I made it to the temple!!

Oh my goodness. This has been an amazing week.

Wednesday September 3rd 2014, I went to the Birmingham Alabama Temple to receive my own endowment.

Now those of you who know me, know that it is rare for me to feel safe somewhere. It doesn't bother me anymore because I've gotten used to that over the years. And this is part of what made my session so special to me.

I received my initiatory ordinance and was feeling very happy and excited. Then Sister Denning and I were led to the endowment room. As we sat there, I was a ball of energy, tapping my foot or bouncing my leg. A couple times Sister Denning had to ask me to stop, I didn't realize I was shaking her seat too.

As the time for the session to start drew nearer, my friends and Alabama family started trickling in. Each of them had a big smile and a hug for me. I could really feel their love. The room was almost filled to capacity when the time came to start the session.

Then the neatest thing happened, within a couple minutes of the session starting such a powerful feeling of safety descended over me. I felt so safe and secure, so calm and at peace. I cherished that feeling and am very much looking forward to going back to do my first proxy endowment session tonight.

As we progressed through the session, I was grateful for the advice of my many Sister missionary friends who all said "Don't try to remember everything, just focus on the Spirit" because that timely advice popped into my mind just as I was starting to feel overwhelmed by all the information being presented. But when I let go of that anxiety and just focused on the feelings, I instantly felt my peace return.

Now, prior to my session (with the help of my endowed friends) I prepared 10 family names to be taken through my endowment session with me, so that I would have at least some family with me as I received my endowment. When I got to the Celestial Room, there were only 2 people in there I knew, (Sister Denning and Sister Hanks) but I could feel the presence of so many others! I know that my family was there celebrating with me.

Then yesterday I had the opportunity to go back and do the sealings for the family members that had been endowed. Their joy was amazing to feel. 6 of the 10 names that were taken through my session were a family, parents and 4 children. I am so grateful I got to help them be sealed for time and all eternity and I look forward to the day when I am able to kneel across the altar from my own eternal companion and be sealed to him for time and all eternity.

Family history with temple work is so important and there really is a different feeling when you are doing work for your own ancestors.