Draper Temple Open House

This past Tuesday we took the girls to see the Draper Temple during it's open house time. Jacie loves temples and loves to point them out to us when we're driving We also went to Temple Square to see the lights this past Christmas and since then she has been obsessed with wanting to go back and wanting to go inside. We've explained to her that when she is older she can go inside, but until she is 12 she can only see the waiting area or be outside. Imagine her excitement when we told her that there is a new temple that was just built and that we could go inside to see it! She was ecstatic...the whole morning was filled with excitement and on the shuttle ride over she mentioned how she was glad to be going to Heavenly Father's house because "Heavenly Father and Jesus are nice", and glad that Satan wouldn't be there because "he is mean". Driving up to the temple she saw the angel Moroni and quickly exclaimed, "there's Moroni!". Her excitement couldn't be contained...she practically ran through the covered walkways to get inside! I loved her enthusiasm, but I had to keep telling her that although she was excited, she still had to walk with us and show reverence, especially upon entering the temple, but I loved to watch her reaction to the whole experience.
Inside the temple, she had so many questions, "What's this for? What does this sign say? Where is Jesus, I don't see him yet? What's that? Why is this here?" You get the picture! One of my favorite times had to be when she saw the baptismal font and asked what it was and I tried to explain as basically as I could that it was for people to come and do baptisms for those that have passed on or have died without being baptized. I thought that sufficed, but about a minute later she exclaimed with distraught, "I don't want to die when I get baptized." Uh-oh...I quickly tried to figure out how to dispell her justified misunderstanding...I simply told her that she wouldn't have to die to be baptized...that she would be baptized in a church and that nothing bad would happen to her. I hope I didn't say something that will traumatize her or jade her idea of baptism! Looking back at the situation I guess I could've just stated that the baptismal font was a place to get baptized, but I thought she might want to go to a temple when it is her time to be baptized. Isn't hindsight always 20/20?!

We had a wonderful time being in the Temple and feeling the Spirit there...it hasn't been dedicated yet, but there is already a feeling of peace when you enter. The girls enjoyed the experience and especially loved the cookies they had in the chapel after we exited! It was a great day!