Things we Take for Granted . . .

The mission home has been in a remodeling stage for the past couple of weeks. This also included our apartment being painted a few weeks ago and us living in a hotel for a week. Today we had a crew here cleaning the mission home and also the mission office. While one of the workers was cleaning in the office, he asked where we were from. I told him Salt Lake City. His eyes got big and he asked, "Have you been the temple there?". I told him yes, that in fact we had been married in the Salt Lake Temple. (We are asked this question each time we are asked where we are from.) I explained to him that there are now 4 temples in the Salt Lake area and that our ward is the new Draper Temple district. After a few more questions about the temple, he asked if I had ever heard the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in person. I again told him that I had, but at the time I couldn't remember when the last time was. I also told him that our home teacher is a member of the choir. I told him about several people in our stake who had been in the choir. Then I told him that my dad's cousin had been a member of the choir for 20 years. He was so excited to hear this. He told me that some day he wants to go to that temple and see the choir. So what is the point of this story? I realized how much I take for granted back home. We have a beautiful temple downtown that people around the world make a special stop in Salt Lake to see. They try to make their trip so that they can also see the Tabernacle Choir preform. How many times do we take the time to go to see the Spoken Word on a Sunday morning with the choir? Or try to get into a General Conference Session? How often do you go to Temple Square with your family to feel the spirit there? How often do you take your family to the visitor centers and teach them about our Savior Jesus Christ and his life? How often do we take the opportunity to attend the temple?

It really hit home today as this young returned missionary from the Philippines was so excited to meet someone who had been to the Salt Lake Temple and had seen the choir preform. Now I admit that it took me a very long time to go to the Spoken Word on a Sunday morning. A few years ago, I was working a convention in downtown Salt Lake that was over the 24th of July. I could have gone home on Saturday evening to spend Sunday with my family, but I knew that I would have wash and cleaning to do at home. Instead, I stayed at the hotel and got up early and walked to the Conference Center for the broadcast. After, I walked over to the Joseph Smith building for Sacrament meeting. As I sat waiting, everyone stood and in walked President Hinckley and President Faust. I was in their home ward! I am thankful that I took that opportunity to hear the choir and I got the bonus of attending church with the Prophet.

The Conference Center

Last summer, our grand- kids were visiting and we took them to Temple Square for Family Home Evening. Our kids always enjoyed a visit to temple square and the grand-kids do too.

They loved looking at the Christus in the visitor center.There was a cut-away model of the temple so that they could see what it looks like inside.

They had their picture taken by a display telling about the Prophet Joseph Smith.And a picture by a picture of our latter day, Prophet Thomas S Monson.
Most of all, we enjoyed spending time with them talking about the gospel and visiting Temple Square! (They were getting tired when this picture was taken . . can you tell??)

So my point today is don't take things for granted. . . enjoy those things that you live close to and share them with those you love . . . .