Draper Temple Dedication

This post is a little long, but PLEASE read it!!!
My mom, Drew and I were lucky enough to get to go to the 1st session of the temple dedication on Friday morning. We were one of the lucky families in our ward to be chosen to get to go into the temple.

We had to be at the church at 7am to be bussed up to the temple. And about an hour later, we were seated right outside the Celestial Room of the temple. (If I looked over my shoulder, I could just see into the Celestial Room. Before the dedication started, we got to watch people walk by that we knew and some that we didn't know. There were a few families from our ward, then some of Drew's extended family...about 15 minutes to 9am, someone in white came out to our group of people sitting outside the room and invited a family of 4 and an older couple to actually go into the Celestial Room. (COLOR ME JEALOUS!!! I was literally 2 people away from being able to go into there too.) Anywho-having a few seats around us open, they brought some other people out into our area to sit and one 5 of the seats were taken by a little family in our ward, the Larsen's. (They have 2 boys and a daughter, Drew has been the oldest kid's teacher in primary for 3 years now-his name is Austin.) We were all excited we got to all be sitting together.

Just as the clock was about to strike 9am and the dedication was to start, we heard some loud THUMPING coming up the stairs of the temple! Drew and I looked at each other and thought, "who the crap is running in the temple?!?" After the running stopped, two men were at the top of the stairs in suits and we heard the elevator (to our left) ding. THEN....President Monson, his wife, President Packer, his wife, President Iring, and his wife all walked past us!! (Not kidding you like 5 feet away!) President Monson turned to us and said good morning-it was really neat.

As the dedication was coming to an end, and the whole thing was REALLY neat to be a part of-I laughed, I cried-I was hoping that they might all leave the same way they came so that we could see them again. Well, we could see on the tv screen that they were in fact going to exit the way they came which was right by us. So the little family we were with had their 2 youngest kids go over to the railing so they could see the prophet...

PAUSE IN THE STORY FOR SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION: the kids in this family are the sweetest things you'll ever meet. And they are SMART! These 3 kids know more about the gospel than anyone I've ever met-they live and breath goodness. In primary each week the oldest son Austin is always there to tell the rest of the primary kids to quiet down and be respectful and really are just the sweetest kids ever.

OK BACK TO THE STORY:
As President Monson walked out of the Celestial Room he looked down at David (the youngest of the Larsen kids) and said, "Ya gonna go on a mission right?" David just smiled and nodded. His sister Alex next to him was just beaming! Behind me, their mom (who is a convert to the church) was tickeled pink to see that they prophet was talking to her kids. Then as he was walking out of the room, he looked over and saw the oldest Larsen, Austin. He waved Austin over to him and gave him a hug-Austin was in tears! President Monson kept his arms around Austin for a minute and then looked down at him again saying, "you'll be a great missionary, I know you will."

Austin's mom, dad, my mom, and me were all in tears!! It was the sweetest moment I've witnessed in a while. If there is ONE kid in the world who I know will treasure and love that moment with President Monson, it is Austin.It was so neat to be a part of this amazing day. The temple is beautiful and I am so greatful to have a temple so close to home. I'm so greatful for temples and the work that goes on inside of them. I'm greatful for the sealing power that is there and for all the good, peaceful, and happy feelings that dwell there. I'm so greatful to have been able to go to the temple dedication-I have a feeling its going to be a once in a lifetime kind of thing.