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| Payson, Utah temple |
As the last activity as a family for graduation weekend, we attended the Payson, Utah LDS temple open house. Temple open houses are an opportunity for people of all faiths and ages to tour the newly built temple before it is dedicated. After being dedicated, a temple is only open to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are living the key precepts of the church. This is not to push out those that are not living worthily, but in the temple we make promises and covenants that require a higher level of commitment and conversion. Only those ready to accept those covenants are permitted to enter after an interview process with local church leaders.
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Landon didn't want to take pictures,
he wanted to hug Claire! |
Payson, Utah, is located about 30 minutes south of Provo along I-15. My brother, Greg, came with us on his way to his summer job in southern California. Landon still talks about going inside the temple with Uncle Greg. We try to take Landon to the temple everywhere we are, but he has to wait outside while we take turns going inside to worship and learn. So going inside was a big deal for Landon! When we first drove up, he immediately noticed the Angel Moroni golden statue that tops every temple. He knew we were at the temple and he was very excited! We first went to an adjoining chapel to watch a movie about temples, then started our tour. Uncle Greg did an awesome job wrangling Landon and we explained to him each room as he entered it. Hannah and Claire have not been to the main parts of the temple yet, just the section having to do with baptisms for the dead, so we explained the rooms to them as well.
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| Thanks, Aunt Net, for the family picture! |
The culmination of the self-guided tour was a discussion about the purpose of the temple that took place in one of the sealing rooms. Sealing rooms are where the highest ordinance and covenants take place in the temple- that of sealing husbands to wives and children to parents for eternity. This allows families to exist in family units forever! What an awesome thought to know that I can be with my family forever! In the sealing room, there are mirrors placed on opposite walls so when you look in them, you can look forward and backwards forever. It represents, among other things, our ancestors and eternal posterity. We were not allowed to take photos inside the temple out of respect for it, but there are pictures of the interior available at
here.
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| Mother and son- we missed you, Austin! |
Visiting the temple open house as a family was a cherished experience. I think many of us had gone to temple open houses throughout our lives, but never all together. The inside of the Payson temple was gorgeous- and had red accents to reflect one aspect of Payson life- apple farming. This temple has more stained glass than any other temple ever built, and in the stained glass various stages of apple blossoms were portrayed. The landscaping around the temple was beautiful and I would recommend anyone living in Utah or passing through to make it a point to attend!
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| Younger sisters all grown up! |
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| SEESTERS |
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| That landscaping though! |
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| I will call this one, "General Conference shot" |
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