Road Trip - Day 8 (Frankfurt LDS Temple)

After nearly 6 hours in the car this morning (thanks to a few road delays) we arrived at the Frankfurt temple. Thankfully, we had followed an impression we had to cut out an additional stop we were going to make or we would not have made it to the temple in time to do a session each. 

the gorgeous view during the drive

The kids were pretty excited to arrive and so were we. We checked into our room on the grounds and I rushed off for a session at the temple while Jason unloaded the car and organized the room. Unfortunately, we could not find someone to watch the kids so that Jason and I could attend a temple session together but it turned out quite nice for the kids to each have time with each of us on the temple grounds. I miss living closer to a temple. We were certainly spoiled when we lived in The Netherlands with a temple only a 20 minute drive away as it made frequent trips to the temple a lot easier to organize. Though I suppose ‘close’ is relative as I know there are still many people in the world who must drive further than we must in order to visit a temple. No matter how long the drive though, I always feel a deep sense of gratitude as I step inside the temple doors and the comfort of the temple washes over me. I love the temple. It has been the setting for many important life decisions, inspiration and guidance. It is where Jason and I were married; where we began building our family on an eternal foundation. I am grateful for the blessings of the temple and eternally grateful for the restoration of the gospel that has made priesthood authority and temples possible to bless our lives. Today was certainly no exception for insights gained and I felt a deep yearning to have my other half there with me to discuss the things I learned. I suppose it is only natural, while sitting within the walls of the temple, to yearn to be with my eternal companion and our children. It certainly strengthened my resolve to teach our children the gospel so that we can be together forever. As I walked out of the temple doors, I walked out with a deeper dedication to my Savior, to my family and to seeking God’s will for me and our family and following after it. And I walked out to big smiles on the faces of my family waiting outside for me. I love this magnificently crazy bunch. They’re awesome.

As luck would have it, I actually got to use my poor German skills to help out a girl in the temple who was visiting Germany with her husband. Yay! We enjoyed talking with them both outside the temple after the session.

Then it was time for us to quickly hurry off to make sure everyone had some dinner and send Jason off for his session at the temple. Then it was my turn to enjoy the stillness of the grounds with the children before sweeping them off to our room and getting them ready for bed. 

And now, with the children having finally drifted off to sleep (after staying awake to see the temple lit up at night time), I get to sit and ponder on the things that I learned while I await Jason’s arrival from the temple session that he was able to attend. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow; we’re going to go listen to a prophet’s voice – President Thomas S Monson. There has been a countdown in our home leading to tomorrow and a certain little boy who has been praying that we will have President Monson over for dinner. I love the sweetness of a child’s love for the gospel. And, who knows, it could happen one day.  (he even asked if we could invite Heavenly Father and Jesus for dinner so that President Monson would definitely come.)