Also On Saturday...

The actual reason my sister's family came over this weekend was for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gila Valley Temple. We were able to attend and watch via satellite at our stake center. Getting 10 people up and ready by six something in the morning was not happening at our house on Saturday. It didn't help that we stayed up until midnight talking. We arrived at the stake center at the time they said we should be there by before they said it would be too late to get in. That was 8:20 am. Then we sat there listening to hymns waiting for the ceremony to begin. It was scheduled for 9:00 am but I am pretty sure it started late.

The reason I am pretty sure it started late and not 100% sure is b/c as I was holding Bronson on my lap listening to hymns and waiting for it to start, he decided to wet on me! This was at about 10 minutes til 9:00. But we had all piled into Megan's car to get there and I couldn't take their car to go home and change (no one trusts me with their vehicles~there is a reason for that though). So we walked to the back and found my dad with another grand kid ~Parker~who was also rowdy for the occasion. I stood the entire time trying to air out and not let my dress touch my leg. Bronson became little Mr. Shy after that and clung to me until it was almost over. Thanks Justin and Mom for sitting with my girls during the ceremony and thanks to them for behaving and not wetting themselves.

The only reason I document that little tidbit at all is b/c my grandma told me I had to and that that is what makes days like this memorable for the kids.

After we got home and changed (and cleaned up) we took the kids out to the site for them to be able to see it and also turn the shovels as well. The temple will actually sit on this spot. Cool.

The sun was shining and the wind was blowing but each kid got to take a turn digging and we even took some of the dirt home in a container. (Hopefully that's okay!?) They also each took a rock from the ground. Our entire family has a tradition of collecting rocks and we couldn't waste the opportunity to have some dedicated and sanctified dirt and rocks in our collection.

Come to find out later that we could have gone to the actual site even as late as 8:20 b/c so many people decided to go to the stake centers (where is was warmer) that they had empty chairs at the grounds. I wish we would have been more diligent about going but what can you do now?The temple will serve many of the surrounding stakes in the Eastern Arizona region as well as some in New Mexico. It will take 12-16 months to be completed and will be 15,000 square feet and the tallest building in the area. In the early 1900s a prophecy was made concerning a temple to be built here in this valley. Finally this prophecy has come to pass. The people who spoke on Saturday morning spoke of their ancestors and the settlers of this area who they also felt were in attendance for this wonderful occasion. As I listened I thought of my grandad and his parents and my grandma's parents. And our other ancestors who came her under the direction of the prophet. Also President Kimball (who was from here) and his wife Camilla Eyring (also from here). How excited and thrilled they must be to have this blessing brought to us their descendants. Although they did clarify to all that the responsibilities that come with having this temple lie in the hands of us. This is our blessing and we must be worthy of it and use it to our fullest advantage.