". . .The Temple Will Touch Us"

I really enjoyed general conference this weekend. I especially felt the spirit by the speakers (Photo: St. Louis Missouri Temple) who talked about the temple. Some of my favorite quotes came from Gary E. Stevenson. He quoted President Monson when he said,

"As we touch the temple,

the temple will touch us."

I had never heard this quote and I googled it and found it at the Church News Site in reference to the Jordan River Temple dedication. It said, "early in the week, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve suggested deep spiritual meaning in the physical presence of the temple. President Monson recounted the late Elder Matthew Cowley’s story about a grandfather who took his small granddaughter on a birthday visit to the Salt Lake Temple grounds. With permission of the groundskeeper, they walked to the large doors of the temple. He suggested that she place her hand on the temple wall and then on the door, saying tenderly to her, “Remember that this day you touched the temple. One day you will enter this door.” His special gift to his granddaughter was an appreciation for the House of the Lord. Likewise, counseled Elder Monson, “As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us.”

I can remember reading a story some years ago about a little boy taking his little brother to the temple and having him touch it. I was so moved by that story that when we went to see my husband's sister, Donita, get married I had Angie and Jake touch the temple and told them how important the temple is.That day, "the temple truly touched me." I can also recall when I was a young girl, growing up in southern California, on occasion, we would go down to the Los Angeles area, whether it be for shopping or to visit cousins. Sometimes, we would be on the freeway that would pass the temple and my mother would say, "who can see the temple, who can see the temple." My brothers and sister and I would always look and try to pick out the angel Moroni amongst all the many buildings and when we'd see him, I was touched by the presence of the temple.

When we first moved to North Carolina, the closest temple was over 6 hours away in Washington DC. I can remember leaving my young family and going on a bus at 3:00am in the morning for couple of times a year and doing sessions all day Friday and Saturday. It was tiring yet so gratifying. Again, I was touched by the temple.

And then similarly, this past week when I visited the city of St. Louis with my daughter, Angie, we were so busy with finding her an apartment and going to her events that by the end of the trip when I was to take her to the airport, I realized that we didn't get to see the temple. We were visiting my sister-in-law's family in the area and as they told me how to get to the airport, they said we would pass the temple on the way there. My heart was excited. As we drove pass the temple, again, seeing the House of the Lord in it's beautiful, majestic stature, the temple touched me. I could tell, story after story where I felt that same, marvelous feeling but I'd like to tell Gary E. Stevens other quote and that is:

"You're never lost

when you can see the temple"

I pray I will stay close to the temple and always be touched by it. Also to rededicate myself to go more often.