The Last Temple

Monticello Utah Temple

A few years ago, I made a goal to visit every single temple in Utah. And just for the record, there are 16 operating temples and one under construction in the state of Utah:

1. St George
2. Cedar City (under construction)
3. Manti
4. Monticello
5. Vernal
6. Payson
7. Provo City Center
8. Provo
9. Mount Timpanogus
10. Draper
11. Oquirrh Mountain
12. Jordan River
13. Salt Lake
14. Bountiful
15. Ogden
16. Brigham City
17. Logan

This last week, Mom and I took a road trip over to Eastern Utah- Monticello, to be more specific. Why, might you ask? Teeeeeeeemmmmmple trip!

In visiting and attending an endowment session at the Monticello Utah Temple, I completed my goal of visiting every temple in UTAH! Which has been a pretty huge goal. I DID IT!!!

Monticello Utah

Monticello Utah

Monticello Utah

Monticello Utah

Monticello Utah

This was a "tourist-y" goal, but in attending so many temples, it has blessed me in other ways as well.

As I think back to all the times and temples I've attended, I'm grateful. Many I attended because of a doctor's appointment in Salt Lake, passing through on my way home from Logan to Cedar, or just a Saturday afternoon road trip. Especially with doctors appointments, attending the temple has really helped me maintain perspective in the gospel, remember life's purposes and the plan, and feel immense peace amidst life's craziness. It's all REAL. God is real. Our Savior is REAL.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to worship in such sacred buildings. The peace, joy, comfort and love that I've felt throughout my years of temple service is INCOMPARABLE As I face the challenges of the world, and as you think about the challenges you face in the world, the peace that the temple brings makes me stronger so that I can succeed in my endeavors.

It's no secret that I have a love for temples. I love snapping pictures of them, I love driving by them whenever I can. Heck, I drive past the Cedar City Temple almost every day! And I hope you feel that love I have for temples. It because of everything they stand for: peace, comfort, joy, respite in a world of crap, and the great worth of the ordinances performed therein.

Oquirrh Mountain Utah

St George Utah

Draper Utah

Ogden Utah

Oquirrh Mountain Utah

Salt Lake

Payson Utah

----------

So. On Wednesday morning, January 11, Mom and I hit the road! We planned on taking the southern route- down to Lake Powell and Page, through Arizona, and back up through Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, Blanding, and then to Monticello. This route took us an extra hour, but because of weather forecasts, we figured this was our safest best.

We stopped a few times along the way, got some GREAT pictures, saw some amazing sights (Monument Valley is SO. COOL. And soo beautiful!), and pulled into Monticello about 4:30 pm. We had planned to attend an Endowment session the next morning, but looked at the temple schedule and saw that there was a 7:15 pm session. So we checked into our hotel, ordered a pizza, relaxed for an hour or two, and headed to the temple.

Now, let's talk about the temple. Yep, it's small. It was about the same size as the church building next door- and the church building wasn't all that huge! We walked into the temple and the baptistry was right to our left. We saw a youth group there doing baptisms. How great is that? Our endowment session was about 30 people, which seemed a little larger than a usual session there. And the Celestial Room? BEAUTIFUL! Aaah I can't even express fully how beautiful this temple was!

And on a spiritual note- I went into this session with this thought in mind, "Heavenly Father, I'm not looking for any specific answers or any specific guidance tonight. Please help me feel peace and comfort, help me learn what you'd like me to learn, and help me to gain the insight you'd like me to gain." I left the temple with so many new insights and a desire to do better. One thing that stuck out to me is that we are stronger together. As I spend more time with others, especially my family, I can resist the power of the adversary better. We are stronger together.

After Mom and I left the temple, we snapped a few pictures, went and drove around the tiny town of Monticello, got some hot cocoa from the gas station, got pulled over for speeding (but no ticket!), and headed back to the hotel to relax for the rest of the evening.

By the way, our hotel was a block or two away from the temple. WE HAD A TEMPLE VIEW ROOM! It was especially cool at night- the temple was lit up, and stayed lit throughout the night. When I got up at 3 a.m. for my usual bathroom break, I peeked out the window and was able to see the temple lit up. [insert heart eyes here]

The next morning, we woke up, had breakfast, and packed up. We then started the journey back home- again going the southern route. We made a few stops along the way, such as a ruin Mom had gone to a few months before in Blanding and my friend's parents store in Bluff.

My hospice nurse, Ethan, had advised us before the trip to take it easy, and that's just what I did. The adventurist/YOLOist inside of me was screaming. I felt like I let that side of me down- here we are in unexplored Utah (for me) and yet all we did was relax at the hotel- No Four Corners, no Moab, no Arches, etc. etc. And that's okay. It was a perfect trip for me. I feel like sometimes I should try and take advantage of every single opportunity I have to explore, but this time... it was a perfect, easy, fun, happy-go-lucky adventure. And I loved it.

So here are some take-aways from my ramblings today:

1. Don't over-do it.
2. Take time to relax and enjoy the moment.
3. GO TO THE TEMPLE!
4. Sometimes when you go to the temple, just go to enjoy and feel the peace.
5. You will receive the guidance you need if you're ready for it and in the right mindset.
6. The temple is glorious and beautiful and magnificent.
7. The work that happens in the temple is glorious and beautiful and magnificent!
8. God is real.
9. The plan is real.
10. Heavenly answers are real!

Keep running.