Indy-Ayrika {Indiana Indianapolis Mission}: i love to see the temple.

From a young age, I was taught the song "I Love to See the Temple". I was always excited that I would someday be able to enter into the temple and do temple work. I had my first opportunity to attend the temple when I was 12 years old! I was able to perform baptisms for the dead for the very first time. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I had in my life up until that point. I knew that this was a big step to be taking, and I felt more happiness and love than I could have imagined. The temple is a place where we can go to feel closer to our Father in Heaven. I feel so blessed that I live so close to so many temples, and that gave me the opportunity to attend the temple on a very regular basis. When I started college, I made it a goal to attend the temple at least once a month, and it helped me so much. I am so grateful for the temple!

Little did I know that just (about) 7 years later I would be entering the Lord's house for a different purpose. On June 15, 2013 I was able to go to the Mt. Timpanogos temple to receive my own endowment. This was a very special experience for me, and I am so glad that I was able to go through the temple more than 3 months before I report for my mission, because I have been able to go back through multiple times and feel that amazing spirit. I am the youngest child in my family, and I was the last to go through the temple. This made it a very unique experience for me because I was able to have my whole family with me during this experience. I was also blessed to be able to go through for the first time with one of my very best friends, Nicole. She had received her call a few weeks before me, and we decided that we wanted to go through together for the first time! What an amazing example this girl is to me. She is so strong, and has such an amazing testimony. I admire her for all that she does.