The Best 40 Years.

So.... I've been hounded on for not blogging in a million days, so I better do it now.

The thing I want to blog about is: the marvelous Salt Lake Temple, and Temple Square.
I absolutely love Temple Square! I love it on a normal day, but it's especially gorgeous during the winter season when it's all lit up. I have some pretty great memories of this place from last year and a trip with a special friend of mine, but this year I made new memories!

I got to go three times in one week! It was the week before finals, and I was way stressed out, but I am privileged enough to live not too far from the city, so I got to go. It was exactly what I needed..

The first night I went with my ward for FHE. Our ward piled onto the Front Runner and rode down... that was an entertaining ride. We played card games and I really love Alyssa, Brittani, and Leah! :) The four of us walked around and had a great time.

The next time I went was more personal. I went with my friend Abram.. he wasn't able to come with us for FHE and he really wanted to go, so I told him I would go with him on the weekend. Before we walked around and saw the lights we went to the Joseph Smith movie. I hadn't ever seen it before, and I can say my view of the world was differently after watching the hardships the early saints went through. I love them all so much, and I commend them for their faith.

The last time I went was the Sunday before I went home. Boy was it ever entertaining! :) There was some pretty "dense" fog in Utah that night, and the drive down was something of a treat. ;) I helped Kathryn study for a microbiology test she needed to take, and I was laughing because I couldn't pronounce half the words. She's a smarty though, so she knew what I meant...
I met some boys that my girl's work with at Papa Murphey's.. named Gage and Derek.. they were hilarious and I just laughed. Turns out the temple is AMAZING when it's foggy and I was so happy this fog rolled around. It was totally worth it.

The strangest thing happened while we were in front of the reflection pool. I was taking a picture and I turned around and I saw a familiar face... but you know when you see someone you think you know, but it's been a long time so you aren't for sure if it was them or not? Well that's what happened to me, and then it registered in my brain that it was my old bishop's wife. It was such a pleasant surprise. I had been praying I would run in to someone I knew on Temple Square... I just needed to feel that little piece of home to get me through exams. This was my answer and the three of us had a good chat... Laura stalked the whole event.

Just after I said goodbye to the Karen's applause came from across the pool, and we looked to see that a couple had just gotten engaged. Laura freaked out. Seriously. She yelled congratulations across the way, and then we ran into them again in front of the temple where she again congratulated them. Total strangers. We judged her a little bit.... but she congratulated them like 8 times. Then, we decided to have our own engagement... so Kels and I got down on one knee and asked Laura for her hand in marriage.. it was quite the moment.

As fun as the trips were to Temple Square, they held something special for me too. I love this gospel, and it's always a testimony to me to know that sacred work goes on inside of these buildings. So much effort went into the building of this particular temple, and I'm grateful that I can live worthily to enter its walls. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, I know He lives, and that He is always there to 'comfort me when faint.' He is a man of miracles, and I look forward with eagerness to the day when He comes again and I can meet Him.