Temple Open House and Dedication

When the Indianapolis Indiana Temple was announced five years ago, I was at work at Wells Fargo. I wasn't able to watch General Conference that morning, but I received lots of texts from family and friends congratulating me on this exciting news for Indiana! It took a while to get going and it wasn't until two years later, right after I moved back to Indiana, that we had the Groundbreaking Ceremony. I had no idea then - and I think I still don't quite understand - what a huge blessing this temple would become in my life.

I've documented the blessings I've received from working on the temple. Even though the completion of the temple meant we would now be able to use it for its intended purpose, it was still bittersweet to see that chapter of my experience with the temple end. The next chapter, though, was just as great!

The open house ran for three weeks at the end of the summer, and it was my privilege to go through the tour with friends and family four different times and to work as a volunteer usher several more times. The excitement and spirit surrounding the open house was palpable and contagious, and I wanted to be a part of it any way I could.

Jaime and I went through when we got back from our trip. Then the next week, I attended with my parents and Tessa and her kids. I lived with them for most of the time I was working on the temple, so it was really fun to go through with the kids and show them what I had been working on. They'd heard so much about it, and it was a special experience to share it with them. They changed the tour process quite a bit throughout the open house, but at this point they still had tour guides who would lead a group through the whole temple, pointing out important features and describing the significance of each room. We were able to work it out so my mom was our tour guide, which was really fun.

Later that week when I was working in the temple, Dominika and Adelina came through with Dominika's mom, Jan, and her friend. One of the best parts about working at the open house was seeing so many familiar faces as they came through. The temple is all about forming and strengthening eternal relationships and it felt like a little preview of what heaven will be like.

Once Isaac was in town, we went again with him so he could give his builder insights. Adelina was not having it that day, though, so she and I hung out outside. But really - how cute are those baby booties?

I just love her.

The day of that tour was my grandma's 84th birthday. It was fun to be with her at the temple - she's been such a faithful part of the Church community here for so long. The heritage of faith passed onto me from her, through my father, blesses my life every day. I'm grateful to her and so many other faithful members of the church who sacrificed so much to build the kingdom here in Indiana, paving the way for the rest of us and making a temple possible.

The night before the dedication was the cultural celebration. My mom and I took all the kids to watch it at the stake center, then Tessa met us at Handel's afterwards for ice cream. It was so much fun. The weather was perfect, the ice cream was delicious, the joy and enthusiasm surrounding the cultural celebration and dedication was invigorating. I love being a member of the church and I love being a Hoosier, and the collision of those two parts of my identity that weekend just made my heart sing. I love living here, and I'm so grateful I was able to be here during such an important time.

A week before the temple dedication, my dad sent me a text with a picture of a ticket to the dedication. His stake president had given him one for him, my mom, and my grandma, and he was so thoughtful and asked for one for me, too. I'd been hoping and praying for the opportunity to be in the temple for the dedication, and my loving Heavenly Father answered my prayer through my loving and thoughtful earthly father. I was able to go with him, my mom, and my grandma. We were seated in one of the sealing rooms. We watched it on the screen, but President Eyring, who dedicated it, and Elder Ballard, who accompanied him, both stuck their heads in for a moment to say hi to us. It was a really special morning, and I will forever cherish the opportunity to share it with my parents and my grandma. I also had several aunts, uncles, and cousins who were there, as well.

Just a week later, I was able to attend the temple as a patron. It felt almost surreal to be in the temple again - so familiar to me from my time working there - but to feel the different spirit and know that the work being done there now is eternal and sacred. I know the temple is God's house on earth and through the ordinances performed there, we receive very real power from our Heavenly Father to follow the Savior's example and find joy and peace now and eternally.