Ten Years Ago Today

"I went through the Holy Temple in Bountiful. Dad was my escort. Dad and I went in a room where the temple president told us the temple was also called the Mountain and University of God. Mom, Grandpa and Grandma Smith and Richards, Eileen, Cheryl, Kathleen, Linda, Mark, Randy, David, Marie, Jolene, Scott, Bishop and Sister Shearer, and Vern Pankrantz went through the endowment with me. It was a joyous occasion to see each of them as they entered the Celestial room. I can't imagine the joy it will be in the Celestial Kingdom. Rebecca tended Kendra outside. We went to Robintino's after. We, Mom, Dad, and I went to Nielsen's for custard." (From my journal)
Ten years ago today I went through the temple for the first time. Last month I was able to go through the St. Louis temple. As I walked around the outside of the temple, I felt humbled with great reverence and awe that God would allow me to enter his Holy House and serve in the way I serve.
Last month I was able to participate as one of my good friends went through the temple for the first time. There are few things that bring me more joy than seeing someone I love go through the temple for the first time. As Elder Scott said in the last general conference, "What a joy it is to be able to participate in the work of a temple!"
A couple weeks ago, my eye irritated me day and night. I couldn't sleep, and I couldn't read, I didn't know what to do with myself. After a couple days of this I called and set up an appointment with the eye doctor. In the past, I had not always strictly followed what the eye doctor advised. I wore my contacts for 4 weeks instead of 2 weeks, I used the cheap contact solution, instead of the more expensive type she recommended. Now as I went to the eye doctor, I was ready to do whatever she asked me to do, exactly as she asked me to do it, if only my eye would quit bothering me.
This is the attitude we should have as we attend the temple. We have been separated from the presence of God. The temple teaches us about the atonement of Jesus Christ and how we can return to the presence of God. We must be ready to do whatever He asks.
The doctor gave my a prescription for eye drops to take three times a day for a week. I must admit, there were a couple days when I missed one of the three times. Likewise, even after the first time we go through the temple, we will not be perfect; we will need to depend on the atonement for repentance. Now my eyes have quit bothering me. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, if we do what we are asked, including receiving the ordinances of the temple, we can return to the presence of God.