Wow

That's pretty much all I have in my poor vocabulary to express my great experience yesterday. Jamie and I had a great opportunity to usher inside the Rexburg, Idaho Temple. We had some great friends watch our 2 boys. It was a long block of time for them to watch our kids but they are troopers! We dropped of Tyler and Carter around 7 and got to the stake center by the temple around 7:15. These first few days (26, 27, 28th) are for the VIPs. Sounds important I know. When we showed up we thought that we were going to be late cause at this meeting they had they asked us to be at least 40 minutes early. There were only 3 other cars in the parking lot. I guess that someone neglected to tell us that nothing started until 9. But the ushers were suppose to be at the church around 8. Oh and to top it off the couple that is suppose to open the doors slept through their alarm! AND...there was a missionary couple that was told to be at the church at 6am. They had to drive from IF so they were probably up dang early. So somewhere along the line of communication someone dropped the ball. But it's all good. The couple that had the keys showed up about 7:45 or so and opened the doors. We went into the chapel and the rows were marked by level of the temple. We sat in the row labeled "2nd Floor". About 8am people were really starting to file in. One of the brothers that was in charge got up and said that we are going to have a special guest come and address us for the prayer meeting before the tours start. Elder Bednar. Anyone who was at Ricks or BYU-I when he was president has a ton of respect for that man. I was thrilled to hear from him. We were in the 3rd row so we were right up close to where he would be. We sang and then said a prayer. Elder Bednar got up and shared an experience then a scriptural thought, he then invited his wife to share her testimony and then he would share his. Not to shadow his wifes testimony but, I have never heard an apostle share his testimony in such a way as he did. The spirit was incredibly strong. It was amazing.
After Elder Bednar shared his testimony he was excused and we were all taken to our "spots" in the temple. Jamie and I were placed at the entrance of the Celestial Room. We smiled and greeted all those that came threw. I don't know what you think a VIP special open house means but Elder Bednar and other authority of the church weren't going threw in the tours...they were conducting the tours! Can you imagine? Elder Bednar was conducting a tour and it was so great to see him in a teaching moment, there was this gentlemen that had questions of the ordinance rooms and Elder Bednar got to explain the purpose and why they are. It was so great to be a part of such an amazing thing! How blessed Jamie and I are for being able to be of service in our soon to be temple!