Temple Dedication

We had a great weekend participating in the events of the Fort Collins Temple dedication.  It is still a little surreal that we have a temple just 5 minutes down the street.  Can't wait to make some time and do a session there!

We started our Saturday morning by attending Joanna Van Shaar's baptism.  Our kids were crazy but I'm glad we were able to go and show our love for that family.  They were kind to invite Jacob to participate in the circle for the confirmation.  We do love the Van Shaars and appreciate their friendship.

We then spent the rest of the day running errands and making ready the house for Uncle Jim and Aunt Carol's visit.  They were able to get tickets to be in the temple for the dedication on Sunday morning and we were happy to have them stay with us Saturday night through Sunday morning.  They bought us dinner that night which was too kind.  They then went to the cultural celebration while we stayed home and watched it on TV.  We figured with our little kids it would be easier to do that from our home.

So when the time came, we put Nora to bed and then snuggled on our bed with the older boys.  They watched as the youth danced and shared testimony.  It was so fun to be cuddled there sharing treats and talking about the history of the church in this area.  They were also so cute watching President Uchtdorf waving at all the people and shaking hands.  I hope this is something the boys will always remember.  Isaac reported to me yesterday that he was talking with his teacher at recess about watching the cultural celebration.  He was talking about the tornado that hit Windsor in 2008.  I guess his teacher was at the stadium for the cultural celebration.  I'll have to do some investigating and see if she is a member or not.  Our youth did a wonderful job on their dance and singing the "Fortress of Faith" song.  It was all really well done and fun to watch.

Jacob and I were able to attend the temple dedication and corner stone ceremony the following morning.  President Uchtdorf was so personable and funny during the corner stone ceremony.  He talked about how that ceremony is for tradition sake and that it represents that Christ should be the corner stone of our lives and is the corner stone of the gospel.  The sealing of that corner stone is symbolic of the place Christ has in the temple, the gospel and in our lives.  I should take the boys and show them the stone and talk to them about that.  I hope I can make temple attendance a regular event now that it is so close.  I love the temple and I'm excited for it.