Of the Temple

Today was the dedication of the Gila Valley Arizona Temple. Church was cancelled throughout Arizona so we could attend it, via satellite to our stake centers. The dedication was beautiful, as is the temple. We weren't able to go to the open house, so it was nice to see what the inside looked like.

One of the stories President Monson shared in his talk was very powerful to me. Hopefully, I get the details right. He spoke of the time when he went to Tonga to organize the first stake there. He was talking to one of the men who was called to be a high councilor, and he asked if he had been to the temple. He said yes. He then asked if he had been sealed to his wife and children. The man got emotional as he said that he and his wife had 10 children. Because of the cost of making a trip to the temple (the closest being in New Zealand at the time), they were only able to take four of their children with them to be sealed to them. They were, of course, saving money to take the other six to the temple - even if it took his entire life, he said.

I started crying when I heard this! I live 5 minutes away from a temple, and how often do I appreciate it like I'm sure this man did? I can't imagine only being able to be sealed to half of my children!

The story has a happy ending, however. When he got home from Tonga, President Monson told the story of this man to his family one night. One of his teenage daughters was a part of the seminary council at the time, and they decided to have a fundraiser for temple funds for the Polynesian people. They raised enough money for that family to all be sealed, in addition to several others.

I'm so grateful for the temple, and especially for the ability to be sealed together as a family. I'm glad I chose to be married in the temple, so my children are automatically sealed to us. I'm also grateful for the chance to live my life so that I'm worthy of that sealing.