These past few weeks have been wonderful. We worked at the temple Saturday morning and I continue to learn and grow the depth of my understanding. Then Tuesday we went to the temple baptisms with our ward. Then again Saturday I invited my quorum (the Priests) to join me in a temple trip. We had 7 of them come join me and serve in the temple baptistery. Each of them that wanted to had the opportunity to not just get baptized for their family file names but also to baptize others at the session and one of their peers.
But, the purpose of the journal entry:
On Tuesday Val and I drove from work directly to the temple. What a joy to travel that time together. We even dropped off a package for Elder Christensen who had been transferred while we were in Utah meeting his family in Hyrum and bringing the package back.
As we went to the temple we took 10 names from the male baptisms to take in that session with us. I figured I could do 5 and give 5 to someone who did not have any names with them. The rest of the names Val had found we saved for the Priests temple trip.
As we waited I found another young man who did not have names and I gave him 5 so we could get the work done and so he could have family file names. Then we went into the baptistery. It was decided that I would really just be a patron so I was able to do the names I had with me. After I watched and been recorder for a while it became my turn. I had watched a young man get baptized by his father, then proceeded to baptize his father, mother and sister. So it was great to have him, as another of the Priests to then baptize me. He was quite worried as I am much bigger than he. But he did wonderful and will always remember baptizing his bishop. As we did the names I instinctively stopped and prepared to exit after the 5 names.
But, the names were not done. There were still two more to do. I was confused but continued and then prepared for confirmation. As they did the names in confirmation it was again more than expected. I asked them to count the names again and they counted seven. So as they recorded the work being done I asked them one last time to count the names. Seven. It was then that I declared to all present, and with firm belief that there were at least two that had really needed their work done that day. Because I KNOW that I walked into the baptistery with only five names that day. But seven were done. All Scandinavian. It was a miracle of the work that is done in the temple. It’s personal and real. More and more I feel many there as their work is done.
I hope that all of my family will always keep the temple close to their hearts and will choose to serve often in the temple.
3 John 1:4
