"I love to see the temple.
I'm going there someday
To feel the Holy Spirit,
To listen and to pray.
For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.
I'll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.
I love to see the temple.
I'll go inside someday.
I'll covenant with my Father;
I'll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place..."
For those that are unfamiliar with the lyrics above, its one of my very favorite primary songs. It is my favorite because I've always loved to gaze upon the temple because of its beauty, but because of its beauty, I've longed to enter the temple from the time I was young. It was an exciting and beautiful moment when I turned 12 and was able to receive my very own temple recommend to do baptisms for the dead. Since then, I've tried my very hardest to go to the temple at least once a month because I knew that it was truly the house of the Lord and I love the peace and comfort that can be found within the temple. However, as I've grown, my desire to truly enter the temple and to make covenants with my Heavenly Father have grown and grown.
From the time I started my papers, I became anxious to enter the temple. However, as time kept creeping by, I became more and more nervous and unsure of whether or not I was truly ready. Despite wonderful leaders and great temple preparation classes, I continued to grow more and more unsure... However, throughout the nerves, my excitement continued to grow, so on the Sunday after I received my mission call, I got my temple recommend. I went through the temple a week and a half later.
Going through the temple was truly the most wonderful experience and was such a testimony builder to me! As the date to go through approached, my nerves became overwhelming. My mind was so unfocused and confused. I fasted and prayed to be clear and calm on the day I went through, and it helped a lot, but there was still just the smallest seed of doubt and fear in the back of my mind. However, as I began to walk into the temple, one of my very best friends, Erica, came out from the baptistery. Now for those of you who don't know me, Erica was my roommate the year before and she means an awful lot to me. She does not live in the Salt Lake valley so it was a complete coincidence that she even was at that very temple. And to top it all off, she didn't know that I was going through the temple that day, let alone that time or that temple. And she is one of my very biggest supporters. (And she gives amazing hugs!) So seeing her for just a moment, and being able to receive a hug from her calmed everything inside of me. I know that this was the Lord's way of answering my prayers.
And that was just the very beginning!! Because of the sacredness of the covenants I made within the temple, I can't fully explain how wonderful it was. But, I can tell you that it was truly the most wonderful spiritual experience I've ever had. I know that the temple is truly the house of the Lord and I am so very grateful that I have prepared myself and kept myself worthy to enter the temple. I know that it is already blessing my life, and that it will continue to bless me throughout my lifetime and for all of eternity.
