Happiness

Back in May I accepted a 5 hour shift at the Gilbert Temple and was set apart to be authorized to do so.  Hooray! I had been wanting to work in the Temple for a very long time! Since 2008. In 2008 I asked the leader of our Church Group if I could work in the Temple. I loved being there so much! He said that I needed to wait until all my kids had left the house. That was going to be a long time as my youngest Asher was TWO at the time. I went home a little disappointed, but understood the meaning behind it (making family a priority). Fast forward 11 years.  Josh and I were attending a large Church meeting for our area (Stake Conference) and I heard the speaker mention that anyone was allowed to work in the Temple now. What did beautiful news did my ears just hear?! I turned to Josh and he knew what I was thinking. I waited a few months to make sure I was really willing to commit to such a time commitment each week and then met with my Bishop to ge...

  My Grandmother Betty and I   This past weekend, my family held a big SURPRISE birthday party for my Grandma's 90th Birthday! We had been planning it since December, so we were all looking forward to it! Luckily it was during Spring Break (and I was 35 weeks along- not 36 so my Dr. gave me the ok to travel), and we were able to attend! Josh had one of his big yearly conferences during Spring Break, so my sweet Mom flew out to Arizona and drove with me to California. It helped a ton! Everyone was coming for the birthday party, so we stayed with my Grandma. She already knew we were planning a party (but she didn't know how big it was) so it was okay that we stayed with her. About 50 people were there- all 4 of her living cousins, two of her children, most of her grandchildren and almost all of her great grandchildren. We played Grandma Betty BINGO and learned more about her life. I read a poem and Grandma herself read a poem about her life (so sweet!). We presented her...

pic via online   And so, last Saturday evening I found myself driving with a friend from the ward and her husband to the location of the Cultural Celebration- Discovery Park in Gilbert. Armed with an umbrella and chair, driving amidst dark, looming clouds and a forecast of rain, we parked in a large dirt parking lot and found our ward prepping for the arrival of President Monson, President Eyring and the start of the performance. They had been there since 1 pm- doing a full dress rehearsal. And as we arrived on the large field- several football fields long and essentially a flood control area- it began to rain. A pretty good amount. It hadn't rained for most of the day and we were not expecting it to. Not really. We opened umbrellas, put on plastic garbage bags as makeshift ponchos (although I have some in my 72 hr kits) and within 5-10 minutes my jeans were soaked through. That was also the time for the 12,000 youth to gather on the field and greet President Monson....

12,000 youth practicing for the Temple Cultural Celebration So, this is THE weekend! The Cultural Celebration and Dedication of the Gilbert Temple. Being 34 weeks pregnant, the Young Women Leaders gave me an out on being a "Captain of 10"- someone who was in charge of 10 youth and had the responsibility of dancing in the performance if one of the Youth was sick that day. And so, while I didn't have to attend all the practices or the Super Saturday (think 15 hr day) practice in the heat last weekend- I did go to most of the practices and learned most of the dances- just for kicks and giggles! It was a blast! Our ward has the biggest Youth Group in the Stake (area)- think 80 youth: yes, 80! I am over the 12 and 13 year olds and we have 16 of them! Yep. There are 2 other leaders besides me over the same age group. And, so for the past two months, the Youth have been prepping and preparing, singing, dancing and doing sign language for the big event. President Mon...

  Last Tuesday Morning, we had the chance, as a family, to go through the Gilbert Temple. The kids got out of school for a little bit and we got to go together. It is so beautiful! The kids especially loved the large stain glass windows, the long flight of stairs going from the baptistry to the sealing rooms, the very, very large chandelier in the Celestial room, the baptistry and the sealing room.  We had a Family Home Evening the night before about the purpose of Temples. I kept chatting about it during the tour and Jonah turned to me and said "Mom, we know!". Elizabeth was excited to see the sealing rooms where people get married and sealed together for time and eternity. She thought there would be an aisle to walk down, but loved the mirrors and the chandeliers in the room. It was great to finally see it completed after two years of waiting (since we moved here!).   Love this broken up waterfall! A lady explained to us that the architect saw t...

Aaron and Sophie Latest Update: Gilbert Temple Open House: Josh's brother Aaron and his daughter Sophie are visiting! When their kids get to the 5th grade (or so) they study the States in school and they get to pick a state to visit (their Dad travels a lot and gets frequent flier miles). Hannah went to Missouri (Maggie chose?) and Sophie chose Arizona! My kids were so surprised- they said that they would have chosen Hawaii. I assured them that she had gone there already. They had a few fun things planned to see and do (the State Capital Building, Botanical Gardens, etc) Oh, and go to the Gilbert Temple Open House! Our family's reservations are for February 12th (they went really fast and that was the date we got!) . Josh couldn't go with them because of a meeting, so I went along! It is GORGEOUS! Seriously, if you live 6 hours or less from here (Mom, Dad!) and want to see one of the most beautiful places, come! Or come when you visit!...

So excited!!

The LDS Church has finally announced a date for the Open House and Dedication of the Gilbert Temple! (This is even better than 5 Cafe Rio Restaurants, In N Outs or IKEAS opening nearby! Ok. It doesn't even compare!). The Gilbert Temple Open House: January 18- February 15, 2014 Anyone and everyone is invited to the Open House. There you will be given a tour of the outside and inside of the Temple. Temples are the most sacred, special places on Earth, where one can feel close to God and feel His Spirit. We are excited to take our kids there, teach them about Temples and have them feel the Spirit that is there to be felt!  When we moved here two years ago, the Temple was in it's beginning stages of construction. It's been neat to see the process of it's growth. As a large group in our Church, we have focused on having better scripture study, daily prayer, weekly Family Home Evening, Service and Missionary Work, to help us personally and as a family ...

   It was a bit sunny! Last year , about this time, I took all 4 kiddos down Higley St. and a good 15 minute drive west to the newly constructed Gilbert Temple (lds.org). They were only half way done with the facade and we grinned and laughed in front of the cold rebar on that sunny day. Since then, they have finished most of the outside of the Temple and have even crowned it with a golden statue of the Prophet Moroni (it happened last May- a sign that it was half way done!). While there is no finish date for the soon-to-be, gorgeous temple we think it may be ready in the Fall! (Anyone can enter and take a free tour right before it's dedicated. These Temples are amazingly beautiful, gorgeous and so, so peaceful. It would be a perfect time for a visit to the Abbotts- just let us know and we'll pencil you in!)  The Angel Moroni  Love the Palm Trees that are already going in! (this is the side of the Temple)  A lot of the decor is patterned ...