It is quite astonishing how precious something
becomes as soon as it is no longer available at your fingertips where you were
used to having it. I have not had the chance to go through the temple since
leaving for England three months ago. Back home I was able to attend several
times every month; so when I heard it announced in church that our ward was
having a temple excursion (£10 for the coach rental), and
likewise, a little later, upon learning that the Wards also had a trip planned (so
Leah could accompany a sister for her first time through the temple), both
opportunities to be on the same Saturday, I was ecstatic! No sooner had I
jumped for joy (figuratively) when my brain put two and two together and I
realized both of these possibilities were on the same Saturday as a singles
convention (my third) I had signed up for earlier. Boo! I was later raised from
my disappointment when a single sister in our ward, Beate (see Day 91), asked
me in a text if I would like to join her and a couple of other sisters from our
ward to attend the temple during the week. Oh, yes! My feelings were changed
from grief to rapture in a moment!!
Though either of the two
temples, Preston and London, is about equidistant from where we live in Birmingham
(about a 2.5 hour drive), I understand that Preston is our designated temple –
so that was the direction in which we would head. Though I was all ready to go, and waiting
outside in the rain (I had told Beate
I would wait for her on the sidewalk next to the driveway so she could locate
me more easily), she got caught in the slow-moving morning traffic and what
should have taken her 10 minutes ended up taking 30. Finally we were on our
way. First we went to pick up Maureen
(pronounced Moreen), aka Sister Doig from the nursery – the dearest, little Scottish
lady with greyish-white hair. Can you believe that just as we pulled up to her
cul de sac a long tow truck pulling a car out of a driveway had just blocked
the intersection?! I said no problem, just point me in the general direction –
what color is her door? (That seemed to be the defining factor between the
houses.) Went right to the correct house, and soon we were on our way to Jean’s
house. Jean is about my age and very
attractive. Maureen {2 children – son and daughter} and I are widows; Beate {2
sons} and Jean {also with 3 sons} have been divorced. Sadly, none of the
sisters I was with today have children who are active in the church - I am the
only one who can say she enjoys that blessing in her life.
Nice, slow, and peaceful at the temple today - I
understand Saturdays are a bit of a madhouse, for us it was in the middle of the week,
in the middle of the day. Sessions at the Preston temple are once an hour, on
the hour – on Saturdays they begin every 40 minutes. We arrived at 10 minutes
to 12, and can you imagine the ordinance workers waited for the four of us to safely
gather to the chapel before taking the group of eleven sisters and seven
brothers upstairs to the endowment room? In the halls, in the chapel, waiting
to begin the session – all of these places were the quietest I have ever
experienced in a temple – anywhere that I can remember. The peace and
tranquility were palpable. What a gorgeous interior AND exterior the temple
had! I just invite you to join me there, as it is difficult to put words to the
splendor.
In many ways our trip today was perfect – a nice drive
up and back, mostly on the M5 until we got closer to Chorley (easy for me to
say – I wasn’t driving, or having to navigate, our way through the poorly
marked twists and turns of lanes and roundabouts.) We took a ‘stretch your
legs’ break halfway to Chorley; we arrived at the temple 10 minutes before the
session began at noon, and still were able to make that session (with a little
help from our friends!); we went to the distribution center afterwards to
browse (I got a hardback copy of the Book of Mormon for my friend, Byron – you
know the one), and ate our sack lunches in the room next door, set aside for
waiting family members not going into the temple; had another ‘stretch your
legs’ break halfway again, and arrived home through a back way, missing out on
all the potential afternoon traffic snags. From 8:45am till 6:15pm it was a lot
of hours for one temple session. But I don’t have to tell you that it was worth
every minute of it, filled me spiritually till the next time I can go again –
besides which, it was a pleasure. Four middle-aged women with stories to share
– you can well imagine there was some good sharing going on. (I told them about
each of you - just kidding. . . ) The time went fast! (One thing we all agreed upon
was that in today’s world the 60s were the new 40s!)
*[Heaven forbid that the church should name a
temple after the actual city in which it is located! (Obviously said tongue-in-cheek
– but many times it is the truth.) The Preston England temple resides in
Chorley, while the London England temple is located approximately 30 miles
south of London, close to the town of Newchapel, in the county of Surrey
(nearby England’s second busiest airport, Gatwick.) Go to www.ldschurchtemples.com/london
to read a description of its beautiful locale as well as to learn many
interesting historical facts. Such as: did you know in December of 2008, an 8-foot statue of the angel
Moroni was added by helicopter to the 160-foot high spire, the culmination of
the temple's 50-year anniversary?]
Photos_
1- Preston England Temple – Oct 11
2- hedge and flowers near entry
3- temple gardens
4- temple spire through archway
5- Beate wondering if I’m coming, on our way back
to the car after visiting the distribution centre –
I love
the way the trees are trimmed like a crazy tall hedge, separating sections of
the parking
lot
lot
