Arizona Week 38 - Dedication

Hey everyone,

The main event of this week was the dedication of the Gilbert Arizona Temple. In preparation for the event, every ward in our stake was assigned a portion of the stake center to clean. The wards we work with were in charge of the chapel and the cultural hall. Yes, the two biggest jobs. We mostly helped with the chapel. It was really neat to see how well everyone was able to come together and work to fulfill this task. In helping with this, I was able to get some new experiences that will likely never happen again. So, inside the chapel on the sides is a ledge type thing with lights in it. You can't ordinarily see on top of the ledge. Boy, let me tell you that dust collects up there. Let me also tell you that it is a might higher off the ground than it appears. I had to stand up on top of that ledge and clean the vents of the heating and AC ducts. Those were really dusty too. It was a very detailed cleaning. Many nooks and crannies that I didn't know existed got cleaned. It was very well worth it though.

The next morning, we went to view the dedication of the temple and the Spirit was felt throughout. During these dedication events, the chapels where we view the proceedings in are basically extensions of the temple. This is why it was so important to have such a thorough cleaning. 

The dedication was a beautiful event. The choirs that sang and the people that spoke did wonderfully in inviting the Spirit of the Lord into the temple. An address was given about how fortunate we are to have temples so accessible to us. A story was told about a bus load of people that had come from Guatemala to the Mesa Temple because it was the nearest one at the time. The sacrifices they made to be there were testaments of their faith and dedication in following Christ. It makes me sad that there are people who CAN go to the temple often but DON'T. I hope that one day everyone can realize the blessings of the temple and have the resolve to go there often. It is the place where we can be nearest to God and why would that not be the greatest desire of our hearts. I love the temple, and I love every opportunity I get to be there. It is a privilege and a blessing that should be more present in our lives. I love you all and I hope that things go well in your lives.

Elder Kirk