Elder and Sister Hicks returned to their home in Randers this morning. I know we will be seeing them again on a monthly basis for several months. They are working with people in their area to prepare them to go to the temple. That is what this last trip was about, as well as the upcoming ones.
The temple is such a beautiful place of light and refuge. We have watched with interest the posts about the Gilbert Temple. It looks magnificent. We went to the ground-breaking ceremony a couple of years ago, and have been driving to the site often to see it slowly taking shape. I have two dear friends from the Mesa Temple who have kept me updated, Erin and Ethan have sent pictures and written about their experiences there, Melissa and Derek have been taking pictures and sending us news as well as being tour guides, Derek and Heather have been involved with the open house and 5 of our grandchildren are participating in the cultural event....dancing and singing with (I believe) 16,000 other teens. So it really is near and dear to our hearts.
The Copenhagen Temple right now is near and dear to our hearts as well. We went there today. The moment we enter the front doors, we leave the world outside and drink up the peace and beauty there. It is a small temple, but the design makes it seem spacious. The workers are all kind and pleasant and act as if there is nothing in the world to do except help you ....right there .....and right then.
When we served at the Mesa Temple, we often had people go through in Spanish and sometimes other languages. When I attend here, I wear an "English" tag and wear headphones with English ...except when I am feeling adventurous and then I wing it and listen to it in Danish. There is usually some "Swedish" tags, sometimes "German" or other languages. It makes it very interesting.
SK has encouraged the young ones to be workers there. The four who have become workers are returned missionaries and will be excellent. There will eventually be a few more. I can't imagine there is anything they could do right now to help them be more spiritually grounded than to be in the Lord's house serving others.
We took the bus today to get there. We took bus 9A the longest stretch and then walked to a different bus stop to wait for that bus. We had only an 8-minute wait before the next bus came, but while we were waiting, one of our YSAs pulled up and rolled down his window. He said, "Are you going to the temple?"
"Yes!"
"Get in and I'll give you a ride."
Isn't that fun in a city of one and a half million people?
He was going to the temple also...by himself, just to get a spiritual recharge for his week ahead.
That kind of experiences heartens us because it tells us that he knows where to go for strength. It is akin to the feeling I get when our kids tell us that they have just been to the temple. It gives a sense of peace about them....a sense of confidence in them. Perhaps it is because I know in part what it does for them.
I know what it does for us....and I am grateful to have that temple near.
Temples are wonderful places of refuge. Pray for Sis. Mousseau. She still has not been called - feels bad - and is trying to find out why. Talked to her Stake Pres. today and he said he would look into it and get back to her. L&P
ReplyDeleteI adore that great lady! She will surely be called. I will keep her in my prayers.
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