Temples

I don't know why, but I have decided to write a post about the temples I have visited. It doesn't necessarily mean I have been inside of them, but I have at least seen them in person.

I suppose I should start with the San Diego Temple. I absolutely love this temple. I went home for a visit when I was in college and drove down for the walk through. I knew right then that I would someday be married in this beautiful temple. I think it is so gorgeous and I am proud to say that on April 9, 1999, my dream came true and I did marry Josh there for Time and All Eternity.

However, before Josh and I got married, I had already taken out my endowments. I was blessed to do that here in the Mesa Arizona Temple. My family came out for my graduation and we did this all in one weekend. I am blessed that the AZ Temple is so close by, and certainly it is the temple I am most familiar with and have visited most often. I love the Arizona Temple.

So now for some temples I have seen but never been inside of. I was extremely fortunate that during college I played softball at ASU. ( I don't admit that very often, so don't be surprised if you didn't know.) But I had a great coach that I think learned a lot about my values and how important they were to me. She understood my frustrations with playing on Sundays and worked hard during my 4 years to get our double-headers to be played on Friday and Saturdays. She knew to bring Sprite and Gatorade to games and events instead of Coke and Pepsi, and she allowed me to attend church when we traveled if it didn't interfere with game time. But one of the things I will be most grateful for, was she always, and I mean always, drove out of her way so I could see the near by temples. So that means we had 3 carpooling vans traveling after games, for me, one person to see the Temple. How cool is that?? I'm not sure the team always enjoyed it, but they never complained. I am grateful for that too. So here are some of those temples I was able to see because of her.

The Oakland California Temple

The Fresno California Temple

The Portland Oregon Temple

The Seattle Washington Temple

The Honolulu Hawaii Temple

The Sydney Australia Temple ------------------------->

Thank you Coach for giving me the opportunity to see many temples I night not have seen otherwise.

Then over the years I have had many experiences because of vacations and road trips to see many other temples. These include:

Boise Idaho

Bountiful Utah

Jordan River Utah

Las Angeles California

Las Vegas Nevada

Manti Utah

Mount Timpanogas Utah

Newport Beach California

Ogden Utah

Orlando Florida

Provo Utah

St. George Utah

Salt Lake City Utah

Snowflake Arizona

Washington D.C.

One I was so sad not to see, and will most likely never see, is the Johannesburg South Africa Temple. In December 1997 we did a safari with most of my family and extended family. We had only a 1/2 day afternoon layover in Johannesburg before we left early in the morning for Kenya and after many phone calls from the hotel, I found out that the temple was closed (It was a Monday) and that it was also 1 1/2 hour taxi ride. I was crushed that I was all the way over there and wouldn't even be able to see the temple.

The temples are so beautiful and amazing, I hope I haven't forgotten any. I hope that before I die I will be able to see many more temples. They are a wonderful blessing for us all to have here on this earth.