Mesa LDS Temple Open House

Jeff, Danny, Jonas, and I made a quick trip to AZ to attend the Mesa LDS Temple Open House. For the past few years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has fully renovated/remodeled this temple. It has been an ongoing project for the church to restore many of the older temples. This temple was originally built in the 1920s. It was remodeled once before in the 1970s but has recently needed another renovation. This is my temple. I grew up in the shadow of this temple. My grandmother lived across the street from the temple when I was growing up. I would often wander over to the temple grounds to enjoy the peace and beauty I felt there. This is the temple that several generations of ancestors were married in and where my forever began with Jeff. I was so excited to be able to share this with the boys. I was excited to show them where our forever story began. We flew down on Thursday afternoon (11/11). By the time we got there, it was dinner time. We met up with everyone at Joe's BBQ (one of the places I try to go every time I visit) then just went back to my parents' house for the evening. Friday (11/12) was the day of the open house; however, our ticket time wasn't until 4:00 that afternoon so we had some time to kill in the morning. We decided to go to Golfland for a few hours. We played miniature golf, raced go carts, did bumper cars and bumper boats, and even played a round of laser tag. I think everyone's favorite was actually the bumper cars (although I always really enjoy a round of mini golf). This was Jonas's first time playing mini golf. He did a great job!

Finally, the time came for the open house. Nichole and Kate met us at Mom and Dad's house, but we had to wait for Michael and Jackie once we got to the temple. While we were waiting, we explored the new visitor's center. There were quite a few interactive exhibits that all of the kids enjoyed. (There was even this "swing" outside that the kids twirled themselves around on...over and over again! Just watching them made me sick, but they were all laughing and having fun...even Jackie.) Once Michael and Jackie made it, we headed inside the temple. We were escorted through the temple. There was a route that everyone followed. Sometimes I just wanted to slow down a linger a bit or take the time to allow Jonas and Danny to soak in what they were experiencing, but the escorts kept a pretty consistent flow. Still, I was able to have brief moments with the boys as I expressed to them my love for this holy edifice and what goes on inside. Jonas really liked the baptismal font. Afterwards, we grabbed a few pictures, indulged in some ice cream near the visitor's center, then went out for dinner. (Dessert before dinner is always a plus!) 

That evening, the boys spent the night at Nichole's house and jumped in the pool. Crazies! Yes...it was in the upper 80s while we were there, but the water does get colder in the "fall" in AZ. They didn't last long, but Jonas was super excited to be back in the water. The next day, we flew home. That was it. It was a quick trip...but definitely worth it! I know this temple doesn't hold the same meaning for the boys as it does for Jeff and I, but I hope they felt something. I hope they can sense the holiness of that place (and all temples). I hope they will have a desire to go back one day.

Just like clock work, he fell asleep from take off to touch down.