I Love to See the Temple

A few weeks ago we had family home evening on the temple grounds. We had a short lesson and scripture thought but mostly we sang. I focused on teaching/reviewing the songs I Love to See the Temple and My Life is a Gift. When I was in the primary presidency several years ago I had put together a booklet to help teach them in primary with pictures that went along with the words.

Nathan now thinks those booklets are his. He packs them around and even requests (or demands) that we use them as part of his "school" every day. I was amazed at how quickly he picked up the first verse to I Love to See the Temple and I was shocked when he started singing the second one without any prompting from me. He must have picked up the second verse while listening to the CD that I put on every morning while they eat breakfast.

At first I was always singing it with him but once he was confident that he had it down he started singing it on his own. It was then that I realized that he has changed the end phrase based on his limited vocabulary. Once I really listened to it I realized the importance of this message that comes from a three year old ( and that I need to be a little more clear when I teach).

It should be: I'll prepare myself while I am young, this is my sacred duty

Nathan sings: I'll repair myself while I am young, this is my sacred beauty

What a great thought!

When we had our evening at the temple we ended our family night with a walk around the grounds. Now Nathan thinks that it should be a daily thing. I had started to drive up there to walk around the temple for exercise (since all of our area is just flat and up there at least 3 sides of the temple are uphill . . . no kidding!) and after our family night Nathan started to get upset when I would go up there alone. Now it is our Sunday afternoon activity to walk around the temple at least once. Not everyone goes up, I leave that choice up to them, but Nathan and I are always there.

Nathan seems to always find something amazing while we are there. The first time it was a little bat stuck on the wall by the front doors. It was curled up sleeping and Nathan insisted it was Stellaluna. The next time it was the humming birds in the flowers. Another time it was a particular plant that he found fascinating. The week he discovered Moroni on the top he found a new hero (the trumpet man on the temple).

On one Sunday it just wasn't working out that we could get there and as I tried to get Nathan ready for bed he refused, insisting that we had to go to the temple. I couldn't deny his request! I don't ever want him to see me set aside the temple for something else. So at 8pm Nathan and I went on our walk. Because it was later than we have ever been there the lights were all on. That was the spectacular thing for that trip. He stood for a minute just looking around and finally said "that is so pretty mom". For me, the wonderful thing that day was holding hands with my three year old who is so willing to learn the gospel, and who is helping me to learn to live the gospel, to have a quiet, peaceful walk encompassed by a warm loving feeling that I know was our Heavenly Father smiling down on two of his children.

I hope Nathan will always have wonderful memories of the temple and will continue to have a strong desire to go there. I feel so blessed to have him in my life to keep me focused on the temple and all it represents at a time in our family when it seems that everyone is going their own direction.