Utah Temple Tour / Family History Fanaticism

This summer we're trying to take advantage of the semi-ridiculous number of temples in this state we live in, and break me into the temple-going life I'll be living from here on out. Of these 14 temples, 9 (soon to be 11) are in the Wasatch Front, right around us. We really have no excuse to not make it to most of them. It's been a very different experience from what I had growing up in the Portland, OR temple district, an hour away from the temple (and many people were even further!). We only made it up for temple visits a couple times  a year. Here, I drive by at least one temple almost every day! We are so blessed.

This tour has been coupled with a renewal of my Family History fanaticism. I had so much time on my hands, and so much work to do there! I was able to finish a lot before getting busy again with my new job (more in next post), and had so many opportunities to get the work done.

For those of my friends who are completely baffled by LDS Temples, this new video does an amazing job of explaining what they mean to us and what happens inside them. Please please watch it!

Anyway, here's our current progress!

My first trip through the temple to receive my own ordinances was on graduation weekend at the Jordan River Temple. A lot of my then-and-future family as well as some friends were able to go with me, which was amazing!

My next temple trip was to Mesa, AZ for our wedding - which you don't want to hear about again.

Next on the list was Provo, UT. I'd been to this temple a few times to do baptisms before I went through for my own ordinances, so it was especially fun to go behind the desk and learn about the whole rest of the temple I'd been missing out on!

The Provo City Center Temple isn't finished yet, but we still have the opportunity to drive by it every day and see the progress. I'm so excited for there to be two temples in just this one place! We will certainly keep them both busy.

(artist's rendition)

Our next stop was the Oquirrh Mountain Temple for Heidi & Chris's sealing. It was so great to see them in the temple and to be a part of their special day. We ended up missing the reception, but I'm sure we got to all the best parts.

A bit later, we were heading back to the Provo Temple, and discovered that it's closed temporarily. So, we booked it over to the Mount Timpanogos Temple.

For the Walser Family Reunion, we got to go to the Manti, UT Temple. This was one of our first opportunities to get going on some family history work, and it was so amazing to have some of my new family members help me out! It was also wonderful to go to a temple with so much pioneer history - you can feel the spirit of those workers of the past so strongly there.

Our (currently) most recent stop was to the Draper, UT Temple, to finish off the set of three. By that, I'm referring to the three temples in Utah that you can see all together in the same spot - Oquirrh Mountain,  Jordan River, and Draper. From any of them, you can see the other two. We are so blessed to have access to so many temples here! Very different from how it was growing up. It will be hard to change back! At this temple we did a huge pile of work for my ancestors on my Grandma's side - it's great! I have an extended family there along a previously "mysterious" line that I get to keep with me throughout eternity!

Still to check off the list: Salt Lake, Bountiful, Ogden & Brigham City & Logan (maybe on a trip up to / from Oregon?), St. George (next trip to Arizona?) and Monticello (on our next trip to....nowheresville?). With our move and my new job, though, it will probably be a few more trips to Provo, first. Wish us luck!