Temples

 

Sometimes I actually miss the summer storms of southern Indiana.  But one of the worst I ever drove through was in August of 2012.

At that time our ward had monthly youth temple trips.  It was a beautiful thing that greatly influenced my older two children for good.

That particular night the carpools left before Colton and Kyrie were out of practice.  George had to work, so I drove them down to Louisville and brought the little girls with us.

We had a lovely visit to the grounds with the girls and I walking around and singing primary songs while the youth were inside.  

I also got some gorgeous photos of the temple against the incoming stormy sky. 

We made the requisite stop at Dairy Queen for ice cream on our way home and it was raining by the time we left. 

Having driven through many storms I wasn't worried, but that soon changed.  It was a massive storm system that quickly became terrifying as I knew it was my responsibility to keep my kids safe. 

At one point on the interstate I could not see more than 10 feet.  It was raining in torrents and debris was blowing and swirling all around us.  We just pulled over and left our hazard lights on and hoped for the best.  

Actually, Ella was screaming, "We are driving in a river!  We are going to die!"  Colton tried to console her.  

There was more lightning than we had ever seen and Kyrie was very nervous about that since she was at the school when a softball player had been struck the previous year.  

I was hoping the van wouldn't blow over.  

Alex fearfully exclaimed, "This lightning isn't just flashes.  You can see the actual electricity like in pictures."  Then she asked, "Do you think Jesus is coming back?  I read in my scriptures about storms like this!"  

We said plenty of prayers and then Ella said, "Please can we go back to the temple? It was safe there."

We made it home safe and sound.  But what a contrast to leave the peace and beauty of the temple and enter the storms of the world.  

As President Thomas S Monson so wisely stated, "As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart. We will grasp the true meaning of the words of the Savior when He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. … Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”"

And President Nelson prophetically promised, "The safest place to live your life is inside your own temple covenants."

I hope that my children always remember that desire to return to the temple often and whenever the storms of life hit.