Getting to the Temple- Guest Post!

I am so excited to introduce you all to Whitney from the amazing blog, Feel my Sunlight! She is such an amazing blogger and her blog is so inspiring! She has an awesome style of writing and design. Just see for yourself! Go check out her blog- you won't be disappointed!! 

So without further ado......(drumroll please!)... 

Over to Whitney! 

---------------------------------

I usually open my blog posts with something similar to the words "HI FRIENDS!" But being the fact that none of you know who I am calls for a different introduction.

HI STRANGERS!

I'm Whitney. People call my anything from WhitneySue, to White Rice, to Sister Reid, to WhitAnnie, but you can call me Whit.

I'm the author of the blogfeelmysunlight.blogspot.com

What I want to write about pertains greatly to this picture.

This is a picture I took of the Bountiful Temple. Now I know what you're thinking... Why would this 17 year old girl want to talk about how awesome the temple is? Well, it's because I love the temple.  

I have had 3 experiences recently that all made realize just how important the temple is.                The first was a conversation I had on Monday with a 4 year old. I always wear my Young Womens Medallion, which is a necklace with a picture of the Salt Lake Temple on it. This particular little girl loves this necklace and she always tells me how pretty it is. On Monday she was touching it while she told me about how she wanted to get one when she was bigger. She also told me about how she was so excited to go to the temple someday.

 

This little girl is only 4 and she already knows how important the temple is. My desire is to become like the 4 year old in my love for the temple.

My second experience comes from the observation of another person's testimony. I have always put "worthy priesthood holder" on my list of things that I want in a husband. This requirement was among other words like "fun", and "attractive" on those lists we always made as young women and little kids. It has always been an important thing to me, but it wasn't until I heard the testimony of a particular young man and saw his example as he lived his testimony, that I realized that I would settle for nothing less than a temple marriage.

My third experience is something much less sweet. Several months ago I was on my way to the Bountiful to do baptisms for the dead with one of my good friends. On the slick icy freeway that dark Tuesday morning we unfortunately hit black ice. 

 

You know that song by Carrie Underwood called "Jesus Take the Wheel"? This was very much a moment like that, except for the fact that when my car came to a stop it was because we had run into the cement barricade on the side of the road. This isn't one of those stories where we all walked away unhurt, but I am so happy to say that this is one of those stories where we all walked away.

Now why would I tell you this? 

Because although getting to the temple may be incredibly difficult and trying, it will bring the greatest reward we have ever known. Getting to the temple takes great preparation, It can be for some a great sacrifice of time and money. For others it may be difficult repentance that is required.

There are many icy paths that can stop us from getting to the temple that we must avoid. And if we do by chance slip on one of these paths, we must get back on the correct road as fast as we can, because the reward that comes from being worthy and attending the temple is greater than any other reward known to mankind. 

President Brigham Young spoke of the temple endowment saying that

"Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being able to give them the key words, the signals, and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell."

Our reward from being worthy and attending the temple is eternal exaltation. The temple is more than advisable or desirable, it is crucial to each of us. If we do these things we get to live with God, in God's glory, forever.

And that to me that all the reason more than enough reason to avoid the patches of ice that would stop me from getting there.

-Whit