The House of the Lord

I am going to copy what I wrote in my journal after going through the Temple for the first time:

"Because I have received my mission call, I was also able to take out my endowments today from the Idaho Falls Temple. What an amazing/unique/overwhelming/spiritual/sacred experience it was! I barely remember anything because there was so much. I will definitely have to go back many many times! One thing I do know is that the temple is the House of the Lord, and the work that is done there is His work. It is very real, very sacred, very important, and very different from anything I have done in Church! The Spirit is so strong and brilliant. I challenge anyone reading this to seek after the special blessings that await inside the Holy Temple. The gospel in more tender and dear to me now that it has ever been. I believe in Christ. I know the atonement is real and necessary for not only our salvation, but also our happiness. I love the Lord and my God, and I am so blessed and excited to live so close to His house - that I may visit it as frequently as I like. I testify of these truths in the Savior's name, Jesus Christ, Amen."

A few weeks later I was able to return to the temple with three of my friends that are also serving missions! It was such an incredible experience, and I am so grateful for the wonderful examples I have in my life.

My Young Women's leaders gave this to me, and I hung it on my wall until it was time to use it for its real purpose! My temple dress.

Grateful for exemplary family members that could go through the temple with me!

Grandma is also one of the exemplary family members! :)

Dad - what a great guy!

So grateful I have such an incredible mother that could be my escort through the temple!

My great friends that are also serving missions! Brandon: Rome, Italy; Graham: Minneapolis, Minnesota; ME!: Ventura, California; Brooke: Lubbock Texas