Temple

The kids and I were just in New York visiting my sister Rachel and her family because Hyrum is working nights this month. We had a blast and were so grateful to be able to spend time with family, but I wanted to share a funny story with the temple. I often hear stories of difficulties getting to the temple which is usually attributed to Satan trying to keep us away. While I was there in New York, I really wanted to visit the Manhattan temple since there are none close to where we live. I love to take the opportunity to go any time I am visiting near one. So I had directions, my sister had my kids and I felt good about the trip to get there. Simply one subway ride and about a half mile walk.

Really not bad, right? Well I failed to take into account the fact that I am navigationally challenged. But the directions seem so simple, I literally thought, "None of those difficulties getting to the temple should happen to me!" Ha! I get through the subway ride fine and arrive at Central Park just like I'm supposed to. Now my sister said the temple is on the other side of the park, so walk to the edge of the park, then take a main street to the other side. For those of you not familiar with Central Park, it is pretty big.

So I walk until I think I found a road outside of the park to walk to the other side. As I walk for a while I realize I'm still in the park, but I figure it's a big enough road it should just take me through. My goal is to get to the west side and 66th st. I keep walking, and walking and walking, and walking. I start thinking, this has got to be more than a half mile! I finally find a way out of the park and find myself back on the East side at 72nd st. I had just walked a mile. I had given myself plenty of time to get to the temple, so although feeling a bit frantic, I kept a cool head and decided it was time to call a taxi. As I walked and waited for a taxi in my high heels (not a good idea) I felt blisters slowly forming on my non-New York transportation (aka, your own two feet) accustomed appendages.

I finally get a taxi and look at my watch. The session started at 5:15. I still had to get there, get dressed and find the right room. It was 5:10. As the taxi sped through Central Park I felt doomed to not make it in time and thought I would miss the last session. He drops me off and I run into the temple. The temple worker behind the desk says they haven't started yet but should be any minute since, after all, it is 5:15 by now. He encourages me to go up and see if I can still make it in. I hurry to the elevator and once there realize I have no idea which floor I'm supposed to go to. I randomly pick floor 4. As I step off the elevator, I see a sign that informs me that I want to be on floor 5. I am impatient and don't want to wait for the elevator but would rather just run up the one flight of stairs. I see an exit sign and push the door open to the stairwell. I run up to the fifth floor and am dismayed when I find the door is locked. I am not able to get into any of the doors from the stairwell without a key. I know I have to head down to the first floor and check in again. As I hurry down the stairs, remember I am in high heels, I slip and seriously fall down an entire flight of stairs.

As I lay there at the bottom of the stairs, my elbow bruised up and who knows what else, I feel not only frantic because I'm late, but battered and worn. I slowly regain my composure, certain that I have missed my session since you are not allowed in once it has began. I slowly, carefully walk down the remainder of the stairs. The man at the front looks at me, checks my temple recommend again and says, "You went to the stairs didn't you?" Yes, indeed I did go to the stairs. He smiles and tells me, "Fifth floor" and I proceed to the elevator again. I go up to the fifth floor this time and see some temple workers as the doors open. A beautiful sweet lady smiles when she sees me and says, "There's still time." Surprised I tell her, "I still need to rent clothes and get dressed. Is there really still time?" She smiles again and tells me, "We'll wait for you. Don't worry you have plenty of time and we won't start without you." In amazed relief I go back down to the 4th floor (by the elevator this time) and rent my clothes. I go back up to the 5th floor and go to the changing room. "Don't rush, you're fine." The kind woman told me again. I am trembling slightly from all the adventure and feeling like I still needed to rush, but manage to pull myself together and was able to enjoy and be blessed by doing a session in the temple. Moral of the story? Never start off a trip to the temple thinking "None of those difficulties getting to the temple will happen to me!" No matter how short or simple the trip seems. :)