The temple has always been very important to me in my life. When I was a child, I looked forward to my twelfth birthday. For, on that day, I would be old enough to go into the Temples of God and begin to do a most holy work. For the next ten years I sought to go to the temple often to do, baptisms and confirmations, for those beyond the grave who had not the opportunity to do so for themselves while living.
Ten years later, in preparation for serving a mission, on my twenty-second birthday I was able to go through the Temple to receive higher saving ordinances for myself and make sacred covenants with the
Lord. On that day I promised myself that up until I left for my mission, and then once I returned home, that I would go often to do this much needed work for my ancestors.
For the next five ½ weeks till I left, and for the first two months after I returned from my mission I was good on my promise. Then I went back to school. That last year at college for me was a crazy time for me. I was living in Cedar City, attending a small classical liberal arts college. I had no car for money was tight and I did not wish to get in debt, so I walked everywhere. It wasn’t so bad, for I only lived 2 miles from the college.
Trying to make up for last time, I took upon myself 27 credit hours the first semester, and 23 the next, while taking on the responsibilities of a student ambassador for my school as well. I had so much on my plate between college and my church callings that I found certain things began to fall through the cracks. Among which was my temple attendance. At first I did not realize this was happening. Yet, when I did, I did not know how I could do anything about it. The nearest Temple was in St. George a 50 minute drive away. And the fact was that I just didn’t have the time, or means of transportation.
Then one day I was reading in my scriptures, and I read,
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” 1 Nephi 3:7
Here Nephi and his brothers were asked what seemed to be an impossible task. They were commanded to go back to the great city of Jerusalem to retrieve the plates of brass. They tried and seemingly failed many times. Nephi’s older brothers looked at the obstacles in their way of accomplishing God’s task for them, and justified themselves in their inaction. Nephi however looked to the Lord, and held in his heart God’s promise to prepare a way. Because of his faith in the Lord, Nephi was able to overcome all that stood in his way and accomplished what the Lord commanded.
When I realized that I was thinking and acting like Nephi’s older brothers, instead of my hero, Nephi, I knelt down and poured my heart out to the Lord. I told him of the desire of my heart to be able to attend the temple. I then told Him all the obstacles in my way. I finished by placing it in His hands. I promised the Lord that if He would provide a way that I would attend the temple every week for the rest of my school year.
That very next day a friend approached me and told me that she was getting together, a group of friends to attend the temple with every Tuesday, and wanted to know if I was interested in going. She had a car, and if we could fill it then it would only cost $2 a trip.
I made the commitment to obey the Lord’s will and attend the temple, and He made it possible. My week wasn’t any less busy. My many responsibilities didn’t just go away. Yet, when I put the Lord first, I still managed to do everything else that mattered. It wasn’t always easy, but it was possible.
As a further blessing, I found that there was an added measure of the spirit in my life. I was closer to the Lord, and I had a greater sense of peace and direction while in the midst of my crazy life. Looking back now, I know that I only made it through that time in my life because of those blessing from attending the temple. That and I relearned a most important lesson in my life. If we wait to do the things of the Lord till they are convenient, then we will never do them, for they will rarely be convenient. Yet if we put the things of the Lord first, the Lord will make a way for us to accomplish them as well as those other important things in our life that we put on the side to do his will first.
“I too believe that God will always make a way where there is no way. I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, he will open a way even where there appears to be no way.” If Ye Be Willing and Obedient, President Gordon B Hinckley
