10 - Temples

I didn't attend the San Diego Temple today (pictured above) but this is one of my favorites.

As I have overtly stated before, I am a Mormon. This means that I have a set of beliefs that govern a large part of who I am and what I choose to do on a daily basis. I believe that these make me a better person. Mormons of a certain age are encouraged to attend what we call temples and perform service. This service is in the form of helping those who have already moved on from this life have the option of receiving Christ. We believe that there are some things that must be done while you have access to a physical body. Since God does not discriminate or give preference to one person above another, he has provided a way for those that did not have the chance to be baptized in this life to be baptized by proxy and receive those blessings as if they had. There are a number of other ordinances that are performed for those that have passed on in addition to baptisms. These temples are beautiful places where we can go to be close to our God. Even though I am doing service for others, I get so much out of it that helps me improve my day to day life. Today when I attended the temple I felt an overwhelming desire to be better, to stand taller, and to give up more of my life in service to my God.

I am grateful for these chances that I have to come closer to my God. I am grateful for temples and the things that I learn there every time. The message is always the same, but what I walk away with is almost always different. If you have noticed these temples they are beautiful works of art. Mormons aren't trying to make a statement or prove to the world that we can build impressive buildings. We build these as a demonstration of our loyalty to God. These buildings are built to perfection with no corners cut. They stand as a reminder to me that I should live my life in a similar way, no corners cut, devoting my finest resources to my Father in Heaven.