That day in Vancouver for the open house was very special for me. It was the first time I had ever walked through a temple and had ever been anywhere besides the baptismal font, chapel, or waiting area. I remember feeling the spirit so strongly in that not-yet dedicated building. I felt the love of my Heavenly Father and Savior and was continually thinking about ordinances, eternal families, what it will be like to make and keep temple covenants, and of Heavenly Father's wondrous plan.At the beginning of the quarter I got to go with my bishop and some of the young single adults in my ward to the Seattle temple for baptisms for the dead. What a great trip! I hope it happens more often. One of these days I'll need to take my camera when I visit the temple.
I recently went down to San Francisco for some externship interviews and was lucky enough to meet Dad there for the weekend. While there we made sure to visit the
Oakland temple. We spend some significant time there patiently waiting to meet up with my cousin who was then serving as a sister missionary in the temple visitor center. Although the weather was pretty gloom (it was rainy and so foggy that we couldn't even see the temple when we pulled into the parking lot right in front of it!), the calm, peaceful feeling of the spirit was still evident. After viewing the "Reflections of Christ" exhibit, we made a few rounds about the temple. The weather had cleared up a little so that the temple was visible. We managed to take a few pictures.
The groundbreaking for the new Gilbert temple was yesterday. I found this blog entry that had great photos and descriptions of the day. I've heard the temple will be finished in about two years... I guess that will be right around the time I graduate:).
