less thing to distract me from what I'm supposed to be thinking about. If I want to stay in the C-room for an hour, there is no one waiting for me.
But then I'm a loner. :shrugs shoulders:
Maybe it's a man thing. I hate going without my wife also. I have done it a couple of times and it just wasn't as enjoyable. Maybe it is the focus of the temple on families that gets me. Every time I'm in an endowment session I think about my wife. If I am in the celestial room, I think about my wife. If she is not there, I miss her terribly. I don't get there as much as I used to before the three kids. Most of the time I am visiting a city on business and go to the temple during the trip. It's just not the same though without my wife. I guess I'm strange.
I don't think it's strange. I just don't understand it. In fact, if anything, I'm the strange one here, since I'm the only one who has expressed this opinion.
Well, Ray, one thing that can be said at this point is that the baby won't miscarry - at this stage I think it's called something else. Next time I'm in the temple I think I'll put your name on the prayer roll. The Denver temple was swamped this Friday. Of course, it was Greeley stake temple day, and we usually swamp the place. In fact, they've asked us to help out on other stake temple days to help bring up the numbers for those stakes. I just wish the the clothing distribution center there had better hours. Usually by the time I get to the temple they're closed. So I ordered online the last time.
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
You're in Greeley stake? I was in Fort Collins when the loveland stake was formed from it and Fort Collins... :) We were in the ward that got split off to join the loveland stake (Timberline). For one week we were in the greeley stake. Hope all is well with you, and thanks for the prayers, we need them to the very end. It's at that point in the pregnancy when you (as a man) realize what you've done to your wife, and how she could die and how... well... you just feel horrible one moment, and hopeful the next.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
What number child is this for you and your wife? I hope all goes well for you here at the end of the pregnancy.
I wish I had the freedom to meet up with my fellow bountifulites at the temple. I'll be lucky if we're able to make it when we next go to Denver. It should be very soon, this week, I think. I'm having an ultrasound there to determine if this baby I'm carrying has Down Syndrome characteristics. I'm just excited at the chance to maybe peek at baby's gender and hopefully get to the temple while we're there. First I have to get an appointment for the ultrasound. They were supposed to call already, guess I need to take matters into my own fingers. (dialing fingers).
It's our fifth, and they've all been C-sections, so I'm really kinda nervous about this. While I wanted more, I had supposed we were done after my fourth, but my sweetheart had a very sacred experience that reaffirmed that she should keep trying. We then had three miscarriages in a row. That was tough. We're hoping all goes well... We just have to make it to October and then it's to term.
I hope all goes well with your own family, Melissa. The prospects of a Down's Syndrome child must be very humbling. I am anxious about the health of this little one coming to our family.
It's very humbling uncertain frightening stuff... to go to the edge of oblivion for these little ones... My four daughters have all assured their mother that they don't want their mother to die and that they love her. I think they sense the gravity of the challenge of bringing life into the world. I have explained to my daughters that when they have a baby they give their life to allow another life into the world. It is a noble and miraculous sacrifice.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
Congrats with the kid Ray. I know those C-sections can be tough. My wife had two out of three C-sections and it is pretty much going to limit us to only one more. She is worried about problems from repeated C-sections on her health. She gets a bad burning sensation even 4 years after the last one once in a while from the nerve damage to the cut tissue. October is just around the corner.
Ray...I didn't realize all your kids were c-sections. I'm going on my third section and like to hear successful stories of multiples. You should have seen my doctor's face when I told her I was thinking of having 5...give or take.
We mostly prayed a lot. I wish I knew an easy answer. You'll hear all sorts of stories about complications... especially regarding scar tissue. Every time we've had one, the doctors have wanted to tie her tubes too, and seem "disappointed" when we tell them "no." Often they make me leave the room, as if I'm forcing her to have all these babies...
This last one, I decided to withdraw my opinion from the picture, and it's been the courage of my wife that's made it this far. Honestly I worry about the physical complications, but I pray a lot. What else can I do?
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
when I hear about people attending the Temple in spite of difficulty, because so often people let the stumbling blocks win. 
