I've been so lucky to have a Temple here so close to me on this little island of Manhattan. It is literally a 15-30 min subway ride away.
I use to get in my car and have a nice, quiet drive into the temple, I'd park my car, walk down the beautiful temple path of the temple grounds, and then carry on into the temple, where I'd continue to feel that serenity, and even more at peace.
Here in the city, I ride the subway in, sitting next to loud strangers, no matter how clean I was before I went down there, as I take my seat, I always feel dirty--- most would concur--it's a filthy place to be.
When I finally come out of the dark hole in the ground, gasping for fresh air. . . I find myself at the beautiful Columbus Circle, but there is noise everywhere. I have to focus to keep the peace I need to carry with me up 7 more blocks to the temple. With such opposing settings, it almost makes the temple carry an added light, and spirit about it. The moment I walk in off the streets of the city, and into the Temple, an overwhelming familiar peace and calm come over me. It's such a tangible change of atmosphere; there is an absolute power there. It's a beautiful place. The interior radiates with a light that I've yet to find anywhere else, it's just like heaven! I don't remember heaven, but I know that it's where my Father in Heaven is, and the temple is another place where he resides. Every time I go there, I think, "I need to come here every day!" I love to see the temple!
Having the temple here has been one of my greatest blessings of this New York adventure. To have the consistency of the church, and know that the same things I'm being taught here are coming from the same source as what I would be taught in any other one of our church buildings is such a comfort to me. I had the opportunity to go to the Temple tonight. It was freezing cold outside, so I had to layer up—big time; boots, dress, coat, hat, scarf, leggings, foot warmers--layers. It made the trip into town that much more intimidating, but I knew I needed to go. I had called the other day to see when another group would be there for me to tag along with, and they had told me that I could join a group tonight. Well I finally made it to the temple. As I walked inside, I couldn’t help but notice all the other people that were there, pulling out their recommends, awaiting "the nod" and then kindly being ushered in. I was happy to see another girl from my ward there before me. She had come on her own as well. We began with a group of elderly Spanish women; all in white-- they were beautiful. A gentleman asked me if the friend I was sitting by was my sister, we giggled, and then said, "Yes, and these senora's over here are my sisters too!" Now they were giggling with us. The ordinance worker asked if I would interpret for him, because he could see that I was practicing my Spanish in light conversation with the women. I told him that I didn't know very much, and he said I'd be fine. He was totally Spanish, but he said that he needed me to interpret--- I was confused. So I humored him, and did my best to explain to them that the temple president was going to come and speak to us before our baptisms. He didn't speak Spanish, but he was very kind. The man continued to speak, but I didn't know how to interpret, he did it on purpose. He smiled at me and then turned to the women and spoke beautiful Spanish to them. They all looked at me giggling. . . you interpret for him--- he Spanish! haha k, joke was on me. As we waited for the President to come speak to us, the room continued to fill with so many different groups of people, it was so neat! There were fathers, with their children. Mothers, with their daughters. People from the Dominican Republic , and Africa, young men, and women, my friend and myself, first-timers, old-timers--- and my spanish sisters. Our numbers neared 30. It was a beautiful experience for us all.
I use to get in my car and have a nice, quiet drive into the temple, I'd park my car, walk down the beautiful temple path of the temple grounds, and then carry on into the temple, where I'd continue to feel that serenity, and even more at peace.
Here in the city, I ride the subway in, sitting next to loud strangers, no matter how clean I was before I went down there, as I take my seat, I always feel dirty--- most would concur--it's a filthy place to be.
When I finally come out of the dark hole in the ground, gasping for fresh air. . . I find myself at the beautiful Columbus Circle, but there is noise everywhere. I have to focus to keep the peace I need to carry with me up 7 more blocks to the temple. With such opposing settings, it almost makes the temple carry an added light, and spirit about it. The moment I walk in off the streets of the city, and into the Temple, an overwhelming familiar peace and calm come over me. It's such a tangible change of atmosphere; there is an absolute power there. It's a beautiful place. The interior radiates with a light that I've yet to find anywhere else, it's just like heaven! I don't remember heaven, but I know that it's where my Father in Heaven is, and the temple is another place where he resides. Every time I go there, I think, "I need to come here every day!" I love to see the temple!
Having the temple here has been one of my greatest blessings of this New York adventure. To have the consistency of the church, and know that the same things I'm being taught here are coming from the same source as what I would be taught in any other one of our church buildings is such a comfort to me. I had the opportunity to go to the Temple tonight. It was freezing cold outside, so I had to layer up—big time; boots, dress, coat, hat, scarf, leggings, foot warmers--layers. It made the trip into town that much more intimidating, but I knew I needed to go. I had called the other day to see when another group would be there for me to tag along with, and they had told me that I could join a group tonight. Well I finally made it to the temple. As I walked inside, I couldn’t help but notice all the other people that were there, pulling out their recommends, awaiting "the nod" and then kindly being ushered in. I was happy to see another girl from my ward there before me. She had come on her own as well. We began with a group of elderly Spanish women; all in white-- they were beautiful. A gentleman asked me if the friend I was sitting by was my sister, we giggled, and then said, "Yes, and these senora's over here are my sisters too!" Now they were giggling with us. The ordinance worker asked if I would interpret for him, because he could see that I was practicing my Spanish in light conversation with the women. I told him that I didn't know very much, and he said I'd be fine. He was totally Spanish, but he said that he needed me to interpret--- I was confused. So I humored him, and did my best to explain to them that the temple president was going to come and speak to us before our baptisms. He didn't speak Spanish, but he was very kind. The man continued to speak, but I didn't know how to interpret, he did it on purpose. He smiled at me and then turned to the women and spoke beautiful Spanish to them. They all looked at me giggling. . . you interpret for him--- he Spanish! haha k, joke was on me. As we waited for the President to come speak to us, the room continued to fill with so many different groups of people, it was so neat! There were fathers, with their children. Mothers, with their daughters. People from the Dominican Republic , and Africa, young men, and women, my friend and myself, first-timers, old-timers--- and my spanish sisters. Our numbers neared 30. It was a beautiful experience for us all.
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