Sometimes it Works Out

Last week in RS our lesson was about temples, based on Elder Scott's last conference talk. The discussion turned to how it's sometimes difficult to get to the temple when it's so close (for those of you who aren't aware, the temple is very close, in our neighborhood, in our ward).

I told a story about a temple trip we took to the Dallas temple back in the day. We had been wanting to get to the temple for months. Every time we set a date, something would come up. Finally we set a date and said that no matter what happened, we would stick to that date and go!

We were to go up on a Friday evening and sleep on Steve and Marnie's floor, leave the kids to play with their cousins Saturday morning while Chris and I attended a session and then drive home. So Friday afternoon Caitlin broke her arm. We wrapped it up, iced it, gave her some tylenol and hit the road. I can't remember if we had an x-ray before we left or not, but we've had enough broken arms to know that we couldn't cast it until the swelling went down anyway. We were careful--it's not like the bone was sticking out or anything! So we went to the temple as planned.

The next Sunday was Fast and Testimony Meeting and Jeff Whatcott stood up and bore his testimony about going to the temple and if you really want to go it works out. He told about wanting to go and it just wasn't happening with his work schedule to get up to Dallas. Next day at work he walked by a conversation where people were deciding who to send to Dallas for a work trip. He volunteered, flew to Dallas and was in the temple by the end of the week. While he talked, my jaw just dropped. He was wrong! It was not easy! Sometimes it really doesn't all come together and work out just because you wanted it. Sometimes the desire is not enough, you have to really work and even struggle for it! I knew that lesson firsthand--Caitlin had a cast on her arm to prove it!

That was all of the story that I told in RS. Most of the sisters laughed, some threatened calls to CPS. Haha, funny story.

In January of this year I went to the temple three times. And then things started coming up again. So, May starts and my desire is great. I automatically write down in my calendar ward temple night, RS temple/lunch day, and Stake "Fill the Temple" day. Busy life is getting in the way again. Chris makes it to ward temple night, I was helping the kids get wherever they needed to be that night. On RS temple day, I got my visiting teaching done--it was the only day we could do it. This past Wednesday was the scheduled "Fill the Temple" day and also clean out my classroom at work day. It was a work day I couldn't miss. I couldn't go to the temple after work because Benj had his talent show audition and in the evening I was helping sew shorts for YW girls camp. I didn't think I was going to be able to get to the temple that day, either. Another month come and gone.

When I got to work, I was overwhelmed, the other teachers had not arrived and I saw all of the toys, cribs, high chairs that had to be packed up. All of the files and supplies-- every cabinet had to be cleaned out. The building is being renovated this summer so the bulletin board had to come down, cubbies, everything off the walls, out of the cabinets, off the floor. Some things packed in boxes for storage, some labeled to go to a different storage room. We even had to remove the electrical outlet covers. The amazing thing is--once we got started we finished in 3 1/2 hours.

I was on my way home when I passed the corner where the temple is and the thought came to me, today is "Fill the Temple" day and I somehow, miraculously, have a free afternoon. I went home, had lunch, changed and was in the temple in a half hour. I was home before the kids got home from school.

I don't know why, but sometimes it works out.

p.s. to Nan: The antique roses are still there around the fountain.