Temple Tours

The month of October has essentially been dedicated to the new Calgary Temple. Public tours started on Sept 29 and run almost every day through to October 20. On the first evening of the public tours, R and I had the opportunity to be tour hosts for visitors to the temple. In our 8 hour shift (7 hours, if you subtract out an hour of training), we got to take 4 groups through the temple. It was such a lot of fun. R had a bit of a sore throat and wasn't anxious to be the speaker, so I was the tour leader and she brought up the rear, helping us keep together and move smoothly from room to room.

Some of the groups were members of the church and quite familiar with the temple. Some were visitors who were learning about the temple for the first time. Our first tour was a small group (maybe a dozen people) composed mainly of the latter. The first tour was also our first time being inside the temple. I admitted as much to them, and noted my personal excitement at finally going inside. I was totally reliant on the ushers to help direct me along the route, and the only real mistake that I made was to tell the group we were heading into the men's change room when really it was the women's change room. I was quite confused when I saw a sign in the back of the change room that said "Bride's Room", and I straightened out the error when we got back into the hallway.



The tour started on the bottom floor and worked its way upwards. The first time we came to the Celestial Room, I was really touched. It was a great moment for me to spend those few quiet minutes there, and I hope the tour group sensed it as well.

The rest of the tours seemed to just fly by, and despite having run a half-marathon earlier in the day, I felt pretty good. My feet were sore, but the stiffness in my legs didn't set in until the next day. We are really looking forward to our next shift, which will be at the very end of the open house period.



On Thanksgiving Day we took our children to the temple for tours together with R's parents and all the children and grandchildren that were in town (Brad and Katie were visiting, so only Karla was missing). Our children watch for the temple out the car windows whenever we drive somewhere, and they were very excited to finally go inside.



Scott and Hayden went along hand-in-hand, the two little boys squeezing to the front row everywhere we went. The kids were all very well behaved. Although, poor little Adalia was quite uncomfortable, given that she had hurt her arm the evening before and the appointment to see the doctor who diagnosed it as broken wasn't until the afternoon -- that is a separate story altogether.



Afterwards, I asked three of the kids, "What was your favourite thing in the Temple?"
Lacey: The baptism room.
Scott: The marrying room.
Hayden: The marrying room.

Later, as we were driving past the temple to our house--
Scott: Dad, we were right underneath Moroni, right? Up at the top?
Katie: I went inna temple! Inside a temple. It's nice inside a temple.