Ever since we had Max over four years ago we haven’t been able to get to the temple that often. We don’t live around family to take the kids and it is an all day event driving to the temple. (Sometimes a two day event). I never felt comfortable dumping my kids on someone for that long even if it was to go to the temple.
One of my bishop’s wives made a comment once when a young mother was complaining about how hard it was to go to the temple. She said, “There is a time and a season for everything.” When we lived in Richmond, my parents would meet us in DC to take the kids while we went in. We did it about once a year. Sometimes we would manage a second trip but we felt pretty good about our yearly pilgrimage.
This picture just makes my heart smile.
A few months ago I was talking to a sister at church who has 6 children ages 9 to 0. I mentioned my yearly trips to the temple and she said very non-judgmentally, “You only go to the temple once a year?” I went through my list of excuses and rational reasons for not attending more. She explained that she goes at least four times a year. I responded with, “That’s great that you have your family close by to take the kids.” She said, “They don’t take the kids, we bring them with us and take turns going in and watching the kids.” In that instant I had a flashback of all of the temple trips with my parents. Driving from Long Island down to DC so my parents could go to the temple. Most trips they had to get a hotel. They would take turns going in. As a kid, I loved those trips. Walking the temple grounds, touring DC, spending time with mom and dad.
Suddenly my efforts seemed minimal. Then a couple of weeks later I read an article in the Ensign (our church magazine) about a couple from Hawaii that lived very modestly but would make a trip to their temple every month spending $300 in travel expenses each time they went. They emptied their savings account going to the temple. When the money was gone, the husband got a second job earning an extra $700 per month. Now they had more than enough to go to the temple every month AND bring other people!
Enzo at the visitors’ center.
I want to be more like these faithful people. As I walked through the temple during the short time I was there, I was sad that I couldn’t stay and do more. Time to step it up.
Our stake had planned an entire day for the primary children with movies, tours, lunch, walks, stories, etc. Enzo is not in primary yet so we still had to take turns staying with him. While I went inside Freddy took a ton of pictures of Enzo in various places around the temple grounds as you can see from the pictures above. 
Max was put into a group of 10 kids and two leaders. There were over 200 kids involved which kind of freaked me out leaving him in a chaotic mess of people. But I realized that they really WERE organized. We spied on him for a few minutes before going in to the temple. There he is, the smallest little guy with the red and gray striped sweater.
They took a picture of each child touching the temple, printed them up and framed them for each kid to take home. President Monson the prophet said, “If you touch the temple, the temple will touch you.” 
I want the temple to touch me.
4 comments:
You inspire me.
Im sooooooooooooooooooooooo glad you guys go to go... im so happy for you guys! You guys are so cute!!!! I love and miss you guys!
lotti your pretty! and in shape, more than we can say for 4 out of 6 of our family members, ha! max is dressed as i would imagine a little chilaen would dress, in knitted sweaters lol
You are such a great example to me Eliza. Always have been. I live 15 minutes from the temple and, like you, am trying to be better about going. I love the memories you have of the time you spent with your parents at the temple. You write beautifully by the way.
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