A word about the temple

It's been a crazy week, but I've done some reading and a lot of thinking and going about the temple. First of all HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you mothers out there!

The very first thing I read from the readings struck me. Verse 1 of section 95:

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten
that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for
their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you—

This section is about the temple, but before it gets to the parts about the actual temple, the Lord chastens the saints for not moving more quickly to build the temple. Yet, it really is about the temple and about the gospel and the crux of what the atonement is all about - just in this one verse. Essentially it says this: I love you, so I'm going to give you direction, but right now it's not going to feel good, but trust me, it's for your eternal happiness. But with the chastisement I give, I also give you hope for a better way of living, the possibility of change.

To me, this is a perfect way to begin direction about how important the temple is. So many times we go to the temple with worries about others, worries about ourselves, perhaps we avoid going to the temple because we are worried about ourselves. But the whole point of going to the temple is to find the hope we need while wading through the muck of worry and anxiety.

Mark and I went to the temple last night. It was just sublime. It truly felt like we were entering a different realm where we could be free in thought and feeling and commune with Heavenly Father through the Savior. We were educated, and with education comes freedom, if used correctly. One of the best part of the temple though is the feeling of value I get about myself. That just can't come often enough in a world that is so full of comparing one person to another for one reason or another. I am so thankful for a safe spiritual and physical haven.